Woman, Life, Freedom. These words sewn in Kurdish, Farsi, and English on a blue ribbon sit next to another ribbon displaying a message from one of TBS’s middle school students: “Abortion Is A Human Right.” 

Over the past month and a half the middle school students here at TBS completed a project that served many purposes. Using ribbons, sewing tools, and the power of their words they sewed statements about their passions, their hopes and dreams, their worries, and the things they love on ribbons and installed them on an empty fence they walk by everyday. 

When asked “What are you passionate about and what do you want to change in the world?” I felt some hesitation coming from them. So often our teenagers are left unheard and feeling powerless especially when it comes to matters that affect their future. So often their contributions, their keen sense of justice, their articulate reasoning is dismissed. Children learn quickly that the act of wishing and hoping for something is supposedly a childish act, they hear “you can’t wish something into reality” a lot from us adults. 

Coincidentally, over the past month and a half the youth of Iran have attempted to make their hopes for a better future into reality. Their slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom” pierces the sky every night as they chant it from their apartments. Teenagers are at the forefront of these protests and many of them have given their lives for this dream. 16 year old Nika Shahkarami, 16 year old Sarina Esmaeilzadeh, 14 year old Sodeys Keshani are amongst the many other teenagers who lost their lives over the past month fighting for justice and freedom. 

By this project, our TBS middle school students were reminded that what they want for their future matters.  Their hopes span from abortion rights to curbing the devastating effects of climate change, from combating world hunger to simply wishing for more self-confidence. 

If you ever walk past the colorful ribbons hanging in the breezeway, take a moment to read their wishes and hear their voice.