Today we celebrate people who work to save lives, help those facing hardships, and work to make the world a better place.

Nelson Mandela was a social rights activist, politician, and philanthropist who served South Africa’s first Black president from 1994 to 1999.

Nelson was heavily involved in the anti-apartheid movement and worked to lead peaceful and nonviolent demonstrations to condemn the racist antics and policies South African government. For this, Mandela spent 27 years in prison and was charged with treason against the government. In 1993, Mandela was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his work to put end apartheid.

During his time in office, Mandela worked to put a stop to racism, poverty, and discrimination. Mandela also valued education and the value of life-long learning.

He also worked to raise awareness for mental illnesses and challenges that people faced. One of the reasons I look up to Mandela is because he practiced courage, leadership, and love in everything he did.

He faced adversity but continued to persevere while remaining positive. He always made sure to put people first and worked to lift up others through fighting for equality.

His love, kindness, and courage inspire me to work to help lift others up and to create change in the world we live in.