21 Under 21 2017: See Photos and the Full List

They are the faces of the future.
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Photo: Petra Collins

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"Girls are not just tomorrow’s leaders — they are speaking out, standing up, and fighting back today. From science to sports, all of Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21 honorees are solving some of our most pressing problems and encouraging others to join them.

I am inspired by their stories: Saanya Bhargava used her STEM skills and innovative ideas to reduce plastic waste in our oceans. Nadya Okamoto founded a nonprofit organization that provides menstrual products to homeless women and ran for office in her local government. Yusra Mardini, an Olympic swimmer from Syria, works to bring attention to the global refugee crisis. Aspiring astronaut Taylor Richardson helps other girls believe they can achieve their dreams.

These honorees prove that our generation is full of leaders, creators, and self-starters. They make the world around them — giant corporations, presidents, prime ministers, sports fans, art lovers, classmates, and people they’ve never even met — take notice and, hopefully, take action. Girls and women are doing amazing things. But we still have so much more to show the world — and many more fights to win.

Approximately 130 million girls are out of school today because of poverty, war, child marriage, or gender-based discrimination. From Pakistan to Mexico, girls are fighting for education and equality. What else could they give the world if they didn’t have to work so hard just to defend a right they already have? If one girl with an education can change the world, imagine what 130 million could do.

Seventy-six percent of men participate in the global labor market, but only 46 percent of women are employed. Around the world, I’ve met girls who want to cure cancer, run a business, or write books. I keep fighting because I want to see the future these young women can create. You are building that future, too. If you see a problem in your community, start solving it. If you have a dream, work hard to achieve it. Know that when you stand up, your sisterhood around the world stands with you.

If the women and femmes in this issue had not believed in themselves, if they’d thought they were too young to pursue their big ideas, they would not be in the magazine you’re holding right now. I know you’ll join me in celebrating their accomplishments — and I hope next year we will be reading your story." Malala Yousafzai

Photo: Chndy & Cheb Moh

Alia Al Mansoori, 15

Before turning 10, Alia Al Mansoori always believed she was an alien sent from Mars, temporarily placed on Earth until her true family touched down to take her home. “I didn’t look like anyone else in my family,” she says with a laugh. “When I finally realized [I was human], I started looking for ways to live in space.” Thanks to her bound­less imagination and unshakable curiosity, she just may have found one: Alia, who is from the United Arab Emir­ates, won the 2017 Genes in Space Award for her research on heat ­shock proteins that can potentially shield the human body from conditions like radiation and micro­gravity, which one encounters outside of Earth’s atmo­sphere. “Astronauts can’t keep wearing suits to protect us forever,” she points out. “I wanted to find a way to keep us safe from the inside out.” In August, she and her family watched from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canav­eral, Florida, as her experiment launched and disap­peared into a tiny speck in space, a proud smile cemented on her face. “I could feel the rumble of the engines beating in my chest and my heart,” she says. “That’s exactly when I knew I wanted to be an astronaut. Nothing can stop me.” — Tina Ferraro

Photo: Daria Kobayashi Ritch­

Autumn De Forest, 16

When Autumn de Forest was five, she found her father painting in his studio and wanted to give it a try. Now her paintings are exhibited all over the world and sell for tens of thousands of dollars. She is inspired by, and often compared to, icons like Jackson Pollock, Andy Warhol, and Pablo Picasso. Along with honing her enormous tal­ent, Autumn has committed herself to multiple causes. Chief among them: encouraging more art education in schools and giving young artists a platform where they can be recognized for their work. “Especially in dis­advantaged schools, they consider the arts an extracur­ricular activity,” she says. “It’s devastating, as there could be child prodigies in these schools, but they don’t know that they have this God-­given gift because they’re not given the opportunity because there’s nearly no art programs in schools.” Through her work with Michelle Obama on the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities and her own Autumn de Forest Foundation, the painting prodigy has worked to give aspiring cre­atives a voice. “It’s the best time for this entire generation to say, ‘Hey, I have this opportunity, let’s see what I can do with it.’” — Christina Holevas

