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These 4 young people are flexing their youth power and changing the world. Watch out.

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Gates Foundation

Young people: short in years, long in boldness.

While grown-ups are busy trying to cut back on coffee and file taxes, youngsters out there are standing strong on issues that matter to them and demanding action from world leaders.

 They are taking control of their futures and making sure all young people have the resources necessary to live an educated life of opportunity — and we should thank them.

Action/2015 has helped compile four young leaders who are leading the charge in 2015. The world is their stage.

Four amazing youngsters you wish you knew about:

1. Anoyara, India

Anoyara is from India and I'm proud to share a planet with her. Image via Save the Children.

Anoyara is taking her unfortunate childhood experience and turning it into good.

Faced with extreme poverty as a child, her mother gave her away in exchange for money and a promise of a monthly portion of Anoyara's income. Anoyara was then trafficked to Delhi as a domestic worker.

Anoyara's experience — instead of scarring her — has made her a vocal campaigner against human trafficking. Her trauma has inspired her to devote her life to protecting those who are the most susceptible to being trafficked: young girls.

She has helped gather information about trafficked children, traced traffickers, and mobilized the support of adults in order to reunite children with their families. Anoyara's efforts have helped hundreds of trafficked children from her village get back to where they should be: with their families. On top of that, she has helped prevent 35 cases of early marriage (like, girls under the age of 10).

Holy crap, that's incredible! And people have noticed. She was named a "True Girl Hero" by the Malala Fund last year and nominated for the International Children's Peace Prize in 2012.

Congrats, Anoyara. Keep it up!

2. Mohamedi, Tanzania

 

Image via Save the Children.

Mohamedi is a member of the children's council in Tanzania and educates his community about child rights. But that's not all.

"You see, I am an albino in Tanzania," he told Action/2015. "In my country, people think we are part of some sort of scary magic. It is believed albino body parts will bring a person wealth or luck. I want to be a champion in this cause."

He speaks out on the challenges and fears of fellow albinos in his country, as well as on the lack of health education in his area. And he's super involved in speaking out against a law that allows 15-year-old girls and 18-year-old boys to marry —a law that prevents girls from accessing their full education and encourages them to become mothers before they are ready.

3. Debora, Brazil

 

She cares about her home more than probably anyone you know. Image via Save the Children.

 Debora is passionate about reducing the catastrophic impact climate change is having on our planet.

She's a champion of youth rights and knows how to use her voice for good by speaking at a lot of events, like the World Conference on Youth. She's also the co-founder of Engajamundo, a youth-led NGO that works on the participation, mobilization, and capacity-building of Brazilian youth regarding the international agenda.

"We are the present and future generation, so I have been working on raising awareness of Brazilian youth by organizing local actions and urban interventions," Debora says. "My goal, as an activist, is to show young people that if I engage myself and my community in order to protect my rights and my planet, our reality can be transformed."

4. Precious, Zambia

She's looking at you, world leaders. Do something! Image via Save the Children.

 Precious knows the role she and her peers play in influencing leaders on programs and policies that can help them succeed.

 "If we act irresponsibly, we won't grow into productive citizens and as a result we shall be burdens to our government instead of being assets."

 So, she's leading by example.

Precious has set up Child Rights Clubs in her school to help promote and create awareness on child rights in education and health in Zambia. Um, awesome.

She's also been an advocate for increasing funding for improved access to maternal child health services, and she works with young women in her community and school to raise awareness around child, early, and forced marriage. Then, she works with local civic and traditional leaders to inform them of what's going on and what needs to be done.

And THAT is how change happens.

To think — these 4 young people are just the beginning of a huge line of heroic coolness. Yes.

They make me excited and hopeful for the future. And the best part? These are just four out of many driven young people out there overcoming obstacles to better the world. Do you know any of them?

 Celebrate the amazing young leaders you know by showing support on International Youth Day.

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JPMorgan offered return-to-office perks that are remarkably similar to the show 'Severance'

The only thing missing was a "music dance experience."

