Hannah Freedman
Teen Activism: Passionate About Things That Matter
Why is the concept of soliciting input from kids (or even simply being open to it) so unfamiliar to adults in positions of power? Every day, decisions are made that impact us and impact the world we will one day be in charge of. The world you are running has been borrowed from us. We should get some say in what you do to it. We are future leaders and it is us who will be inheriting a polluted, steadily warming earth. We will be responsible for fixing it so our children can live safer, healthier lives. Teenagers are passionate people, and willing to work for something we believe in. My talk will focus on why input from kids is so important and how to involve youth in the descion making process.
About Hannah Freedman:
As a 15-year-old activist, Hannah Freedman has focused her energies on mostly environmental issues. She is a member of the Youth Sustainability Commission for the Baltimore Office of Sustainability in the Department of Planning. This summer, she worked at the office, focusing on better ways to gather input from kids about Baltimore's green activities. She was also the Baltimore liaison for Earth Hour 2009, an international event in which millions of people turned out their lights to make a statement about the urgent need for action on climate change. Hannah was featured on local news stations, garnering enough attention for the event for it to be considered a success. She is currently a volunteer for Greenpeace Baltimore and the president of the environmental club at her high school, Baltimore Polytechnic Institute.
