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A post shared by Ms. Natalie Ringold Elementary Teacher (@always.upper.elementary)

Even with the very best of intentions, everyone has probably said something that they regretted at some point in their lives. It can be easy to forget how impactful our words can be until it is too late to take them back. But just because we have faced this problem doesn't mean that the future generations have to, and one elementary school teacher is doing her best to teach kids about the power of words while they're still young.

Natalie Ringold is a fourth grade teacher from Minnesota, who routinely uploads clips of her lessons online. These earnest and impactful lessons, as well as the way she communicates with her students, have earned her a large online following, with her Instagram having over 179,000 followers. One of these recent lesson videos, which was recorded on the last day of the 2024 school year, has since gone viral.

In the clip, Ringold teaches her students that what they say matters and affects the people around them. She starts the clip by explaining that, “If somebody can't change something about themselves in 30 seconds or less, then you shouldn't mention it to them.” After elaborating on this idea, Ringold uncaps the tube of toothpaste she has been holding and begins squeezing it onto her desk.

“If you say something that someone can't change in 30 seconds or less,” Ringold says, as she attempts to press the toothpaste back into the narrow opening of the tube, “you try to fix it, you try to apologize, you try to take the words back… but it's something that they can't change about themselves and so it's very messy. You can't totally take those words back. You can't totally fix it.”

Eventually, the teacher gives up on the impossible task, leaving a small pile of blue goo on her desk. However, she is sure to leave her students with a positive end to the lesson.

“Your words have power and your words matter,” Ringold says. “If you walk out of this room spreading kindness to the people around you, spreading love to the people around you, that is what truly makes a difference.”

For more video lessons from this inspiring teacher, you can follow Ringold on Instagram.

Natalie Ringold: Instagram | Website
h/t: [Reddit]

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READ: Elementary School Teacher Creatively Demonstrates the Power of Words Using Toothpaste

Roger Federer, often regarded as the best tennis player of all time, delivered an inspiring commencement speech to the 2024 Dartmouth College graduates. Federer captivated thousands with remarkable eloquence and articulate delivery, ultimately revealing three crucial principles drawn from his career. Throughout the speech, he dismantled the image of him being a perfect tennis player by continuously drawing parallels between the experiences in tennis and broader life lessons: that “effortless” is a myth, it’s only a point, and life extends far beyond the court.

Before sharing his advice, Federer reflected on his own educational path, noting his decision not to attend college after leaving high school to pursue tennis. However, during his speech, the famed athlete effectively connects with the students by comparing their transitory phase out of college to his uncertain journey after concluding his tennis career.

“Retired… The word is awful. You wouldn’t say you retired from college, right? Sounds terrible,” Federer says. “Like you, I’ve finished one big thing and I’m moving on to the next. Like you, I’m figuring out what that is.”

After reflecting on his transition, Federer goes on to make his three points. Scroll down for the breakdown of each lesson.

“Effortless is a myth.”

“People would say my play was effortless. Most of the time, they meant it as a compliment,” the decorated tennis star explains. “But it used to frustrate me when they would say, ‘He barely broke a sweat!’ Or ‘Is he even trying?’ The truth is, I had to work very hard… to make it look easy.”

Federer's tennis career, marked by a record 20 Grand Slam singles titles, two Olympic medals, and numerous other achievements, exemplifies not only his dedication to the sport but the immense effort required behind the scenes.

In his speech, he explains how achieving a sense of effortlessness was the pinnacle of his career. He shares how criticism from everyone, including his rivals, motivated him to refine his initial lack of discipline emphasizing the importance of self-trust and relentless effort over mere talent.

“Yes, talent matters,” Federer admits. “I’m not going to stand here and tell you it doesn’t. But talent has a broad definition. Most of the time, it’s not about having a gift. It’s about having grit…Trusting yourself is a talent. Embracing the process, loving the process, is a talent.”

“It’s only a point.”

Federer’s second lesson teaches the importance of quickly putting setbacks behind you. While he acknowledges that in life, just like in tennis, there will be losses, he emphasizes the need to adapt and move forward.

The Swiss sportsman broke down the notion of his athletic perfection, noting that despite winning almost 80% of his matches, his point-win percentage is only 54%. Losing almost every other point teaches you not to fixate on each shot.

“You teach yourself to think: OK, I double-faulted. It’s only a point,” Federer says. “OK, I came to the net and I got passed again. It’s only a point. Even a great shot, an overhead backhand smash that ends up on ESPN’s Top Ten Plays: that, too, is just a point.”

