Autumn Peltier

When you think of a hero, you think of Superman or Green Lantern, saving lives. But Autumn Peltier also saves lives through environmental activism. She stands out to make sure everyone has clean drinking water.

Autumn was born on September 17, 2004. She grew up in Wiikwemkoong unceeded territory in Canada. Her parents had been involved in clean water activism and encouraged her to do the same.  So she started her activism at eight years old, and that was the start of something great. At 14, she became the chief water commissioner of the Anishinabek Nation. Eventually, Autumn began to get more attention and even met with the prime minister. She was also nominated for the Children's International Peace Prize.  On her journey, she experienced physical and mental bullying by kids at school. This moved her to want to quit. until she realized they were just jealous and became stronger than she ever was.

Autumn hasn’t just thought for others; she has made a difference and convinced the government that there is not enough accessible, clean drinking water. This drastically affects people's living conditions and most likely saves lives. Autumn believes that youth voices are important. She believes that it is much more powerful when it comes from someone young. This is because youth are not usually expected to speak out, but when we do, it’s powerful,” Autumn Peltier .

      A desirable trait that Autumn holds is her selflessness. Her desire is to share and work so that everyone has what they need to survive. Even though she may have what she needs to survive, she knows others don’t, and she doesn’t just stand there. We can learn that life is a lot more enjoyable when we show empathy for others.