In early 2017, I attended an event hosted by Amnesty International Toronto. While attending the event, I was incredibly struck by the idea of being able to help people facing injustices around the world and wanted to get involved myself.
After continuously attending Amnesty International gatherings throughout the year, I applied for and became a National Youth Organizer for Amnesty International Canada. As an organizer, I have helped plan and facilitate events, such as movie screenings and letter writing sessions, as well as spoken to audiences to inform and engage them in Amnesty campaigns.
The initiative that has had the most impact on my life is the Amnesty International club that I created at my high school. We have hosted various events, including our own Write for Rights, which aim to educate my peers and tell them how to contribute to Amnesty’s work. Whenever we have meetings, there are students who share their experiences with activism and how it has impacted their lives.
Hearing these stories drive me to continue and expand my work with Amnesty International. I think change starts in communities, so I strive to provide opportunities through my work with Amnesty International for people in my school and in my area to get involved in creating change.
