Want to Make a Change? Let Young People Tell Their Stories | Anshul Tewari | TED

Overview

This talk by Anshul Tewari explores how empowering young people to share their stories can drive meaningful social change. From the creation of Youth Ki Awaaz, India’s largest citizen media platform, to national campaigns addressing climate change, Tewari highlights the transformative power of storytelling in building both individual and collective agency.

Notable Quotes

- Social media is not built for social change. It's built for vanity. – Anshul Tewari, on the limitations of traditional platforms for fostering equity.

- Imagine a village of single men. – Anshul Tewari, describing the stark reality of Rajghat before collective action transformed it.

- We need to make the reflex of change-making as simple as texting a friend. – Anshul Tewari, on engaging Gen Z and Gen Alpha in activism.

📝 The Birth of Youth Ki Awaaz

- Anshul Tewari started a blog at 17 to express his frustrations about the lack of youth representation in media.

- Despite initial setbacks (e.g., only two applicants for a writing program), he persisted, training young writers to tackle critical issues like gender discrimination and climate change.

- This initiative grew into Youth Ki Awaaz, now a platform where over 200,000 young people write monthly about underrepresented topics.

🌍 Transformative Impact of Storytelling

- Stories shared on Youth Ki Awaaz have led to tangible change:

- Ashwini highlighted the plight of Rajghat village, leading to infrastructure improvements, the establishment of schools, and even the first wedding in 22 years.

- Jolly, a wheelchair user, sparked workplace accessibility reforms after her story went viral.

- Rayees initiated a large-scale menstrual hygiene awareness campaign in Kashmir.

- Pranay’s story about his father stranded in Libya during the Arab Spring led to the rescue of 18,000 Indians.

🌱 Tackling Climate Change Through Collective Voices

- In 2023, Youth Ki Awaaz launched the ZeroSeHero campaign to demystify net zero and amplify youth voices on climate issues.

- The campaign engaged thousands through polls, surveys, and storytelling, creating a national conversation and influencing policymakers.

- A partnership with India’s National Institute of Urban Affairs led to the development of youth engagement frameworks for climate decision-making in cities.

🤖 Leveraging Technology for Change

- Youth Ki Awaaz is using AI to deepen youth engagement, including a WhatsApp bot that sends daily critical questions to thousands of young people.

- This initiative fosters critical thinking while gathering valuable data on youth perspectives to inform policymakers.

📣 The Need for Authentic Platforms

- Tewari critiques mainstream social media for amplifying the loudest voices rather than the most authentic ones.

- He advocates for investing in storytelling, community-building, and platforms designed specifically for social change.