Highly engaged and fiercely motivated, these young activists march on the streets, are loud on social media and are ultimately changing the status quo.
They’re also the focus of New Activists, HuffPost UK’s brand new docu-reality series that launches today.
Following the daily lives of five highly-motivated young campaigners, the ten-week series will document the highs and lows of life when you’re trying to change the world.
While each of the activists has a different cause they’re fighting for, from tackling transphobia to ending bullying, they are all fiercely passionate about one thing - making a difference.
Now meet the New Activists we will be following for the next ten weeks:
Munroe Bergdorf
Age:
31
From:
Essex
Activism:
Anti-racism activist.
Munroe is a DJ who runs a ‘gender free’ club night, where she provides a safe space for those who have experienced harassment when clubbing. She was recently sacked as a model by L’Oreal for posting an impassioned statement about systematic racism.
They say:
“It’s so easy for our generation just to share a status on Facebook or whatever and think that’s it, but we need to be doing more.”
Charlie Craggs
Age:
25
From:
West London
Activism:
Trans activist.
As the founder of Nail Transphobia, Charlie fights transphobia by taking her pop-up nail salon to festivals, galleries and museums around the country, giving customers the chance to speak directly to a trans person.
Charlie was ranked number one on the Observer’s 2016 New Radicals list and was also named one of the most influential and inspirational LGBT people in the UK by the Guardian and Independent.
They say:
“I want people to go away with more than just a manicure, I want them to go away an ally. I’m trying to change hearts and minds a nail at a time.”
Liam Hackett
Age:
26
From:
Merseyside
Activism:
Anti-bullying campaigner.
Liam founded anti-bullying charity Ditch The Label after he became a target for bullies at school. Since then, the charity - which offers support and advice - has grown into an international movement and a lifeline for thousands of young people worldwide.
They say:
“This generation has the power to change the world.”
Samantha Renke
Age:
31
From:
Lancashire
Activism:
Disability activist.
Teacher-turned-actress Samantha has brittle bone condition, but remains fiercely independent and wants to educate people about disability to dispel stigmas.
Working with disability charities such as SCOPE, Samantha is currently campaigning for accessible homes and is ambassador for Parallel London, a mass participation race for people of all abilities.
They say:
“I don’t see myself as disabled, but my environment, and sometime people’s attitudes, disable me.”
Sonny Turner
Age:
19
From:
Sheffield
Activism:
Body-positivity activist.
Elle magazine now call her “Your New Body-Positive Instagram Muse”, but Sonny admits that when she was younger she had summer’s where she didn’t leave the house for “fear of being labelled fat”. Sonny hit the headlines when she went bikini shopping and tweeted a pic of her distress at the lack of bikinis for real women.
They say:
“I don’t want young girls to grow up with in the insecurities that I had.”
You can watch daily episodes weekdays from 4pm here.
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