It's 2016 and humanity has made some great strides over the last several years... And some not so great. Recently, there has been a very loud individual who uses hate speech and dangerous rhetoric to energize throngs of people into thinking he is going to "make America great again". Instead of feeding the ego of this incredibly orange and superficial person, I wanted to shine a light on some people who are actually doing a lot of good in the US and abroad. Here are 11 celebrities and activists you should be paying attention to instead of Donald Trump, in no particular order:
You've probably heard of her, if you haven't been under a rock these last two years. As a strong advocate for education for girls in countries where this right was denied, Malala was targeted by the Taliban at 14. She survived a malicious attack by them, afterwards, she was able to recover and continue to promote her cause. This 18 year activist has been nominated for the nobel peace prize twice and won upon her second nomination, being the youngest to ever receive the award. Malala has since opened a school and a fund for Syrian refugee girls and their education. She hopes one day every child will have access to a free, quality education.
2. Amal Clooney
Notably recognized as George Clooney's wife, Amal's achievements supersede her celebrity ties. She is an accomplished defense lawyer and a well known activist campaigning against sexual violence towards women in war zones. She is an author and has served the UN in advisory roles on commissions dealing with counter terrorism. Amal's impressive resume has provided her with opportunities to lecture on criminal law at the University of London and more.
3. Jason Mraz
This international recording star is known for his evocative lyrics and dreamy tones. Many don't know about his philanthropic endeavors like the Jason Mraz Foundation which supports the arts and combats the modern slave trade, his avocado farm, and his numerous charity auctions and concerts. He actively works both inside and out of the US, hoping to inspire change and to help make the human experience a little better.
This man is one of the most beloved actors of our time and for good reason. First I'd like to finally say congrats on his well-deserved Oscar, it's been a long time coming. Also, I want to highlight his acceptance speech. He didn't have mention the corrupt corporate industrial complex or its negative effect on the environment, but he did. Many of his movies contain underlying themes meant to educate the public on real issues in the world, whether it's blood diamonds, the environment, or mental health. Leonardo has to be one of the greenest celebrities around, just take a look at his apartment. Also, take a gander at his foundation, the numbers speak for themselves.
5. Emma Watson
This iconic actress has become a fierce proponent of modern feminism. Recently, she has stepped away from acting to focus on campaigning for equality and women's rights. The former child star is creating a legacy not only based on the Harry Potter franchise, but as a positive role model for girls worldwide. A recent article described why Emma Watson is one of my favorite feminists. She refuses to let labels dictate who she should be, remaining unapologetically true to herself while fighting for all women's right to do the same.
The album To Pimp a Butterfly has become the anthem of a generation, of a movement, this talented artist has honed his craft while shedding light on the need for social change. His music is raw and honest. Kendrick understands the importance of being hopeful in the face of harsh realities. By being a positive force for change, he is using his acclaim to shine a light on the cruelty people of color face. Kendrick defended his actions against a tone deaf commenter and shared why his art is necessary: “… the senseless acts of killings of these young boys out there … This is reality, this is my world, this is what I talk about in my music. You can’t delude that. Me being on a cop car, that’s a performance piece after these senseless acts … Hip-hop is not the problem. Our reality is the problem of the situation. This is our music. This is us expressing ourselves.” He is restoring the genre to it's original socially-conscious roots. In his own words, he wanted “actually have an impact on the people and on the culture of music”. His social commentary has enlightened so many individuals.
7. Angelina Jolie
This impressive actress is recorded as the highest paid among her peers. Knowing this, people often forget of her charitable work. From venturing through war-torn countries to championing for women and children's rights in Congress, she has proven to be a very busy women. Angelina has aided in natural disaster relief in Haiti and was a Goodwill Ambassador in the early 2000s. This ceaseless humanitarian always seems to be working for the betterment of those in need.
Her unique dance moves and sharp style choices make her easy to find in a crowd, this gifted recording artist and producer has recently joined some equally impressive ladies (like Taraji P. Henson and Alicia Keys), to raise AIDS and HIV awareness with the Keep a Child Alive foundation. She has also partnered with amFAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) in charity concert events. Janelle emphasizes the importance of fluidity when it comes to identity and has said, "I feel like I have a responsibility to my community and other young girls to help redefine what it looks like to be a woman. I don't believe in men's wear or women's wear, I just like what I like. And I think we should just be respected for being an individual.... ". She is definitely a brilliant artist and an interesting individual that you should know more about.
9. Markiplier and Youtubers like him
Many youtubers invest so much of themselves in their fan base and causes close to their hearts. Markiplier and those like him are no exception. His channel started off with some video games, a computer with a microphone and a few jokes. It evolved into a platform with 11 million subscribers and counting. Fans flock to his channel for their daily dose of Mark yelling at games and sometimes providing life advice. Markiplier and the community that has grown around him (Markiplier's Heroes and other loyal subscribers) have been able to do a lot of good for numerous charities and also for each other. This community is incredibly tight knit and caring, together they try to brighten the lives of others and help those battling with depression. This community has raised $482,479 dollars since September 2014. There have been so many live streams and donations since then, and hopefully more to come.
10. Eva Longoria
This actress's TV personas are a stark contrast to her true nature. She is an avid philanthropist and studied kinesiology for her bachelor's degree. Eva was discovered at a talent show, soon after completing her degree and she began acting. Her charm and acting chops launched her to fame. This fame afforded her the opportunity to help charities all over. Her own foundation strives to teach leadership skills and provide opportunities for young latinas while promoting the importance of education. Currently, Eva supports 36 organizations that support causes like cystic fibrosis, HIV/AIDS, and ovarian cancer, and so much more.
11. Miley Cyrus
Love her or hate her, Miley Cyrus's life has been under a microscope since her Hannah Montana years. With this sort of attention, She has learned to use the media to her advantage by showing support for various organizations. She has founded the Happy Hippie Foundation which provides homeless and LGBTQ youth with the support they need. As a PETA supporter and a vegan, her love for animals shines through in everything she does. She's conscious and concerned with the world around her. Nobody's perfect, but she does a pretty great job just being herself.
There are so many good people in the world. This list could have been a lot longer, but I think I made my point. The divisive and despicable nature of Donald Trump's campaign is not representative of all Americans. We should pay attention to people who are actually making this world a better place and try to be a part of that positive change.The fact that Trump is able to captivate so many people is scary. He is literally capitalizing on fear and instigating violence at his own rallies in order to rile up his followers into trusting him. Love trumps hate, hopefully more people will realize this before November 8th.