“Life is bigger than the court.”

In the last lesson Federer imparts on the audience, he recognizes the importance of never forgetting where he came from but still desiring to see the world. He admits that maintaining a rich life with friendships and family is likely why he had a lack of burnout in his career.

“Even when I was just starting out, I knew that tennis could show me the world… but tennis could never be the world,” Federer shares.

At the age of 22, he started the Roger Federer Foundation to provide quality education opportunities to youth in the Southern region of Africa and Switzerland. Federer expressed a deep sense of honor and humility in his philanthropic efforts, claiming that philanthropy is not just donating money to a cause.

“Contributing your ideas… your time… and your energy… to a mission that is larger than yourself. All of you have so much to give, and I hope you will find your own, unique ways to make a difference,” the athlete says in his moving speech.

Finally, Federer concludes with additional tennis metaphors: “Whatever game you choose, give it your best. Go for your shots. Play free. Try everything. And most of all, be kind to one another… and have fun out there.”

h/t: [Open Culture]

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Photo: Charles Russo/Standford University

Only a few short generations ago, American women were expected to end any professional aspirations once they married. For Virginia “Ginger” Hislop, now aged 105, this meant giving up a teaching career despite investing time and energy in years of training. In 1941, with most of her credits completed, Hislop moved away from Stanford University before receiving her master's degree in education. Now, after raising two children and an impressive career in education, Hislop finally got to cross the graduation stage and receive her master's hood and degree.

Hislop had little choice about cutting her degree short. Her then-boyfriend George had been called up to military service due to World War II. This prompted a quick marriage before they moved to the U.S. Army outpost at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Hislop originally wanted to be a lawyer like her father. However, he wasn't keen on women lawyers and even less so on paying law school tuition for his daughter. Teaching was the next best choice for Hislop who was inspired by her grandmother and aunt that were both teachers themselves. They instilled in Hislop that “if you’re part of the community, you help with the housekeeping. You have a responsibility to other people.”

She enrolled at Stanford in 1936 and received her bachelor's in education four years later. A year after that, she was nearly finished with her master's work, just having to submit a thesis. She never got to finish that thesis, but 83 years later, her son-in-law Doug Jensen found out the graduate program had done away with its thesis requirement. This meant Hislop had in fact finished her coursework, and all she had left to do was don a cap and gown. “My goodness,” Hislop has said, “I’ve waited a long time for this.”

Photo: Charles Russo/Standford University

Despite having only just been awarded her master's, Hislop managed to forge a career in education. It's worth noting that even if she had received her degree, many school systems wouldn't have hired her as a married woman. Not until the 1964 Civil Rights Act were these “marriage bars” that allowed for schools to not hire wives, and even fire teachers who got married after hiring, completely done away with. Gender disparities may have put a hold on her career, but they led to her becoming a powerful advocate for all students.

When her daughter Anne entered ninth grade, the Yakima school she was attending was adamant young Anne take home economics instead of her preference, an advanced English class. Her mother didn't stand for this, and ended up joining the Yakima school board. “I felt that all the kids should have an opportunity to develop their potential as best they could, and that everybody should have a crack at higher education if they wanted,” said Hislop, who remained on the school board for 13 years.

She then worked with local and state legislators to have what was a junior college under the Yakima school district, become its own entity with its own board and budget. Because of her work and the Community College Act of 1967, Yakima Valley College is no longer just 13th and 14th grades. It now awards associates, bachelor’s as well as master’s degrees. Hislop went on to serve as board member of several other education and arts-focused organizations.

“I didn’t return to teaching, but I feel I put my teaching certificate to good use serving in committees and on boards and trying to improve the educational opportunities every chance I got,” Hislop posits. While you might think her master's is a perfect bookend to her impactful career, Hislop is still very much an active member of her community. Jensen agrees, “The biggest lesson I’ve taken from her is that you never really stop learning. She’s a voracious reader, and at 105 she’s still actively moving and shaking. No moss grows under her feet.”

Judging from the uproarious applause she received from the audience at commencement, she's still continuing to inspire.

105-year-old Virginia Hislop finally received her master's degree in education from Stanford University, 83 years later than she anticipated.

h/t: [Today]

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READ: 105-Year-Old Woman Finally Gets Her Master’s Degree From Stanford

 

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On June 17, 2024, media mogul Oprah Winfrey shared a heartfelt message of congratulations for Bongeka Zuma on her graduation from Stanford University's Doctor of Medicine program. After becoming a member of the first graduating class of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa, Zuma went on to graduate summa cum laude at Spelman College, earned a master's degree from the University of Oxford and finally, received her doctorate.