Photo: Camila Falquez­

Nadya Okamoto, 19

Nadya Okamoto is only a sophomore at Harvard Univer­sity, and she has already run for city council in Cambridge, Massachusetts. “If we’re going to have a president who talks poorly about women — that’s why women need to be in politics,” she says. “I never thought to run for office until councilors, who I kept telling my ideas to, said, ‘Stop telling us how to do our jobs. You should run yourself.’” While Nadya didn’t win, she made major waves, rallying students to turn out at the polls and have their votes counted. Nadya is also the founder and executive director of the nonprofit organization Period, which seeks to normalize the conversation around peri­ods and provide menstrual products to those in need. She recently signed a deal to write a book on the topic. “When I started Period, I didn’t think it would grow so fast,” she says. “I was just trying to do the work I felt like I needed to. It was very passion-­driven.” Having also started Eplur.org, a space where young people can share stories about how the current administration’s actions are affecting them, Nadya is proof that the future is defi­nitely female. — Ariana Marsh

Photo: Bella Newman­

Haile Thomas, 16

In January 2017, upon graduating from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, Haile Thomas became the young­est certified health coach in America. The New Windsor, New York, native has been speaking across the country about the importance of healthy eating since she was 10, and in 2012 she founded the nonprofit Healthy Active Positive Purposeful Youth, better known as HAPPY, which focuses on providing low­-cost and free plant­-based culinary education for youth in underserved and at-­risk communities. “My main inspiration for starting HAPPY stemmed from a few years of activism and speaking about the benefits of good nutrition after my dad’s type 2 diabetes was successfully reversed solely through healthy eating and lifestyle changes,” she reveals. “I also learned about childhood obesity statistics, and they really disturbed me. So our programs focus on person­alizing the nutrition experience in terms of what food can liter­ally do for the body.” Bon appé­tit! — Brian Guiducci

Photo: Lara Alegre

Yusra Mardini, 19

Yusra Mardini isn’t your average 19­-year-­old: She’s an Olympic swimmer, a United Nations goodwill ambassa­dor, and a Syrian refugee. Two years ago, she and her sister decided to flee Syria, embarking on a trip across the Mediterranean in a tiny boat in the dead of night. Leaving behind her country and her culture, Yusra went on to compete in Rio in 2016 on the Refugee Olympic Team. A swimmer since she was three, Yusra, who counts Michael Phelps among her heroes, says the sport taught her patience and focus. During her darkest peri­ods, her training reminded her to stay strong in and out of the water. She aims to one day create a project to aid other young refugees, hoping to use her voice to inspire others to never give up on their dreams. “To fall doesn’t mean that you are not good enough,” Yusra says. “You have to stand up and try harder.” — Iman Hariri-kia

Photo: Petra Collins

Burberry vest. R13 jeans, $395. Golden Goose Deluxe Brand sneakers, $515.

Hunter Schafer, 18

While Hunter Schafer’s modeling credentials are unde­niably impressive — she recently walked runways for Versus Versace, Helmut Lang, and R13 Denim and has been featured in Japanese Vogue and i-D — she is so much more than just a member of fashion’s cool new guard. “When the discriminatory HB2 bathroom bill was passed in North Carolina, where I’m from, I came onto the case as a plaintiff to be a testament to the trans and gay communities,” says the 18­-year-­old trans activist, who’s also involved with Arts Not Parts, which creates posters to fight transphobia in bathrooms. A talented illustrator (she regularly contributes to Rookie Mag), Hunter plans to study fashion design at London’s Central Saint Martins in 2018 — a sign her creative triumphs have only just begun. — AM

Photo: Petra Collins

Telfar jacket, $1,500. Vintage T-shirt from What Goes Around Comes Around, $200. What Goes Around Comes Around, NYC.

Kodie Shane, 19

Atlanta­-born rapper Kodie Shane wrote her first song at age 12. By 15, she was regularly performing at venues around her hometown, and in 2015, at 16, she was signed to Epic Records after playing three tracks for the compa­ny’s president. “He wouldn’t let me leave the building,” says Kodie, who describes her lyrical style as hyper­melodic, raw, and eclectic. “I signed with them less than 24 hours later!” After meeting Lil Yachty, she was asked to join his crew the Sailing Team, becoming its first and only female member. “It’s like having eight big brothers,” Kodie says. “They love me, they protect me, and they respect my work ethic.” Earlier this year, Kodie released her EP Back From the Future and opened for Jhené Aiko and Willow Smith while preparing for the release of her upcoming debut album. “I’m very big on being an example for my peers when it comes to standing tall in your own light,” says Kodie. “I’d like to encourage young adults to love themselves and others more.” — AM