Apple TV

Adam Scott and Tramell Tillman in Severance

While remote work has been a mainstay since the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more companies are attempting to mandate that employees return to the office, on a full or part-time basis, including one now-infamous effort from JPMorgan Chase. The company announced that as of March 2025, all employees were required to return to the office five days per week. Their CEO even ditched the policy that allowed employees to work-from-home two days per week.

To mark the occasion, welcome everyone back ( and perhaps twist the knife a bit deeper?) the United State's largest bank unveiled a plan for a massive $3 billion, 2.5 millions square foot tower on New York's famous Park Avenue—which would house 14,000 workers and feature state of the art architecture and technology—in addition to loading up its new corporate headquarters with perks to help employees transition back to office life.

Some of these "perks" were truly great and truly enticing. Others were... questionable, to say the least.

Grace Tallon on LinkedIn even noticed that some of the benefits of working in the JPMorgan Office seemed like they were yanked right out of one of the most popular current TV shows on the planet: Severance.

If you don't know it, Severance is a psychological thriller on Apple TV that doubles as a dark and biting satire of corporate office culture and capitalism. Employees at a mysterious company called Lumon are "severed" — meaning their brains, memories, and personalities are literally split in half. While at work, they are a different person and retain no memories when they leave the office every night. In return for their sacrifice and for hitting key milestones, the employees receive ludicrous rewards like short dance parties with their boss, melon parties with carved watermelons, and handfuls of balloons. Employees are also expected to marvel at bizarre pieces of art that line the hall, featuring stoic images of Lumon's revered (and more than a bit creepy) founders.

Conversely, JPMorgan's new tower boasted 19-restaurants with at-your-desk delivery, an Irish pub, and on-site physical therapy and yoga. But that's not all!

Tallon notes, however, that JPMorgan also tried to entice employees with things like "personalized climate" in rooms and offices, a "signature scent" that wafts through the halls and somehow reinforced the brand, and, get this, even a "corporate art collection" that celebrates the company's history and values. Be more on the nose next time, will you JPMorgan? That's to say nothing of design elements that support worker's circadian rhythms and coffee machines that learn your favorites over time.

"Let’s stop pretending this is about connecting and doing better work," she writes.

Read Tallon's full post below on the striking similarities:

Commenters agreed that the perks came off more than a little tone deaf.

While some folks defended the corporation for doing their best to make employees feel cared for and taken care of, others didn't quite see it that way, especially when they compared it to the perks of WFH life.

"The climate in my own home office is just right. Along with my own coffee, artwork, lighting (window wide open), and other perks and it cost me zero dollars to drive there and I don't have to wear shoes! Way out of touch," wrote Alix Z.

"Those perks sound more like a high-tech museum experience than actual employee benefits. Instead of a 'signature scent,' how about giving employees real reasons to feel good about coming to work?" said Diana Alayon.

 severance, linkedin, jp morgan, return to office, work, work from home, jobs, workplace, wfh jobs Some at-home perk simply can't be beat. Photo credit: Canva

"Working at home perks: My own candle collection, curated to suit my preferences, Coffee and tea on tap, from our favourite brands, Comfortable cushions and blankets to help regulate my temperature at my desk, A variety of lighting options, ranging from warm white lamps to 'the big light', Freedom to work anywhere I want, such as my office desk, sofa, kitchen table or a coffee shop near by, Personalised art with photos of family and pictures we enjoy, Working space decorated to my own specifications, Plenty of spaces nearby for fresh air and dog walks" wrote Eloise Todd in a mic-drop comment.

There are of course benefits to working together in-person with your colleagues. And sure, if you're required to be there, nothing offsets discomfort quite like delicious lunches and free yoga classes. But to take away even the option of occasionally working from home and duct-taping over it with an algorithm that tracks coffee orders and temperature preferences, and filling the halls with strange paintings that move when employees walk by? It kind of loses the thread, and it's exactly the kind of thinking that the creators of Severance are so good at skewering.

 severance, linkedin, jp morgan, retseverance, linkedin, jp morgan, return to office, work, work from home, jobs, workplace, wfh jobsurn to office, work, work from home, jobs, workplace, wfh jobs Mark (Adam Scott) at the infamous dance party scene in Severance.  media0.giphy.com  

According to Forbes, there are 6 distinct reason companies might push for a return to the office. One, corporate heads believe employees get more "immersed in the company’s values." Two, they think it's easier to monitor whether or not an employee is actually working. Three, to justify the cot of that expensive office space. Four, to foster "spontaneous collaboration." Five, to give new employees a chance to observe and interact with more seasoned worker. and six, to restore a sense of belonging within the company.

