Reader Spotlight
When Zach Hunter was in 7th grade, he wanted to do something positive with his life, so he got involved in the fight against slavery.
No. We didn’t we get rid of slavery over a hundred years ago, we only made it illegal in our own country. Sadly, it’s still going on today.
When Zach was 12, his mother, Penny, told him that there were still 27 million slaves in the world. He says, “I had all these emotions about it …but I didn’t think it was enough, just to have emotions.” So he moved into action.
He gives speeches all over America, talking to people about slavery in the world today, and shows them a pair of shackles, asking them to imagine their own family wearing them.
Zach has also formed a foundation called “Loose Change to Loosen Chains”, to give students a chance to get involved. There is an estimated 10 billion dollars in loose change in American homes, an amount which could help end slavery in our time!
At 14, he wrote the book “Be the Change: Your Guide To Ending Slavery and Changing The World”, in which he talks about his work, and encourages others to find their own cause.
Before all this, Zach was just a quiet, shy kid. But once he found he had a message to get across, to help others who couldn’t speak for themselves, he got over it.
The Interview:
Where did you get the idea to launch the campaign?
It was Black History Month in 2004, and I was learning about Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, and other awesome leaders who were either abolitionists or civil rights activists. They have become some of my heroes. I was thinking about all the injustice that has happened throughout history and I remember saying to myself, "If I had lived back then, I would have worked along side of those heroes to fight for justice and civil rights and against slavery." Around the same time, I heard about modern day slavery, and that's when and how I got the idea for LC2LC. I discovered that my chance to make a difference in the world has not passed.
In talks, what phrase or ideas do you think has the most impact on people?
Probably when I ask people, "What if it were you? Or your brother or sister or mom or dad or best friend? What if they were in slavery; what would you want someone to do? The answer is obvious: you would want someone to free them/you."
In a nutshell, and his words, what's the book about?
My book Be the Change, is, for the most part, about world changers in our past, and in modern times and how my generation can be like them. There are action items to help students change the world. I also include a lot of my heart, mind, and personal struggles splattered down on paper. My hope is that my generation will give themselves up for the poor and oppressed and that maybe I can help inspire them a little.
What are your goals after high school, career or project-wise?
I'm really not sure "what I want to be when I grow up", but I'd always like what I do to benefit this cause. Recently, though, I've been writing a lot of poetry, so that would be something to look for in future books of mine. Project-wise, I would honestly like to see my whole effort expand to more than the abolition of slavery, but to include other ways students can help improve the world. I'd also like to see a massive movement of my generation to address the problems around the world.
And if there's anything he'd really like to communicate at this time in his work, let me have it!
I would encourage all teenagers to invest their youth. Teens, listen closely: all of the brands that you see in the mall, on TV, MySpace; they are all targeting you. You hold influence and power. Don't waste your youth. Don't spend your time worried about petty things. Use your youth to change the world. Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young but instead set an example for others. Don't just wait for someone else to do what needs to be done. Roll up your sleeves and do what you can.
