For as long as anyone can remember, teenagers have been regarded as lazy. Recently, an antonym for that word has been showing up in headlines next to teenagers: Teenage Activism. Some regard it as a comedic oxymoron, others are inspired.

The list of activists that spark interest in the brains of teens across the country is extensive, starting with Emma Gonzalez, a survivor of the widely known Majory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018. Her name is quite recognizable due to her moving and relatable speeches about gun control.

She started speaking out after the shooting, which inspired many students to use their voice as well. Just two years ago there were walkouts all across the country with many in Johnson County.

Gonzalez got far in her career of sparking change, including taking on NRA spokesperson Dana Loesch at a town hall in 2018.

Although there were many other teens involved in the uproar regarding school shootings, Gonzlez should be considered the most recent and most productive face of the protest, causing teens across the country to really think for themselves.

One of the most famous young activists is Malala Yousafzai, a girl from Pakistan who started blogging at age 11. She also won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014 for her “struggle against the suppression of children and young people and for the right of all to children to education,” which makes her the youngest to ever receive that award, at age 17.

She was very outspoken and wrote a blog about about her family’s experience living under the Taliban, a military organization in Afghanistan, which is waging war in her country. Her family ran a chain of schools, keeping Yousafzai’s dream–to promote and provide education–alive.

Taliban officials attempted to assisante her twice after her blog became popular and her voice was heard, resulting in her family fleeing to the UK, where she founded the Malala fund and published her first book, “I Am Malala”.

The popularity of teenage activism will continue to grow for years, inspiring the generations to come. Once the older generations finally start to rethink their opinions of teens, they will become truly impactful on society.