But of course, none of these things have anything to do with what people really want: Autonomy. That, in addition to fair pay, some level of flexibility, and good benefits. Perks are nice — even the kind of weird ones — but they can only go so far. It remains to be seen if companies that dictate back-to-the-office edicts are willing to follow through on the things that really matter. Please note how waffle parties did not make that list.

This article originally appeared in February

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Woman starts the 'We Do Not Care' menopause club and it's both informative and hilarious

People are sharing "what they don't care about today."

Photo by Ali Mkumbwa on Unsplash

A woman looks annoyed in her car.

There's something exciting happening for menopausal and perimenopausal women. (Now there's a sentence you don't see often.) Ready? Here it is: discussing menopause is becoming normalized. We might even take it a step further and say—celebrating menopause is becoming normalized.

Back in the day, this very topic, which eventually affects about half of the world's population (that's over four billion people for those counting) was merely called, "The Change." Women were often too embarrassed to discuss their very real symptoms caused by a drop in estrogen and other hormones. I recall my mom having a hot flash and later crying in the car from embarrassment. Then she cried more because she was crying in the first place.

 hot flash, menopause, rue mcclanahan, menopausal symptoms, hormones Rue McClanahan sprays herself during a hot flash.  Giphy NBC 

Though studies continue evolving on how to tackle these symptoms and overall women's health, talking about them now has become quite popular. And it's awesome.

One woman, Melani Sanders, is actually building an entire online village around normalizing menopause, to the delight of many. Going by the name @justbeingmelani, she has over one million followers on Instagram alone. The concept? Stop caring about what people think about your hormones. Stop caring about things that don't matter.

Calling it the "We Do Not Care" movement, she has tons of reels where she discusses hot flashes, forgetfulness, and other fun effects from the new normal. In one, she sits in her car behind a steering wheel and announces, "We're about to start a perimenopause/menopause club, okay, and it's gonna be called the 'We Do Not Care' club." She then proclaims, "Listen to the acronym - We…do…not…care. W -D - N- C. That's the name of our club. And we don't care."

She further explains, "Let me tell y'all what that means. That means like right now, I just came from the grocery store. Baby, I got on the too little sports bra, okay, cuz I couldn't find no bra. This is all I have and guess what? I don't care. W-D-N-C. I do not care! Okay? And you know when the bra be too little, everything is hanging to one side. That is my situation, and I don't care. I do not care. And it's funny, but it's not funny because for real, this is what's in my head."

She gives another example of her incredibly inspiring apathy. She pats her hair, which is pulled back. "Look at this. I could have put some Edge Control on. No I don't. No, I'm not. I don't gotta put on no Edge Control and I'm not gonna do that."

She then urges the community to leave word in the comment section about the things THEY don't care about. "Everybody in the comments, let's all talk about what we don't are about today, okay? So today, I do not care that I don’t have no real bra on. And I do not care that I don't have Edge Control in my hair. I don't care. That's it. That's the story. Period, point blank, period, poo."

The comments were direct and electric. The first commenter declares, "I do not care that what my roommates eat tonight aka (kids &husband) I’m eating dry cereal out the box." This comment alone has around 8000 likes and counting. Another writes, "We do not care that it's 11:00am and we still in pajamas." Another writes, "I do not care that I used cornstarch this morning as a dry shampoo and now the sweat running down my neck is white. I do not care."

Some people got more serious, saying, "I don't care about being in a relationship."

And this one spoke to many of us: "I don’t care that I walked into a room and don’t remember why I entered the room. I will remember on my own time."

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Joy

The 4 words that can keep conversation flowing forever, even between socially awkward people

You can keep seamlessly transitioning to more interesting topics.

via Canva/Photos

A couple talking over coffee.

Many people find making small talk to be an excruciating experience. They think it’s boring to talk with a stranger about the weather, sports, or weekend plans. They may also feel like they don’t have anything to contribute to the conversation, or they don’t understand the point of having one in the first place.

