Majdi Alameddine

Majdi Alameddine (17), a Lebanese-American from the United States, noticed a troubling pattern: young people of color are often stereotyped as “uninterested” or “unprepared,” when in reality, institutions simply never made room for their voices. As a person of color himself, Majdi understood firsthand what it feels like when others make assumptions about who you are.

So he founded Arelvo, a global platform putting racially diverse youth — Black, Middle Eastern, Hispanic, Asian-American, and Indigenous — at the center of policy conversations. Under his leadership, Arelvo has grown to over 3,000 student members across 30+ chapters, spanning 18 countries and 28 U.S. states, impacting more than 18,000 people through events and campaigns.

Majdi has organized 12 global events in places like Lebanon, Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, and Los Angeles, working directly with student members from Malaysia to Ohio to Egypt. He has collaborated with over 55 public figures, including elected officials and diplomats, and worked alongside Tennessee state legislators to bring youth perspectives into real policymaking.

With his family’s support behind him, Majdi is proving that young people of color don’t need permission to lead — they just need a platform.