Photo: Lia Clay­

Simone Askew, 20

In August 2017, 20­-year-­old Simone Askew made history when she became the first African-­American woman to hold the highest student position, the corps of cadets first captain, at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. “Being selected for the role is definitely my proudest accomplishment,” says the Virginia native, who in her new capacity will manage the class agenda and lead approximately 4,400 students. “I feel that my responsibility both at the academy and in society is to be an advocate for positive messages. I want to be the leader that people deserve, so my job is to make sure I’m fulfill­ing that every day.” Simone does all this while also work­ing on her senior thesis, which focuses on “using the applied history of sexual violence during mass atrocities as a detector for future genocides.” A leader both in thought and action, Askew is a commanding force for good, indeed. — AM

Photo: Rose Marie Cromwell

Taylor Richardson, 14

Taylor Richardson calls herself a STEMinist: That’s a fem­inist in the world of science, technology, engineering, and math. Ever since she was a little girl in awe of the galaxy above her, Taylor knew she didn’t just want to read about the stars — she wanted to be among them. What confirmed this was the work of her idol, astronaut Mae C. Jemison. Unfortunately, Taylor’s peers didn’t understand her passion, which led to years of on-­ and offline bullying. What inspired Taylor to persevere? The movie Hidden Figures, which, she says, made her realize that she should “never let others’ limited imaginations” limit her own. Motivated by the film, she started a GoFundMe campaign initially to raise money that would let 100 girls see the movie. Over the past few months, her efforts have spread across 70 other campaigns in 28 states and have raised over $120,000. Taylor was even invited to the White House for a special screening. Additionally, Taylor has organized a scholarship fund to send girls to space camp. Her one piece of wisdom to budding STEMinists: “You are truly enough, and you are worthy.” Mae would be proud. — IH

Photo: Dafy Hagai­

Muzoon Almellehan, 19

In 2017, Muzoon Almellehan became the first person with official refugee status to be appointed a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. After fleeing the Syrian civil war in 2013, she and her family lived in refugee camps in Jordan, where they received support from the nonprofit before finally settling in the United Kingdom in late 2015. “I’ve started my new life in the U.K., but I haven’t forgotten about the people who are still living in camps and cannot access an education,” says Muzoon, who has become a staunch advocate for children remaining in school after seeing many of her classmates drop out to get married and start families. “Now I try to use my voice as much as I can to get world leaders to put education at the top of their agenda and to help people understand more about refugees.” — AM

Photo: Amber Mahoney­

Blessin Giraldo, 19

See Blessin Giraldo in motion — creating beats with her hands and feet while chanting Beyoncé’s “Who run the world? Girls!” — and you’d never believe she acquired the talent from a simple Internet search. “I was always good with rhythm, but you can learn anything from YouTube,” she says with a smile. She took her skills to school and started a step team at age 11. Step, a mesmerizing display of movement and sound that’s an important part of African-­American culture, became more than a hobby for Blessin and her teammates-turned-sisters, the Lethal Ladies of the acclaimed documentary Step; it was an expression of empowerment. “Step takes you to a differ­ent place,” Blessin says. “It’s a way to get out all your frustrations.” When she faced sinking grades in her senior year, step acted as Blessin’s metaphorical stress ball. “Without it, I don’t know if I would have made it.” Now a sophomore in college, Blessin studies business, graphic design, and communications and hopes to use her degree to tell the stories of those in underserved communities who have big ideas but lack the resources to bring them to life. The first member of her family to pursue higher education, she credits her come­-up to her high school’s support of creative ventures like step: “Never underestimate the power of the arts.” — TF

Photo: Allie Weber

Allie Weber, 12

Not many middle­-schoolers can say they are both an innovator and a YouTube personality. But 12­-year-­old Allie Weber, who posts videos related to STEM on her channel, Tech­nic­Allie Speaking, is not your average middle­-schooler. After building her first robot at age six, she won 2016’s Global Spark Lab Invent­It Challenge for her Frost Stopper, a temperature-­sensing glove that alerts people when they are susceptible to getting frost­bite. Currently, she’s working on a Blow Dart Spirome­ter, which she recently entered in the 2017 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge. It combines a toy blow dart (complete with target) with an incentive spirometer, a device that helps patients improve the functioning of their lungs. In simple terms, it makes lung therapy fun. “This would help kids like me who have a fear of medical equipment,” she explains. Her advice to aspiring inventors? “Any problem, big or small, is perfect for you as long as you have the drive to solve it,” she says. “Think about how you want to change the world. That’s what counts.” — AM

Photo: Petra Collins

Stella McCartney sweater, $935. Bergdorf Goodman, NYC. Hijab by Unique Hijabs, $13.50.