However, those who excel at making small talk have a tremendous advantage in their professional and romantic relationships, as well as in forming new friendships. Most importantly, small talk is a window to transition into medium talk or, eventually, deep, meaningful conversations. The problem is that many people get stuck in small talk, and things stall before progressing to something beneficial.

 conversation, small talk, conversation tips, communications tips, medium talk, reminder A man and woman chatting.via Canva/Photos

How to get better at small talk

The great thing is that, like anything, making small talk is a skill that we can all improve by learning some simple conversation techniques. One technique that is great for keeping a conversation going, like hitting a ball back and forth past a net in tennis, is a simple statement: It reminds me of…”

A redditor named IsaihLikesToConnect shared some great examples of how the phrase can be used to turn a mundane topic, such as the weather, into something much more fun.

Them: "It's been really rainy, huh?"

You:

Option 1 (Personal Story): "Yeah, it reminds me of a time I went on a run in the rain and nearly got hit by a car."

Option 2 (Music / Pop Culture): "It reminds me of every Adele song. When I'm driving, I feel like I'm in a music video."

Option 3 (Family): "It reminds me of my dad, he used to love playing with us in the rain as kids."

Option 4 (Thing you watched / World News): "It reminds me of this documentary I saw where they're trying to make it rain in the Sahara Desert.”

Option 5 (Place you lived): “It reminds me of when I lived in Australia, it barely ever rained there. I actually love this weather.”


 conversation, small talk, conversation tips, communications tips, medium talk, reminder Coworkers having a conversation.via Canva/Photos

You see in this example that using “It reminds me of…” opened up the conversation to five potential new and more exciting topics. The “You” in the story could have responded with, “Yeah, it sure is rainy,” and the conversation would have ended right there. But instead, branching off the topic of rain into something a bit deeper took the conversation to the next level. You get extra points if you can take the “reminds me of” into a topic that you assume the other person will be interested in.

 conversation, small talk, conversation tips, communications tips, medium talk, reminder Coworkers having a conversation.via Canva/Photos

What’s a polite way to change the topic in a conversation?

Using “this reminds me of…” is also a polite way to move the topics in another direction, especially when it's a topic that you don’t want to discuss or one that makes you feel a bit uncomfortable. Or, if it’s a situation where the other person is monologing on one topic for a very long time, this makes it easy to transition away from their diatribe.

Ultimately, the phrase is an excellent way for you to save the person you’re talking to from being stuck in the small talk rut as well. It shows you understand that when someone brings up the weather, they are merely getting things started with something both of you have in common. They probably don’t want to talk about the weather for 30 minutes, unless they are a meteorologist. “It reminds me of…” is an invitation to go a bit deeper and shows the other person that you’d like to learn more about them.

This article originally appeared in April.

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No one at the barbershop believed this guy could cover Sam Cooke. Then he started singing.

Shawn Louisiana's voice is a once-in-a-generation gift.

Shawn Louisiana/YouTube

Shawn Louisiana casually singing Sam Cooke like it's nothing.

Sometimes a person opens their mouth to sing, and magic happens. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what qualities make a voice transcend the average and transfix an audience, but we know it when we hear it. Enter Shawn Louisiana.

A video of him singing in a barbershop went viral and it's definitely worth a watch. He wrote on YouTube, "The older guy didn't think I could pull off a Sam Cooke song," but when he started singing "A Change is Gonna Come," he definitely proved that he could. Really well. Like, whoa.

Watch:

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

Cooke, aka the "King of Soul," was known for his warm, smooth, velvety vocals that came completely effortlessly, whether he was singing pop, soul or gospel pieces. And he was able to deliver this heavenly sound live, with zero help from tech, night after night. It's a feat we don't often get to witness anymore. But, as Louisiana proves, this talent still very much exists.

As one viewer put it, "it was like Sam tapped him on the shoulder and said, 'brother sing my song and make me proud.'"

By the way, Louisiana is no one hit wonder. He frequently shares videos of himself just singing casually for the camera. Just listen to this "Stand By Me" cover. Like butter. Sing us to sleep, sir.