In the post, Winfrey shared photos and videos from the ceremony, as well as a touching throwback photo of her hugging Zuma at the student's graduation from her leadership academy in 2007. She also explained why this moment meant so much to her.

“I’ve been to 22 graduations for all my daughter-girls who came from the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa to colleges and universities across the United States,” Winfrey said. “This one was extra special… One of the great joys of my life was to see her walk across that stage! Knowing where she’s come from, a small community in KwaZulu-Natal, and how strongly she believed in becoming a doctor. She never gave up, and with a support team of good friends, fellow OWLAG sisters and professors, we all celebrated her achievement with great pride.”

When the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa originally opened, it received 3,500 applications from around the country. In the end, it accepted 152 girls, one of whom was Zuma. The program accepts girls in 8-12 grade. According to their website, the academy “strive(s) to raise future leaders who are able to navigate a variety of social and cultural context, and who will remain committed to the development of South Africa, the African continent, and the entire globe.”

Congratulations to Zuma, as well as the former and current students of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa, as they embark on their next journey and set out to become changemakers in their communities.

Oprah Winfrey: Website | Instagram | X
Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy in South Africa: Website | Instagram
h/t: [Today]

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Photo: Thomas J. O'Halloran, U.S. News & World Reports. Light restoration by Adam Cuerden, Public domain

Throughout history, women have been working hard to ensure that the female voice is heard. Whether that means being involved in politics, working as a social activist, becoming the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, or breaking barriers in athletics, women have gone the extra mile to gain equality and advocate for a better world.

Regardless of age, race, or nationality, powerful women like Malala Yousafzai, Michelle Obama, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, and Jane Goodall provide inspiration to millions of little girls and women. By working with purpose, confidence, and intuition, they demonstrate that having strength and embodying fearlessness doesn't have to mean sacrificing your vulnerability. And all of these women show that failure shouldn't be an obstacle to meeting your goals.

So in honor of all the incredible women who have blazed a trail forward—both in the past and present—we've put together a list of 50 inspirational quotes. The words of these wise women prove that through action, anything is possible. Just as they took charge of their own lives, their logic will make you inspired to transform your own.

So get ready to get motivated and start moving toward your dreams.

Enjoy 50 inspiring quotes from powerful female leaders throughout history to get you motivated.

Photo: NASA; restored by Adam Cuerden via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Being a Woman

“Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men.” – Katherine Johnson, mathematician and one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist

“The success of every woman should be the inspiration to another. We should raise each other up. Make sure you’re very courageous: be strong, be extremely kind, and above all be humble.” – Serena Williams, professional tennis player who has won more Grand Slam singles titles than any man or woman in the Open Era

“We need to understand that there is no formula for how women should lead their lives. That is why we must respect the choices that each woman makes for herself and her family. Every woman deserves the chance to realize her God-given potential.” – Hillary Clinton, former Secretary of State and the first woman nominated for U.S. president by a major political party

“Women should do for themselves what men have already done—occasionally what men have not done—thereby establishing themselves as persons, and perhaps encouraging other women toward greater independence of thought and action.” – Amelia Earhart, first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean

“My mother told me to be a lady. And for her, that meant be your own person, be independent.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg, second female justice appointed to the U.S. Supreme Court

Photo: Stock Photos from JStone/Shutterstock

Discrimination

“Tremendous amounts of talent are being lost to our society just because that talent wears a skirt.” – Shirley Chisholm, first Black woman elected to U.S. Congress

“A girl should not expect special privileges because of her sex but neither should she adjust to prejudice and discrimination.” – Betty Friedan, writer and activist credited with sparking the 20th-century wave of feminism

“I raise up my voice—not so I can shout but so that those without a voice can be heard… We cannot succeed when half of us are held back.” – Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani activist for female education and the youngest Nobel Prize laureate

Photo: Guillermo Kahlo via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Facing Hardship

“At the end of the day, we can endure much more than we think we can.” – Frida Kahlo, 20th-century Mexican painter 

“I really think a champion is defined not by their wins but by how they can recover when they fall.” – Serena Williams

“Always aim high, work hard, and care deeply about what you believe in. And, when you stumble, keep faith. And, when you're knocked down, get right back up and never listen to anyone who says you can't or shouldn't go on.” – Hillary Clinton

“Have no fear of perfection; you'll never reach it.” – Marie Curie, chemist who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize.

