Raise Your Voice to Make WAVEs

In anticipation of the addition of Malala Yousafzai's story to The Power of Children: Making a Difference®, we're challenging you to make a difference in your home, neighborhood, and around the world. This month, we're focusing on the story of Ryan White. We can follow Ryan's example and raise our voices to make WAVEs and change the world.

Ryan's story

Ryan was born with a rare blood disease called hemophilia. Ryan had to receive blood transfusions to treat his hemophilia. His doctors said he shouldn't participate in regular kid-related activities like playing baseball, riding a bike, or skateboarding. Ryan loved skateboarding. But he just wanted to be a regular kid like everyone else.

When Ryan was just 13 years old, his world changed forever. He was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS due to a contaminated blood transfusion. Many people were uninformed about HIV and how it is transmitted. They were afraid. They treated Ryan differently because of his infection. Classmates bullied him. School officials refused to allow him to return to school. Some neighbors in his hometown shunned him and his family.

But Ryan just wanted to be a regular kid. So he raised his voice. Ryan helped change the world.

Ryan helped people understand what HIV is—and what it isn't. He raised his voice and stood up against prejudice, discrimination, misinformation, and fear.

Ryan raised his voice. He raised his voice to reporters and news outlets. He raised his voice to community leaders and elected officials. He raised his voice in the courts. He raised his voice to regular, everyday people. Ryan raised his voice by speaking up and speaking out.

Just a few months after Ryan died, the Ryan White CARE Act—a healthcare law that continues to help make sure people affected by HIV have access to quality care—was passed.

Imagine that.

A regular kid changing the world.

Ryan changed the world. His story reminds us that just one regular kid can make a big impact on our communities. You can follow Ryan's example and raise our voices to make a difference in the world around us. Our Early Childhood Educators helped come up with some ways that you can speak out and raise your own voice. Because when we raise our voices and speak out, we start making WAVEs around us.

Hold a town hall meeting

Gather your neighbors, school community, or family together for a meeting. Talk about a cause or issue important to you. Use this time to educate others and make an action plan for how you will all work together to improve awareness and make a difference surrounding your issues.

Make an informational video

Use your voice and create a video with your family that shares information about a cause you care about. This video can be sent to families, friends, or posted on social media. Make sure to provide a list of resource in your video so viewers know where they can go to find out more information.

Create your own charity or foundation event

Gather your friends and family and educate them on a cause! Create an event where everyone can come together to learn about the cause and work together to make a difference.

Pack and box lunches for a food shelter
Collect and organize hygiene supplies for local shelters
Prepare book and coloring kits for children in the hospital

Start a petition

Write a letter to your community leaders discussing a cause or issue important to your family. Prior to sending to your community leaders, send to your friends and family first and ask them to sign their name in support.

You can find your member of the U.S. legislature here:

Raise your voice to make WAVEs

Regular kids (and their grown-ups) can make a big difference in the world when they raise their voice against prejudice, misinformation, and fear. Just like Ryan did.

We would love to see how you're taking action to make WAVEs! Tag us with #atTCM on your favorite social media platform!