Youth Advocates: Voices of Change Across the Nation

As a Black woman from a multicultural city like Montreal and coming from a family with a migration background, I became aware early on of the inequities that shape people's lives. That early awareness made advocacy not a choice, but a responsibility. I advocate because I refuse to accept a world where people's futures are decided by the circumstances of their birth. I believe in breaking barriers — whether it’s pushing for girls' access to education, demanding youth representation, fighting systemic racism or amplifying underrepresented voices in international spaces. 

Many of the advocacy issues we are facing today have existed for years, and if no action is taken, they will continue to affect us well into the future. I am passionate about creating opportunities where other youth can have their voices heard and working together to create a more just and sustainable world. Seeing the change we continue to make on issues that can often feel overwhelming inspires me to be an advocate.

As someone with lived experience of conflict, displacement, and being denied access to education, I advocate because I do not want anyone, anywhere, to endure what I have lived through. Advocacy is my way of turning hardship into hope and building a future where every girl can learn, dream, and lead.

I advocate so that one day others might not experience what my family did as we navigated major childhood illness as new immigrants and people of colour. I believe with everything in me that all children and youth deserve the chance to grow up healthy, safe, and supported. As a nurse, advocating fiercely for the children I care for is part of the job. 

I believe being a youth advocate is important not only for our future but for the next generation's future. Unfortunately, the world will never be perfect, however, we can try our best to make the future as good as possible. It's important to recognize that one voice can change so much, and with that idea in my mind, I strive to make a difference. With so many issues in this world, it is essential to speak up and raise awareness to help make a change. 

I'm an advocate because I know what it feels like to navigate systems that weren't built with people like me in mind. My own lived (and living) experiences helped me find my voice and it continues to light a fire in me to speak up, not just for myself but for others who feel unseen and unheard. Whether it's pushing for more accessible and equitable healthcare, expanding STEAM education in underserved communities, shaping a more inclusive future in sports, and amplifying youth voices in everything in between, advocacy gives me purpose and motivates me to help build a future where everyone belongs and thrives.

It is so exciting to get to work on projects that you are passionate and curious about. That is what drives my advocacy, the want to learn more and the want apply ideas into actions. 

Youth’s voices do not hold the weight they should be holding. I hope to amplify the voices of those who are not being heard. I’m motivated by my past experiences and those of my friends and family, and having to carry those experiences with us for the rest of our lives. I want to be an advocate so that future generations can have hope knowing that there is support out there for them and that their voices are heard.

I find myself lucky to be an advocate, and to have the ability to make choices for myself that I know others cannot. I want others to have that choice.

I am an advocate because I am moved to act upon global inequities, and I believe collective youth voices will create a better world. Youth must participate in decision making processes to ensure their future in the world is reflective of their needs, and to ensure the well-being of the planet and all species. 

I'm an advocate for health equity and equal opportunities for youth and young adults because I believe that everyone should be able to access the resources they need regardless of their identity. Being involved in advocacy allows me to amplify the voices of others and work towards the change that they want to see. That change doesn't only affect today's generation, but also the next one, and the next one, and countless others that follow. 

I am an advocate because I believe in the power of youth to shape not only the future, but the present. Advocacy allows me to speak up for those who may lack the same opportunities or resources, empower others, and amplify change. I am motivated by a vision of a world where young people are not solely consulted, but are active contributors to community-building, civic life, and society.

My lived experience– including with the climate crisis in the North and navigating a rare disease— have catalyzed many of my advocacy endeavours. Everybody encounters or observes adversity in some form, and I believe that there is tremendous value in transforming these experiences into divers of change. For me, advocacy is both a restorative opportunity to address existing problems, and a constructive opportunity to work towards a world that is accountable, sustainable, and equitable.

I am an advocate because I believe understanding change means understanding people. Everyone has a story, and the more we listen, the more we learn. I feel motivated when I talk to people because even though there are issues to address, I'm glad to be a part of the solution and giving people a space to be listened to.