Erinne Paisley. She’s the Boss.

Today we raise our fists high and put our hands together in celebration of our Feature Girl Warrior, Pop Activist, Erinne Paisley, accomplished public speaker, activist, youth content developer, and published author. Erinne’s interest in social justice began at a very young age, through involvement with organizations such as ‘Me to We’ where she began to develop and cultivate this growing passion. In High School she co-founded an activist group called Action Now which focused on three main pillars: Learning, Awareness, and Activism. In 2013 Paisley was featured on a panel discussing internet privacy and security for youth as part of the Privacy and Access 20/20: A New Vision for Information Rights Conference in Vancouver, BC. Since speaking at her first North American Conference in 2014, Paisley has been a featured speaker at numerous conferences, including the National Congress in Calgary, AB. In March 2014 Erinne traveled to Europe as one of ten recipients of the National EF Tours Global Citizen Scholarship and in 2014-15 she worked as the youngest intern to date at the national communication company Reboot Communications.  Erinne gained international attention for her graduation dress created out of homework to raise awareness and funds for the Malala Fund. In response to this new audience she created the Pop Activism blog to further engage youth in social media activism. She signed a three-part book series deal with Orca Publishing House on the overarching topic of Social Media Activism for Youth. The first book in the series Can Your Smartphone Change the World? was published in the Fall 2017, with book two Can Your Outfit Change the World? launching next month, followed by the third in the series Can Your Conversations Change the World? in September 2018!

What makes you a Girl Warrior?

I follow my passions and take negative comments as motivation to do more. I have pledged to turn comments of “bossy” into moments of being a boss.

How did organizations like ‘Me to We’ cultivate your passion for social justice?

The most impactful thing that came from my experiences with Me to We is knowing that there were other people out there that felt the same way as me about the world! It was great to meet other like-minded people who wanted to make a difference at such a young age.

You gained international attention for your very unique and meaningful graduation dress that you made. Tell us about that.

For my graduation I decided to make my prom dress out of my old pre-calculus 11 homework and write in red on it: “I’ve received my education. Not ever woman has that right. Malala.org.” I then donated the money I would have spent on a prom dress to the organization. I wanted to acknowledge the privilege of being able to receive

At prom someone took a picture of it and sent it into a local Facebook news group. From there, the story went progressively viral! I had no idea this was going to happen and it was amazing to be able to bring attention to such an important issue. I was able to talk about the value of women’s education to media outlets like Teen Vogue and MTV and point them in the direction of the Malala Fund.

What did you learn from that experience? 

From the experience of having that story go viral, I became very aware of the power that social media has to amplify voices, which would not have that type of exposure otherwise.

How did Pop Activism come about and what’s the role of social media in creating positive change?

After the viral dress experience, I wanted to continue to explore ways in which social media, and pop culture, can create positive change. Hence the phrase “pop – activism”, the melding of popular culture and activism to create social and political change.

That’s where the idea for the popactivism.com website/blog came from.

In New York City on July 19, 2017 you opened a very special package – your very first published book. Congratulations! Describe how you felt opening it and what it meant to you?

It’s amazing to see something you’ve worked on for so long actually in physical form. When I first opened the book (book one of the Pop Activism book series with Orca Book Publishing) I was just amazed that the marathon of writing the book had produced a finished product! I was also excited at the idea that someone else could be holding this in their hands soon too. 

What does it mean to “flounder” and why is this a good thing?

Floundering describes a sort of limbo, often between different phases of life, where you’re not really sure what direction you’re going next. I think it’s important to take the time in this space to really figure out what makes you click and what you are passionate about. It makes a big difference to your success if you’re doing something you genuinely feel you should be doing and feel excited about.

What do we need to know “for sure” about girls getting an education? How can our Girl Warrior Tribe help and get involved?

There are more than 130 million girls out of school right now that should be receiving a secondary education. Education is a human right and everyone deserves to have the equal opportunity to receive this right. Supporting women’s education means you are supporting the wellbeing of an entire community and our world in general. Just one example is that educating girls has been shown to largely improve economies, which mean girls’ education can literally end poverty.

What has been your biggest challenge so far?

One of the biggest challenges for me in my life so far has been dealing with a generalized anxiety disorder. I was diagnosed when I was around ten years old and I’ve had many ups and down with it. One of the things that has brought me the most strength in those times has been sharing my story and reaching out to others, often online, who share similar experiences!

As a writer and blogger, how do you keep your creative juices flowing?

I mostly write productively when I’m home in Victoria, BC and that is because I am able to spend a lot of time in nature! Spending time by the ocean or in a forest always re-charges my creativity and relaxes me into a place where writing comes a lot easier.

What would you say to the next generation of Girl Warriors looking for inspiration?

I would say that the most important thing is to know yourself – to know what type of change you want to support in the world and connect that with a creative passion of yours.

Who is/are your Girl Warrior hero(s)?

Gloria Steinem, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Rowan Blanchard, Buffy Sainte-Marie, and these are just a very small sampling!

What’s next?

The second book in the Pop Activism book series comes out February 20^th, 2018 and it’s titled “Can Your Outfit Change the World?”. This book is again for YA audiences and offers how-to tips on creating change through more conscious clothing choices! The third book in the series comes out September 2018 and it focuses on women’s rights and having productive conversations about feminism. That book is called “Can Your Conversations Change the World?”. I’m also working on a few new books – but more on that down the road!

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In five years I see myself holding a job which works to support women’s rights through storytelling. I want to continue to do creative work which also empowers others to tell their own stories.

What message would you put on a t-shirt?

“I’m not bossy. I’m the boss.”