Hebh Jamal, 17

Remember last February’s mass student walkout in New York City protesting President Trump’s travel ban? It was planned by Palestinian-American Muslim Hebh Jamal, who was in high school at the time. “I contacted a lot of different organizers from across the city — we were all really outraged,” says the Bronx native. “The walkout was an exemplary representation of unity, solidarity, and empathy.” Hebh’s activism is at the center of everything she does. She’s spoken before thousands at numerous rallies and events, including at high schools and the Ford Foundation, and she’s a key member of Integrate New York City, a student-­led organization that tackles school segregation. Now a freshman at the City University of New York, where she studies economics and political science, Hebh also works full­-time at New York Apple­seed, a nonprofit that helps enforce policies against school segregation. The key to successful protesting? “If there’s an issue you’re passionate about, research it and really understand it,” she advises. “Then just yell until someone hears you. And after people hear you, organize with them and have them yell with you.” — AM

Photo: Petra Collins

Stüssy sweatshirt.

Amanda Southworth, 16

In the summer of 2015, California native Amanda South­worth became one of the first Kode With Klossy scholars after becoming interested in programming through a robotics course at school. Upon completion of the Web-­development course, she created her first app, AnxietyHelper, which provides information about mental illnesses and resources to cope with them. “The goal is to get people the help they need,” Amanda says. “It creates a place that I desperately needed when I was suffering with depression and anxiety as a kid.” Since then, Amanda has created two other apps: Verena, a security system for the LGBTQ+ community, which alerts contacts if the user is in trouble and helps the user locate nearby hospitals and shelters; and Whizard, an educational app that can convert handwritten notes into digital study guides and practice tests. “Whenever I see something that desperately needs to be changed, I cre­ate an app for it,” Amanda explains. “My goal isn’t to change the world. I just hope to change the people who live in it.” — AM

Kate Sweeney
Maanasa Mendu, 15

After witnessing constant blackouts in India while on annual vacations with her family, Maanasa Mendu became determined to create a new, affordable device that could harness renewable energy. “For over one-fifth of the global population, darkness remains a permanent reality,” says the Ohio native. “Electricity is a fundamental of modern society, and providing a sustainable source of electricity to our entire world should be a top priority.” Called Harvest, Maanasa’s invention won her the top prize at the 2016 Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge, which earned her the title of America’s Top Young Scientist.“Basically, I created an energy-harvesting device inspired by leaves,” Maanasa explains. “When­ever this ‘leaf’ is bent due to the impact of wind or precip­itation, or whenever it’s exposed to sunlight, it produces an electrical charge.” The kicker? It costs only about $5 to produce. Aiming to partner with a nonprofit to eventu­ally prepare the device for commercial distribution, Maanasa says her goal is to “deploy Harvest to transform at least one life through light.” What a bright idea! — BG

Photo: Vivian Fu­

Anushka Naiknaware, 14

Anushka Naiknaware idolizes Marie Curie, who con­ducted pioneering research on radioactivity and proved that a woman could be a successful scientist. But Anush­ka’s no stranger to surpassing expectations: At 14, she is the inventor of the nanotech bandage, which aids in healing chronic wounds by monitoring the moisture levels inside the dressing to prevent further infection. Anushka was inspired to explore nanoparticles, which are an integral element of her innovation, after compet­ing in the biology sector of a science competition. Her work has been recognized by the Google Science Fair (she’s the youngest recipient of its Lego Education Builder award). In addition to prototyping her inven­tion, Anushka is working on a project that she hopes will combat homelessness through fund distribution. “When I hit a lagging point, I tell myself: I have the capabilities to make this happen,” she says, “because it’s not me who will benefit; it’s the entire field of science.” — IH

