If We Don’t Care About Our Rights, Then No One Else Will
By Deidre,
Member, International Youth Leadership Council, Advocates for
Youth
 I just don’t think it’s right for adults to make all the rules concerning my health, my rights, or my life. Simply put, who better to speak up on behalf of youth than other youth? If we don’t care about our rights, then no one else will. It makes no sense to complain about injustices if I don’t do anything about them. So as a youth activist, I use my voice to make a difference.
I believe that everyone has a unique purpose in life. However, we also share a responsibility to make sure the equal opportunity and equal rights of others around us. Injustices will continue if we allow them to do so. Someone has to speak up! That “someone” is youth activists everywhere, including me.
I want to voice my concerns about HIV and AIDS because women of color (including me) are disproportionately affected by the epidemic – both in the United States and in developing countries. I believe an old saying that goes, “If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything.” I don’t want to fall for misleading and false information about HIV and AIDS or poverty or sex education or family planning. And I don’t want others to fall for phony information either; so I’ll stand up for the right and the truth and for those who can’t or won’t stand up for themselves.
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