This Black History month – and every month – we celebrate Black trailblazers making a difference in their communities and beyond. Aged between 11 and to 26, these Black changemakers are using their creativity, bravery, intellect, and talent to create a kinder, braver world. Check out their work in a variety of different fields – including philanthropy, environmental justice, and art – and learn how you can support their incredible activism!
1. Taylor Cassidy
With more than 2.3 million followers on TikTok, Taylor aims to teach her/their audience “Black History like you’ve never learned before.” Via her/their series “Fast Black History” and “Black Girl Magic Minute,” Taylor creates a community that links Black culture with joy and fun.
A strong advocate of inclusion and representation, Taylor makes Black history accessible on her channels, and once you watch one of her/their videos, trust us, you won’t want to stop! You can follow Taylor on TikTok here at @taylorcassidyj and check out one of her/their videos below!
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2. Jerome Foster II
A climate justice activist and a youth advocate, Jerome is the founder of OneMillionOfUs, a nonprofit that empowered 1 million young people to register to vote and turn up in the 2020 election.
In addition to prioritizing the environment and calling upon business leaders across the world to commit to go real zero, he/they also recently co-founded waic up, “a storytelling to impact organization focused on narrating the intersecting issues of the climate crisis in a holistic and creative way through open news channels, impact campaigns, and a lot more.”
To learn how you can support Jerome in his/their mission, check out waicup.org and follow him on Instagram!
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3. Alena Analeigh McQuarter
Already scheduled to graduate double-degreed from two different universities, this 13-year-old prodigy is going places! Next up, med school! In 2022, she became the youngest Black person to ever be accepted into medical school (University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine).
With a passion to help other young girls enter STEM careers as well, she founded The Brown STEM Girl, which educates, motivates, and empowers girls of color to enter these fields. Oh, and did we mention she also interns at NASA and wants to go to space? The sky’s the limit with Alena, and we can’t wait to see what she accomplishes next! If you’re looking to support her journey or her nonprofit organization, follow her on Instagram!
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4. Davida Padi
With the mission to address the lack of mental health resources available for Black girls, Davida founded Eve’s Corner, a community that provides workshops, therapy assistance, a guide to mental health resources, and scholarship information for Black girls.
“Growing up, I rarely heard mental health discussed, not in the classroom and certainly not socially,” she writes on her website. “It was only when I began researching the COIVD 19 effects on Black girls that I learned what I have been overlooking.”
You can get involved with Eve’s Corner here + learn more about her experience with the Mental Health Youth Action Forum at the White House below:
5. David Onilude
Understanding how important digital and media literacy is, David started an initiative to use technology to help uplift his community in Nigeria. In 2020, that initiative turned into a non-profit organization called Tech Now Global, which addresses marginalization in rural communities by providing youth with resources, skills, and support.
David’s hope is that he can educates his fellow Gen-zer’s with the basic digital and 21st century skills they need to thrive and fully eradicate digital illiteracy in a sustainable way.
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6. Ethan Hill
At only 6 years old, Ethan became a leading philanthropist! In 2016, he created “Ethan’s Heart Bags 4 Blessings” with the aim to provide packages of foods and other necessities such as sleeping bags, first aid supplies, and hygiene products to those experiencing homelessness in and around Birmingham, Alabama.
In addition to the 2,800 care packages and survival supplies Ethan has distributed, the now 11-year-old also provides crisis stabilization services, a free mobile sore, and an educational unit. Each year since its formation, Ethan uses his own money and donations from community members to create care packages to distribute during street outreach to those individuals who are homeless and reside on the streets. Each year the need and mission of Ethan’s Heart has evolved to meet the immediate needs of the homeless community.
To learn how you can help Ethan and get involved, visit ethansheartbham.org and don’t forget to follow his Instagram to support his work!
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7. Samirah Horton
Also known as DJ Annie Red, Samirah is an an award winning kid rapper and anti-bullying activist. After being picked on by her peers from a young age, she decided to embrace her love of music to create her own anti-bullying anthem: “No You Won’t Bully Me.” This song soon became a book called “The Bully Stop,” and since its creation, Samirah has visited schools all across the country to talk to kids about bullying, expressing oneself through music, and encouraging kids to embrace what makes them different.
In addition to her activism for a kinder world, Samirah is a kid resident DJ for the Brooklyn Nets! You can keep up with her journey and check out her music on her Instagram!
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8. Thaddeus Coates, also known as Hippy Potter
One scroll through Thaddeus’s Instagram page and you’ll feel like you’re turning the pages of your favorite comic books once again; colorful graphics and quote cards pop out at you as you swipe downwards. Hippy Potter is a model and illustrator, with vivid art that focuses on queer love, owning one’s sexuality in a bigger body, and looking at beloved cartoon characters reimagined through Thaddeus’s eyes. He describes his art style as “afrofuturistic,” sharing on his website that his goal is to “redefine social stereotypes through provocative and vibrant images.”
His website and Instagram feature young black girls and boys portraying famous cartoons such as Avatar: The Last Airbender, Kiki’s Delivery Service, Spirited Away, and Sailor Moon. One of Thaddeus’s posts reads, “The rooms you enter are filled with the light you bring.” But just looking at Thaddeus’s feed and art catalog, you can tell that saying also fits perfectly for Thaddeus. Wherever Hippy Potter goes, happiness and vibrant energy are sure to follow.
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