“Young people are never too young to change the world. They can do anything,” says Hannah Alper.
At 10 years old, this Richmond Hill resident has already worked with organizations like Free The Children and World Wildlife Fund to spread the message of change in her community. It all started with her blog, Callmehannah.ca, where she began writing about her passions — animals and the environment — with encouragement from her parents.
Eventually, the subjects evolved. “It became about the issues in the world — pollution, climate change,” she said.
On April 9, Hannah will be speaking at National We Day in Ottawa, an event for the youth across Canada, inspiring them to stand up and create social change.
For those of us who can't be there, her message is simple: “Little things add up to make a big difference. Find your spark.”
It’s clear that Hannah isn’t your ordinary 10-year-old. To add to her list of accomplishments, she’ll be taking part in the We Create Change tour, a 10-week cross-country event where she’ll be going to different schools to meet with young people just like her — youth ready to make an impact in their communities.
Also the official eco-blogger for the 2014 Juno Awards, Hannah will be writing a blog series focusing on what artists do to stay eco-friendly at home and on the road.
Hannah does take time away from her activism — she is a brown belt in karate. But she says it’s important to be passionate about what you do. “If you don’t enjoy something, why are you doing it?”