Meet 5 young women who are changing the world

Braving judicial systems fraught with loopholes, fearless young activists serve as catalysts for change in the U.S. and beyond. When faced with concerning governance or weak public policy, these student activists and youth organizers refuse to concede their rights. They instead champion a variety of causes, including - but not limited to - fighting sexual assault, demanding immigration reforms and condemning racial prejudice.

Areeba Kamal, a USA TODAY Collegiate Correspondent, spoke with five inspiring female student activists between the ages of 22 and 26 years old to find out what motivates them to keep fighting for change. These young women have empowered their communities in 2014, running nonprofits, leading protests and raising awareness through tireless advocacy and organizing.

Q: Please describe your experiences as a young activist.

Sofia Campos, 24, University of California, Los Angeles / Massachusetts Institute of Technology: I became active in the immigrant youth movement when I discovered I was undocumented in my first year of undergraduate studies at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). I gained experience in student activism, student government, and statewide and national activism for the California Dream Act and the federal DREAM Act. In 2011, I became Board Chair of United We Dream, a national network of youth-led immigrant organizations. Most recently, I have been involved in pushing for and winning Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred Action for Parental Accountability (DAPA), as well as focusing on intersectional, youth of color organizing.

Ali Safran, 22, Mount Holyoke College: I first became an activist through my work as a sexual assault crisis counselor after my freshman year of college. That sparked in me a desire to do more, especially for survivors of (sexual) violence. During my Junior year at Mount Holyoke College, I developed Surviving in Numbers, an organization that allows survivors of violence to share their stories anonymously as calls for change.

Lena Khader, 23, University of Oklahoma: Growing up in an immigrant, working class family smack dab in the middle of the Bible Belt, 'activism' was unfamiliar and ambiguous territory. I became politicized through an Asian Pacific Islander American (APIA) internship in DC, and from personal experiences of seeing and feeling historical oppression and trauma in my community. Currently I lead Making HERstory, a youth empowerment program for women and allies to discuss feminism, ethnic studies, and their rich "her-stories" or personal narratives.

Jamira Burley, 26, Temple University: I work as the Executive Director to the City of Philadelphia Youth Commission. The Philadelphia Youth Commission is comprised of 21 young people, between the ages of 12-23 years old. Members of City Council and the Mayor’s office appoint the commissioners. The mission and goal of the commission is to represent the interests of Philadelphia’s nearly 600,000 young people. Through the course of our work we advise and collaborate with city government, criminal justice system, nonprofits, community organizations and private entities to develop strategies to improve the lives of Philadelphia’s youth.

Marleny DaRosa, 23, Mount Holyoke College: This past April the militant group Boko Haram, was responsible for the kidnapping of over 200 young schoolgirls in Nigeria. Horrific reminders like this strengthen (my belief in) the work that needs to be done in order to advocate for women’s rights everywhere. I currently work with two other women in overseeing the creation of a non-profit organization called Africa’s Women of Valor. We are dedicated to increasing awareness about sexual violence against women as result of civil wars and armed conflicts. Most importantly, we are committed to developing sustainable support to protect the rights of women in Africa and across the globe.

Q: What qualities define a good activist?

Campos: A good organizer builds genuine relationships of support and transformation. We have to be able to challenge each other with respect to grow and push ourselves and each other towards our best. Effective communication and grounding ourselves in why we do this social justice work - our personal reasons - is key.

Safran: Good activists listen to others and listen to activists who came before them - there are so many people who have been  fighting similar battles for many years, and it's important not to erase their voices or stories in present movements.

Burley: You have to be willing to do the right thing even if it’s not the popular thing to do. You have to be willing to go down a path less charted and fight battles that no one else can see. It about doing the work, even if no one else knows you’re doing it and changing lives even if you never received credit for it.

DaRosa: An activist must have a sense of humility - we provide service for the benefit of communities, families, and people while learning important lessons along the way. My own work is filled with purpose, but I also know that I am in no way shape or form better than the women I choose to advocate for. I must learn from their experiences and stories.

Q: What is your greatest challenge as a young change-maker? How do you overcome it?

Khader: The hardest part of activism is living in a society where certain professions, voices, and communities are uplifted and others are not. The lack of capacity and organizing resources is staggeringly slim in many Southern and/or conservative states. I am still learning how to navigate in a political and social system that blatantly oppresses and silences community members, in relation to police brutality, racial profiling, reproductive justice issues, the separation of immigrant families, harsh standardized test score requirements, etc. I engage with those who do not share my values, only to have substantial discussions and avoid (harmful) arguments.

Burley: The most challenging thing for me is recognizing that I can’t do my work alone and that I have to be willing to ask for assistance when needed. I think to have true change, everyone (in a team) must be allowed to provide input and recommendations. (I have also learned that) you cannot fight a battle if you don’t know what you're opponents are fighting for. We cannot jump to the conclusion that someone is wrong just because their views differ from our own. We have to hear people out and see where they are coming from.

Q: Who is your greatest source of inspiration?

Campos: I am inspired by Ella Baker, an African-American civil rights and human rights activist, because she believed in and effectively practiced collective leadership. She understood the power of young people and knew how to support it so it would grow. She also understood the drawbacks of charismatic leadership, which focuses on uplifting one person - one name. That is not how real movement happens.

Khader: My "she-roes" continue to be Making Herstory members, local organizers in Oklahoma who continue to collectively push the boundaries and organize in a red state, and my Palestinian father and Taiwanese mother who sacrificed so much for my brother and I. My community, my ancestors, my students, and local Oklahoma organizers reminds me of the healing, transformative power in collective resistance and love.

Burley: I think my biggest role models have always been people who are unlikely success stories because those are people I can relate to. They are the ones that people wrote off and said would never be anything. But in spite of it all, they were able to come out on top. It reminds me that anything is possible and one is not defined by the circumstances of their birth or zip code.

DaRosa: Too often when we think about sexual violence against women. It is very difficult to fathom that men can also join in the fight against sexual violence. One of my biggest role models is Dr. Denis Mukwege, a Congolese gynecological surgeon and founder and director of The Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Congo. He has not only treated thousands of women, but has also risked his life to bringing awareness of how rape is being used as a strategic weapon of war. In an interview last year Dr. Mukwege stated: “It’s not a women question; it’s a humanity question, and men have to take the responsibility to end it.”

Areeba Kamal is a junior at Mount Holyoke College.

This story originally appeared on the USA TODAY College blog, a news source produced for college students by student journalists. The blog closed in September of 2017.