“He Named Me Malala” is a new documentary about Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai. Three years ago, at the age of 15, she was shot in the head on a school bus by Taliban gunmen who objected to her speaking out against the ban on female education in northwest Pakistan.
Malala’s bravery and perseverance has inspired the world across generations. She is widely credited with single-handedly putting 21st century girls at the top of the global education and equality agenda.
Prior to the start of the movie, my mom and I overheard a conversation between a woman and a tween girl sitting in front of us. The woman told the young girl that what happened to Malala is particularly barbaric because even though we have “…some education issues here, nothing like what happened to Malala could happen here.”
What’s that old saying? Oh yes — Those who do not remember history are condemned to repeat it.
Watching the documentary I could not help but continue to be inspired by Malala, nor could I stop thinking about the same spirit of bravery, unwavering determination and quest for equality in Malala that has taken place historically among girls in our country. For example, before there was Malala there was six-year old Ruby Bridges, the first black child to desegregate an elementary school in New Orleans. Before there was Malala, there was Joan Trumpauer, a Freedom Rider from Virginia and the first white to integrate Tougaloo College.
And since Malala, we’ve witnessed thousands of additional girls bring their own personal battles with discrimination, gender inequality, bullying and more out into the open so that their voices might help another.
They are all incomparable luminaries for the youth in our community. These courageous girls and young women remind us that our voices and beliefs matter even when people try to discount or shut them out. They are the essence of girl — no — human power.
We need their light and inspiration more than ever. Today, more than 62 million girls around the world are not in school. And 61 years after the Brown v. Board of Education decision calling for an end to unequal education in our public schools, the racial and economic achievement gap remains a dream defying chasm for far too many in the United States.
Girls, we need to change our mindset and recognize that no matter how young we are, we have a lot to offer to our families, community, country and the world. We have a responsibility to raise our voices for what we believe is right.
Parents, grandparents, guardians, educators, faith leaders, mentors and policymakers, we need your light and inspiration more than ever.
It’s important to share stories like those of Malala, Ruby and Joan with girls and boys inside and outside the classroom so that we fully embrace an empowered life of equality. As we get older, girls will likely face pervasive stereotypes and barriers to the advancement of women in America — race and gender discrimination, lower pay, workplace misogyny, politicians taking away out rights and a glass ceiling through which we will be able to see, but not be allowed to climb through.
We must learn from those before us and finally smash the glass.
“One child, one teacher, one book and one pen can change the world,” proclaimed Malala.
Supporters from all around the world stood by Malala as she healed and as she continued her fight, just as we as a community should stand by one another.
Indeed, as we remember to #StandWithMalala, let’s not forget to stand with each other. If we don’t, we may be condemned to repeat the past.