Photo: Kathy Lo

Saanya Bhargava, 16

“My dad always told me I could do anything,” says Saanya Bhargava, a STEM advocate based in Austin. His advice came in particularly handy during Saanya’s freshman year of high school: After being chosen to join the robotics team (one of only two girls), she noticed that the boys in the group relegated her to behind-­the­-scenes roles. “They underestimated me,” she says. “I was ready to quit.” Instead, she spearheaded the team’s outreach initiatives, educating the wider community and legislators about being advocates for STEM and gar­nering support — all of which earned her the respect of her male teammates. “Girls have a lot more potential than some people think,” she says. The team went on to snag the state championship and placed in the 2016 world championship. Saanya also divides her time between two other organizations she cofounded: STEM Advocacy Conference of Texas, which pushes for gov­ernment funding of STEM education in underserved communities, and impact.gravitas, dedicated to devel­oping alternative solutions to ocean plastic pollution. “By 2050, scientists expect there to be more plastic in the ocean than fish,” she says. Shocked and disturbed by this, Saanya partnered with Dell to produce packaging with 25 percent ocean­-derived plastic waste. “It’s so cool,” she says. — TF

Photo: Ysa Pérez­

Sydney Gutiérrez, 16

At a young age, Sydney Gutiérrez was discouraged by her grandfather from going to school. But with assis­tance from her mom and grandmother, she helped change his mind. “In my community, there has always been a sense of machismo,” says the Oaxaca, Mexico, native, who speaks Spanish and Mixe, an indig­enous language of Southern Mexico. “Girls are told that their place is in the kitchen, not at school. But I don’t want that for myself or other girls.” Now in her second year of high school, and with a scholarship from Fondo Guadalupe Musalem, an organization that supports leadership training and education for indigenous girls in Mexico, Sydney has made it her mission to advocate for education for all (with support from Malala Yousafzai, who also nominated Sydney to be part of this list). She has spoken on a local radio show, The Voice of Women, about the importance of female participation in her town and hopes to one day be her town’s pediatrician. “I don’t expect to change the world,” she says, “but I want to change little things so that the women in my community will be happier. I contribute with my grain of sand.” — AM

Photo: Ysa Pérez­

Cici Bellis, 18

CiCi Bellis hit her first tennis ball when she was three and played in her first tournament at seven. Eight years later, she became the youngest player since Anna Kournikova in 1996 to win a match at the U.S. Open. That victory in 2014 led to a bright career for CiCi, propelling her from the juniors to the professional league. “I think the main difference is that pros want each match and each point so much more,” says CiCi, who in August reached number 35 in the world, her best singles ranking. Despite all her success, the athlete still has goals left to conquer. She aspires to a career similar to that of her mentor, tennis legend Chris Evert. “Whether in sports or school, if you really enjoy something and work hard at it, you can do whatever you want in the world,” says CiCi. The ball is in your court. — CH

Photo: Amber Mahoney­

Gabrielle Jordan, 17

Gabrielle Jordan lives by the motto “You’re not lesser than just because you’re younger than.” A sixth­-generation entrepreneur, the Maryland native started her own jewelry company, Jewelz of Jordan, at age 9 and published a book, The Making of a Young Entrepreneur: A Kid’s Guide to Developing the Mind-Set for Success, when she was 11. “I taught myself jewelry­making techniques using YouTube and started selling my pieces on the playground and school bus,” Gabrielle says. “I’ve always been a very independent person.” In addition to her business, the mogul in the mak­ing travels internationally to speak on career-­based topics and is a cofounder of ExCEL, an online institute dedicated to providing youth with educational resources and men­torships. “Being young means that we have so much opportunity to make the most of our time,” says Gabrielle. Where to start? “Focus on understanding yourself, because when you do that, you can better understand the world.” Spoken like a true girl boss. — TP

Photo: Ashley Armitage­

Mari Copeny, 10

In 2016, when she was eight years old, Mari Copeny wrote to President Obama asking him to visit her hometown of Flint, Michigan, to see firsthand how its lead-­poisoned water was affecting the community. “People were not lis­tening to anyone, not even the adults here,” she says. “I wanted to try to see if they would listen to a kid.” Obama wrote her back and visited a month later, drawing interna­tional attention to the public health crisis. Since then, Mari (aka Little Miss Flint) has expanded her activism, attend­ing rallies against bullying and the Trump administration and serving as the youngest youth ambassador for the Women’s March on Washington. “I never realized so many celebrities knew who I was!” Mari says. “The Wom­en’s March family are like my big sisters, and being the youngest ambassador for them makes me proud.” Mari’s next big goal? “Vote for me in 2044 for president!” — TP

Production by Kalena Yiaueki for North Six­. Manicure by Alicia Torello using Essie­.

Main Image: On Kodie: Koché polo shirt, $425. On Hebh: Unif sweater, $88. Hijab by Unique Hijabs, $12. On Hunter: Gucci polo shirt, $1,300. On Amanda: Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh jacket, $1,109.

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