Part 5/11:
Mary-Pat Hector, CEO of Rise, an organization dedicated to empowering youth, shares her inspiring journey from growing up in Atlanta amid gun violence and a lack of youth resources, to becoming a leader advocating for student rights and political power. Her activism began early—joining the National Action Network at 13—and culminated in her leading hunger strikes for student needs and running for office at just 21. She emphasizes that empowering young voters and future leaders is crucial because their participation shapes policies that impact their lives.