Ellie Wang
Even as young people, we, the next generation, have the courage, energy, and vision to create meaningful change, and our age should not limit our voices, our actions, or our ability to lead the world toward justice, equality, and a brighter
Ellie Wang (16), is from the United States. As a Chinese American student, Ellie noticed how often young people were left out of decisions that shaped their own futures. That awareness sharpened when her father discouraged her from pursuing law, telling her that people who looked like her were rarely represented in the field. Instead of stepping back, Ellie decided to change who gets a seat at the table.
She founded ActDefy, a fully youth-led nonprofit that teaches young people to understand their rights and engage in advocacy. Through programs like the Connect Series and College Series, she’s brought free workshops and insights from legislators and civic leaders to over 100,000 students, making complex civic systems accessible to kids everywhere. She also created the Legislator Series, letting students write to lawmakers and propose real bill ideas.
The impact is massive: ActDefy now runs in 26 countries and 15 U.S. states, with over 300 volunteers and 40+ chapters worldwide. Through partnerships with organizations like EmpowerFly and Virtutem Populo, Ellie’s network has reached hundreds of thousands of students globally, proving that when given the tools, young people can shape the systems meant to serve them.
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