Time Magazineās first-ever āKid of the Yearā is offering advice to others who want to help solve some of the biggest issues facing her generation.
At just 15 years old, young scientist and inventor Gitanjali Rao is being recognized for her use of technology to address contaminated drinking water, opioid addiction, and Cyberbullying.
Rao told actor and activist Angelina Jolie everyone can make a difference.
āLike, weāre sitting here in the middle of a new global pandemic, and weāre also like still facing human-rights issues. There are problems that we did not create but that we now have to solve, like Climate Change and Cyberbullying with the introduction of technology,ā Rao said.
She added, āI think more than anything right now, we just need to find that one thing weāre passionate about and solve it. Even if itās something as small as, I want to find an easy way to pick up litter. Everything makes a difference. Donāt feel pressured to come up with something big.ā
Jolie noted there are not many women in the science and technology fields.
She asked Rao if that affects her in any way.
āI donāt look like your typical scientist. Everything I see on TV is that itās an older, usually white man as a scientist. Itās weird to me that it was almost like people had assigned roles, regarding like their gender, their age, the color of their skin,ā Rao said.
She continued, āMy goal has really shifted not only from creating my own devices to solve the worldās problems, but inspiring others to do the same as well. Because, from personal experience, itās not easy when you donāt see anyone else like you. So I really want to put out that message: If I can do it, you can do it, and anyone can do it.ā
Time published its ā100 Most Influential People of 2020ā post in September, as IJR previously reported. Among those selected include President Donald Trump, President-elect Joe Biden, Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.).