So much has changed over the last 10 years, including some of the social issues that have made their way front and center onto the world stage. In many of these instances, the voices of young people are the loudest and most passionate, but no, that’s nothing new — young people have been at the forefront of social justice activism for years in the United States.

A big part of what sets this decade of youth activism apart from that history is that today’s youth activists have grown up with social media. Experts at navigating the digital space, this generation of young changemakers has been a force when it comes to amplifying their messages, frequently insisting on being heard by the world and the politicians they’ll soon be voting for (or against).

Unlike the youth from generations before, who often needed weeks of planning for activism because they relied on methods such as newspaper ads and phone calls to spread the word, today’s young activists have been able to build public support immediately with the click of a button. Simultaneously, they have redefined what it means to be an activist and proving that everyone’s voice is significant.

With 2020 approaching, during this particularly divisive moment in history, now is the perfect time to look back at some of the movements that have defined this decade and have changed — and will continue to change — the world.

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2012: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and the Dreamer Movement

Young undocumented immigrants, also referred to as Dreamers (people protected by DACA, as a nod to their belief in the American dream), spent the 2010s fighting for rights in the country they call home.

In 2008, United We Dream (UWD) — a youth-led immigrant organization dedicated to protecting and defending immigrant rights — was co-founded by Cristina Jiménez and Julieta Garibay. UWD originally consisted of young undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and fought for legal protection and rights through protests and lobbying.

But UWD wasn’t alone on the front line. In June 2012, two protesters launched a hunger strike that shut down President Barack Obama’s Denver campaign offices for a week because, as of that year, more people had been deported during Obama’s presidency than any other presidency prior.