“Think like a queen. A queen if not afraid to fail. Failure is another stepping stone to greatness.” – Oprah Winfrey, media mogul and North America's first black multi-billionaire

Photo: Anil496 (CC BY-SA)

Staying Positive

“I’ve had to learn to fight all my life – got to learn to keep smiling. If you smile things will work out.” – Serena Williams

“Nothing is worth more than laughter. It is strength to laugh and to abandon oneself, to be light.” – Frida Kahlo

“You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist.” – Indira Gandhi, first female Prime Minister of India

“I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear; knowing what must be done does away with fear.” – Rosa Parks, American civil rights activist

“Don’t ever make decisions based on fear. Make decisions based on hope and possibility. Make decisions based on what should happen, not what shouldn’t.” – Michelle Obama, former U.S. First Lady

Photo: Stock Photos from JStone/Shutterstock

Being Self-Confident

“I don't have a feeling of inferiority. Never had. I'm as good as anybody, but no better.” – Katherine Johnson

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” – Eleanor Roosevelt, former U.S. First Lady and U.S. Delegate to the United Nations General Assembly

“If you're always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.” – Maya Angelou, Pulitzer-prize nominated poet

“Life is not easy for any of us. But what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted for something and that this thing must be attained.” – Marie Curie

“I was a person with dignity and self-respect, and I should not set my sights lower than anybody else just because I was Black.” – Rosa Parks

“There's power in allowing yourself to be known and heard, in owning your unique story, in using your authentic voice.” – Michelle Obama

Photo: Stock Photos from Rob Crandall/Shutterstock

Unity

“Pursuing peace means rising above one's own wants, needs, and emotions.” – Benazir Bhutto, former Prime Minister of Pakistan

“I am not free while any woman is unfree, even when her shackles are very different from my own.” – Audre Lorde, former writer, poet, and activist best known for her works on intersectional feminism

“We’re all water from different rivers, that’s why it’s so easy to meet; we’re all water in this vast, vast ocean, someday we’ll evaporate together.” – Yoko Ono, performance artist and peace activist

“Tolerance and compassion are active, not passive states, born of the capacity to listen, to observe and to respect others.” – Indira Gandhi

“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Enacting Change

“Change happens by listening and then starting a dialogue with the people who are doing something you don't believe is right.” – Jane Goodall, world's foremost expert on chimpanzees and environmental activist

“You don’t make progress by standing on the sidelines whimpering and complaining. You make progress by implementing ideas.” – Shirley Chisholm

“Social change is brought about by those who dare and act, who can think unconventionally and who can court unpopularity.” – Indira Gandhi

“We are here, not because we are law-breakers; we are here in our efforts to become law-makers.” – Emmeline Pankhurst, leader of the UK suffragette movement

“Do what you feel in your heart to be right—for you’ll be criticized anyway.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude.” – Maya Angelou

“Real change, enduring change, happens one step at a time.” – Ruth Bader Ginsburg

“We cannot solve a crisis without treating it as a crisis. […] And if solutions within the system are so impossible to find, then maybe we should change the system itself?” – Greta Thunberg, climate change activist

Photo: Underwood & Underwood (active 1880 – c. 1950)[1] (Public domain)

Pursuing Your Goals

“Technique and ability alone do not get you to the top; it is the willpower that is most important.” – Junko Tabei, first woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest

“Do not stop thinking of life as an adventure. You have no security unless you can live bravely, excitingly, imaginatively; unless you can choose a challenge instead of competence.” – Eleanor Roosevelt

“I’ve learned that making a ‘living’ is not the same as ‘making a life.’” – Maya Angelou

“The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity.” – Amelia Earhart

“Success is only meaningful and enjoyable if it feels like your own.” – Michelle Obama

“Passion is the log that keeps the fire of purpose blazing.” – Oprah Winfrey

“I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life—and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing I wanted to do.” – Georgia O'Keeffe, painter often recognized as the “Mother of American modernism”

Photo: Stock Photos from Joseph Sohm/Shutterstock

Aging

“Aging is not ‘lost youth' but a new stage of opportunity and strength.” – Betty Friedan

“Some people are old at 18 and some are young at 90. Time is a concept that humans created.” – Yoko Ono

The Future

“The next decade cannot be a decade of confrontation and contention. It cannot be East vs. West. It cannot be men vs. women. It cannot be Islam vs. Christianity. That is what the enemies of dialogue want.” – Benazir Bhutto

“The greatest danger to our future is apathy.” – Jane Goodall

“Every moment wasted looking back, keeps us from moving forward…In this world and the world of tomorrow, we must go forward together or not at all.” – Hillary Clinton

“Let us make our future now, and let us make our dreams tomorrow’s reality.” – Malala Yousafzai

This article has been edited and updated.

