THE ACTION: Together, the six girls formed Teens for Equality (@teens.4.equality) and planned a protest—all while social distancing. Working with a local chapter of Black Lives Matter, they organized a march to honor Black men and women who had been killed by the police and to call for reforms to law enforcement policies and procedures. On June 4, the group addressed a crowd of more than 10,000 people in Nashville’s Bicentennial Mall. “As teens, we are desensitized to death because we see videos of Black people being killed in broad daylight on social media platforms,” Zee told the crowd. “As teens, we feel like we cannot make a difference in this world, but we must.” The group then led a peaceful one-mile march to the State Capitol. As they walked, passing police in riot gear along the way, they chanted “No Justice, No Peace” and shouted the names of Black victims of police brutality
THE OUTCOME: The teens made national news, former President Barack Obama tweeted about them, and they were honored by the Tennessee House of Representatives. They’ve become role models for other young people—especially ones who aren’t old enough to vote. As the teens keep protesting and raising awareness, they know their fight is far from over, but they’re in it for the duration. “I’m willing to put my life on the line because I don’t want to see my kids still having to protest,” says Kennedy.