August 11th, 2011; New York, NY
UN International Year of Youth Celebration hosted by AllyKatzz
Approximately 400 young girls (ages 11-24) came together to leave their imprint on the future of our world. Hosted by the massively awesome first ever UN Youth Champion, Monique Coleman, with an array of powerhouse speakers including WAFF friend Special Representative to Muslim Communities, SR Farah Pandith (she sprinkled magic behind those doors), Begona Lasagabaster Olazabal, Political Adviser of UN Women, Moira Forbes, President of ForbesWomen, Ann Shoket, Editor-In-Chief Seventeen Magazine among others. Young girls, one after another, each poised, confident and passionate about their work, told their incredible stories and inspired us with their campaigns, and every single person in that rooms jaw dropped to the ground in amazement. And it is was fun. So much fun, to be a part of something that awesome.

Our youth today sometimes get a bad reputation for unproductive behavior. If only the world could have been inside those UN walls those two magical and hope filled days. Our youth are doing more to make this planet a more balanced place to live. This was more than a meeting of the minds at the United Nations. This was action and history in the making.

Our youth have more tools, more resources, more drive, more connectivity, more creativity, than any generation preceding. Our youth have more power than most governments put together. Now more than ever, that little saying "age is nothing but a number", has never held so much truth or clout. Never doubt the capability our youth. If you listen closely to their ideas and give them the support they need to turn passion into action, I promise you, your eyes will sparkle a bit brighter knowing who's hands this world will be left in.