Flint, Michigan is one of the many sites in the United States where you can find “Black Lives Matter” sprawlingly written on many of the streets. A ‘BLM’ mural was unveiled earlier this month by none other than Little Miss Flint, Amairyanna ‘Mari’ Copeny.
Mari first stepped into the spotlight at just 8-years-old. She wrote a letter to then-President Barack Obama drawing attention to the water crisis in her hometown. President Obama responded to her letter. He said that “letters from kids like you are what make me so optimistic about the future.”
President Obama visited Flint and saw what was going on firsthand. This, in turn, raised public awareness. Flint residents still struggle with the issue to this day, with infrastructure repairs to be completed this year at the earliest.
Mari has continued advocating for her community all along. She’s also helped mobilize people to advocate in their own communities and has served as a youth activist who actively comments on current events. She does it all with the love and support of her family. On July 6, Mari will celebrate her 13th birthday. It’s incredible to see everything she’s accomplished in the last 5 years.