Influential Teens You Should Be Following

Every year, TIME releases a list of influential teens. Because it's not just adults who are ruling the world. In the field of fashion, sports, entertainment, and even politics: you'll find influential teens in all of them. These are the kids who excel and use their fame and influence to bring forth change in their chosen fields.  a list of If you haven't heard of them yet, watch out, because they're sure to be household names. Scroll down to find out who they are and the reasons why you should keep an eye out for them.

1. Ahmed Mohamed

You've most probably seen this kid on the news. He was arrested for bringing a homemade clock to school because his teachers mistook it for a bomb. Ahmed garnered outpouring support from all over the world, and was even invited to the White House by Obama. He has then accepted an offer from Qatar to join the QF Young Innovators Program.

2. Rowan Blanchard

Aside from her show Girl Meets World, Rowan has made herself known as an activist and feminist. The actress penned a a 3-part essay about her views on feminism and took it to her Instagram, which has now racked up to 250k likes collectively. Moreover, she spoke at last year's UN Women's summit where she explained the effect of gender inequality in today's youth.

3. Amandla Stenberg

Another young actress who's known for voicing out her opinion on important matters is Amandla Stenberg. The 17-year old made a video about the relevance of black culture for her history class called "Don't Cash Crop My Cornrows." She then explained how some pop stars appropriate black culture to appear edgy and stay silent on issues like police brutality. 

4. Malia Obama

One of Obama's daughters made it on the list! The older First Daughter has been gaining more attention as a cultural icon. Recently, she kept everyone on their toes about her choice of university. She eventually chose Harvard but opted to take a gap year first.

5. Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai is the youngest ever Nobel Prize recipient. In 2012, while on the way to school in Pakistan, she was shot in the head by Taliban gunmen. Instead of letting the tragic incident bring her down, she got back up and fought back. She is now a fierce advocate for girls' education and has been pouring her time fighting for what she believes in.

6. Shawn Mendes

From his humble beginnings as a Vine star, Shawn Mendes has emerged to be a huge pop star. His debut album, Handwritten, topped the Billboard 200 making him the youngest artist to achieve such feat since Justin Bieber. He also earned a spot as an opening act on Taylor Swift's 1989 world tour and has been gaining more well-deserved attention since.

7. Lydia Ko

Move over, Tiger Woods. At the age of 17, Lydia Ko became the youngest golfer to be ranked number one in the world. Just recently, she became the youngest two-time major winner in LGPA history, breaking Tom Morris' record. 

8. Zendaya

The former Disney star who has a huge following on social media has been actively campaigning for body positivity and beauty standards. She called out E!'s Giuliana Rancic for mocking her dreadlocks at the Oscars and shared an unedited photo of her from a photoshoot, expressing disbelief at how they slimmed down her body. Mattel produced a Barbie doll in her likeness to commemorate a moment of confidence that was so positively received.

9. Joshua Wong

It's not everyday that you see a teen leading a major activist movement. Joshua Wong rose to fame when he was recognized as one of the core leaders of the Umbrella Revoluton in Hong Kong. The demonstators took to the streets their cry for autonomy they believe that was promised to them by the UK. Although a political reform has yet to transpire, Wong continues to fight for democracy and believes that the Umbrella Revolution is far from over.

10. Kylie Jenner

Yes, a Jenner made it on the list! The most followed teen in the world, Kylie has amassed over 60 million followers across her social platforms. And she doesn't take it for granted alright. She took this to her advantage and started her own cosmetics line. Her famous Kylie Lip Kits are consistently sold out and reaped raving reviews by beauty critics.