SPEAKING ANYWAY: FINDING POWER IN AN UNCOMMON VOICE | Whitney Robinson | TEDxBillings Youth

This talk explores how young people move from silence to using their voices to create meaningful change. Through personal experience, it highlights how purpose, direction, and support systems empower individuals, especially youth, to speak up despite fear or doubt. It ultimately challenges the idea that you have to wait your turn to be heard. Whitney is an Indigenous youth leader, advocate, and speaker from Montana and an enrolled member of the Apsáalooke (Crow) Tribe. She is passionate about empowering young people to use their voices to create meaningful change. Through her leadership and advocacy work, Whitney focuses on promoting inclusion, representation, and opportunities for youth in her community. Whitney currently serves as President of the Billings Student Tribal Council and as a student council senator, where she works to amplify student voices and advocate for policies that support diverse perspectives. In addition to her advocacy work, Whitney is deeply involved in her school and community through leadership, service, and cultural engagement. She believes that when young people are encouraged to share their perspectives and step into leadership roles, they can create lasting change that benefits entire communities. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx