Parkland students the worlds 100 most influ
For his entry in
Time
's 100 Most Influential People list, former President Barack Obama chose five student survivors of the Parkland, Florida, shooting on February 14 that left 17 people dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Singling out Cameron Kasky, Jaclyn Corin, David Hogg, Emma González, and Alex Wind, Obama penned a powerful essay on how the students are helping to change the conversation around gun control without the institutional backing of politicians.
"Seared by memories of seeing their friends murdered at a place they believed to be safe, these young leaders don’t intimidate easily," he writes in the piece.
Obama begins by addressing the canned "thoughts and prayers" response used by many politicians in the wake of a mass shooting. "America’s response to mass shootings has long followed a predictable pattern. We mourn. Offer thoughts and prayers. Speculate about the motives," he writes. "And then — even as no developed country endures a homicide rate like ours, a difference explained largely by pervasive accessibility to guns; even as the majority of gun owners support commonsense reforms — the political debate spir
Today,
Time
released its annual list of the 100 most influential people around the world. Divided into five sections – pioneers, titans, artists, leaders, and icons –
Time’
s list includes both the most prominent figures and those affecting change at a local level. This year’s list is different in a few ways. For one, there are more women than ever. Also, almost half of those features are 45 and younger.
“Time
’s annual list of the world’s most influential people is a designation of individuals whose time, in our estimation, is now,” wrote Edward Felsenthal explaining how the magazine made its picks. “The
Time
100 isn’t a measure of power, though many on the list wield it. Nor is it a collection of milestones accumulated. As our staff considers candidates, we often find ourselves wowed by those with stunning lifetime achievements. But editorial director Dan Macsai, maestro of the Time 100, brings us back to the key question: Was
this
their year?”
The list is full of controversial figures, but also many who are driving forces. Along well-known faces, you’ll also see those getting the recognition they dese
Time 100: Millie Bobby Brown is youngest person ever on list
Francesca GillettBBC News
Getty Images
Millie Bobby Brown has been named as one of the world's 100 most influential people by Time magazine.
The 14-year-old Stranger Things actress joins Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and rapper Cardi B on the 2018 list.
She is the youngest person to be included in Time's top 100, which is published every year.
Brown rose to fame with her role as the character Eleven in the hugely popular science fiction TV show. She starred in the first series when she was 12.
Other famous figures who made the Time magazine list include singers Rihanna, Kesha and Shawn Mendes as well as US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Tennis player Roger Federer, actress Nicole Kidman and Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson also feature among the 100 along with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan.
Writing an appreciation of Brown for Time magazine, US actor Aaron Paul called her an "extraordinary" actress.
"She may have been 12 in years, but her spirit and mind were timeless," he said, speaking of first meeting the teenager in New York.
Former President Barack Obama wrote a moving tribute to five outspoken survivors of the Parkland, Florida, high school massacre for TIME magazine’s annual list of 100 influential people, released on Thursday.
The 44th president praised students Cameron Kasky, Jaclyn Corin, David Hogg, Emma González and Alex Wind for demanding tougher gun control legislation following the Feb. 14 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.
“Seared by memories of seeing their friends murdered at a place they believed to be safe, these young leaders don’t intimidate easily,” Obama wrote. “They see the [National Rifle Association] and its allies — whether mealymouthed politicians or mendacious commentators peddling conspiracy theories — as mere shills for those who make money selling weapons of war to whoever can pay.”
“They’re as comfortable speaking truth to power as they are dismissive of platitudes and punditry,” he continued. “And they live to mobilize their peers. ... The Parkland students are shaking us out of our complacency.”
The five students helped spawn the #NeverAgain movement to end gun violence and spearheaded the organization behind March For Our Lives, the ma