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

Since achieving viral fame, Louisiana got to perform on the farewell episode of the Ellen Degeneres show:

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

 

Plus, Instagram account says he's available to book for weddings. Which is nice, but someone please get this man a record deal so we can listen to him croon all day.

For more from Shawn Louisiana, follow him on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

This article originally appeared four years ago.

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Prince wrote a singer an original song. Her performance left 'AGT' judges astounded.

“If Prince and Janis Joplin had a baby = Liv Warfield!”

Flickr/Wikipedia, America's Got Talent/YouTube

Prince would be so proud.

When the 2024 Summer Olympics ended, few knew we weren't quite done marveling at elite-level humans at the top of their game. America’s Got Talent returned from its two week hiatus in August 2024 with eleven incredible acts, but it was R&B singer Liv Warfield who stole the show with her rendition of “The Unexpected,” a song that just so happened to be written specifically for her by Prince. No big deal.

Warfield had already wowed audiences with her initial audition, which earned a Golden Buzzer from Simon Cowell. But this next performance had Cowell saying, “If this was the Olympics for singing, you would have won the gold medal.”

 simon cowell, america's got talent, golden buzzer Simon Cowell gave Liv Warfield the Golden Buzzer at her initial audition.  Giphy GIF by America's Got Talent 

Judges Sofia Vergara and Howie Mandel echoed similar praises. Vergara called Warfield’s set “perfection,” while Mandel, a self-proclaimed Prince fan, told Warfield that "The Purple One knew what he was doing when he gave you this gem. That was a million-dollar performance.”

And it’s not hard to see why Warfield got such high remarks. Beyond her unbelievable vocals was her undeniable star power and ability to transport us all back in time to the days of 70s rock n’ roll.

As one viewer put it, “If Prince and Janis Joplin had a baby = Liv Warfield!”

Just watch:

  - YouTube  www.youtube.com  

 

Warfield’s connection to Prince began in 2009, when she joined his New Power Generation band. Though she noted that “backing up Prince was a dream,” not to mention the fact that she’s already made several chart topping achievements on her own, she still felt like her ultimate potential had yet to be reached, hence her AGT audition. Now, her quarterfinal performance has made Cowell declare another defining moment in her career.

“It felt to me like all those years you’ve been climbing the ladder to where you want to be, it all came out in those three minutes,” he said.

Indeed, what a testament to the power of steadily going after your dreams. Raw talent is great, but even with God-given gifts, there’s still so much work that goes into being ready for big opportunities. Though she didn't win the competition in the end, Warfield is already a winner through and through.

Warfield is continuing on her musical path in her hometown of Chicago and was invited to perform the Star-Spangled Banner at a Chicago Cubs baseball game in May of 2025.

@livwarfield

Thank you @cubs for inviting me out to sing. ✨Beautiful Day, Beautiful People,Energy at @cubs game! With my @zinzannichicago Family❤️✨. Although sis, was hiding out like the 🦀 that I am. 😂😂🤘🏾 Love y’all! Yesterday was necessary 🫀. PR Queen @aidanhenri 😘✨🫶🏾 @princenolov3 😘

 

Her Prince roots are alive and well in her stage performances as she performs in a tribute concert series during the summer of 2025. She also has multiple albums under her belt, beginning with "Embrace Me" in 2006 and continuing through her 2023 album "The Edge."

Warfield has credited Prince with her musical development, telling NPR in 2014:

"He's influenced me first and foremost, as a performer. Just kind of like taking chances first. It took me a while. Like I thought I was a good performer, but when I got part of the New Power Generation, I was like, 'Whoa this is a whole new world for me.' And even in the writing and arranging, and him just teaching me how to really listen to the music. Listen to every instrument, give space, and I wasn't really thinking about those things. I just wanted to hear everything. I thought, 'If everybody plays, it's good.' ... Sometimes it could sound like noise, but he just really kind of developed my ear."

 prince, liv warfield, music legends Prince is a legend among musicians.  Giphy GIF by Coolidge Corner Theatre 

Just more proof that musical legends live on not only in the music they leave behind but in the talent they help nurture and develop.

This article originally appeared last year.

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