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Photo: Shanemyersphoto.com/Depositphotos

Though many high school students may not be enthusiastic about science projects, one determined student decided to take it upon himself to spend nearly three years on one. Meet Maddux Alexander Springer, a Hawaiian teen who noticed a lack of study on a species of sea turtles afflicted by a mysterious disease and decided to research it himself.

Springer, now 18, first saw the green sea turtles covering the sea floor while on his free dives in Kāneʻohe Bay, on the eastern side of Oahu, during the pandemic. They were covered in cauliflower-like tumors because of fibropapillomatosis or FP, a disease that affects up to 97% of sea turtles world-wide. Usually it remains latent, but once the illness becomes activated, tumors grow first on the outside and then sometimes the inside of turtles. While the tumors themselves are not dangerous, they can block breathing and eating, leading to tragic results.

After not finding enough answers about the illness taking its toll on Hawaii's turtles, Springer set out to do his own research. He wanted to figure out what was activating the FP in Hawaii's turtles himself. He applied for permits to biopsy the turtles' tumors, but was denied his request. Undeterred, he set up a network of underwater motion-sensing cameras to survey the turtle population.  Not only did the cameras help him find out that FP was indeed extremely prevalent, but it also helped him discover that the turtles were eating a lot of an invasive species of algae, graciliaria salicornia. Normally, eating algae is one of the turtles' key jobs in their ecosystem, as too much algae will suffocate corals reefs, which are already stressed by rising temperatures. However there turns out to be a difference between the invasive algae and native species. Graciliaria salicornia absorbs sewage 11 times more than the turtles' historical meals.

This Hawaiian green turtle is severely afflicted with fibropapillomatosis. The mouth tumors are unique to Hawaiian greens. (Photo:Peter Bennett & Ursula Keuper-Bennett via Wikimedia Commons, CC by 3.0.)

In case you weren't aware, Hawaii, arguably one of the most beautiful places on Earth, is essentially stewing in its own poop. There are over 83,000 cesspools in Hawaii. Partly because of geography and partly because of a post-WWII population boom, many Hawaiians rely on a hole beneath their houses to store wastewater. This wastewater leaches into the ground, and because Hawaii's volcanic soil is very porous, it quickly flows into the ocean. Fifty-two million gallons of untreated sewage are released into the ground each day in Hawaii.

Along with increasing skin and gastrointestinal infections among beach-goers, wastewater includes a high amount of nitrogen. In humans, this has been shown to increase rates of cancer, but we're not the only ones getting hurt. Springer wondered if the invasive algae was soaking up nitrogen from waste and converting it to arginine, an amino acid that was already shown to correlate to FP. The inquisitive teen started collecting and processing algae samples to be measured by a lab's mass spectrometer. The spectrometer confirmed Springer's suspicions about arginine levels in the turtles' main source of grub.

While his study hasn't been peer reviewed, he won first prize in the animal sciences division of the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair. Additionally, he received the Peggy Scripps Award for Science Communication, giving him $10,000 towards his education. Springer plans to study marine biology at Orgeon State University in the fall. He's hoping that his project will help bring attention to the urgent crisis in Hawaii. He states, “I just really want to raise awareness that this is an issue, and that the only way that this can be solved is by government intervention.”

The state has committed to replacing all cesspools by 2050. But that's not soon enough to avoid dire consequences for the turtles and the entire ecosystem, including humans. In May, the legislature passed a bill imposing fees on property owners who have cesspools to help fund cesspool alternatives. However, that will only put a dent in the costs expected to convert cesspools to modern wastewater management systems. Hopefully, as they turn of voting age, Springer's peers will follow his lead and be effective advocates for clean water.

18-year-old Maddux Alex Springer won the Peggy Scripps Science Communication Award for his work on sickly sea turtles living off of Oahu.

Photo: Shanemyersphoto.com/Depositphotos

Answering a question that had stumped scientists, the high schooler demonstrated the serious consequences of water pollution.

Majestic Ka'a'awa mountain and lovely Kāneʻohe Bay (Photo:Eric Tessmer/Wikimedia Commons by CC 2.0)

h/t: [Reddit]

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✨ At 98, WWII veteran and Poolesville resident Richard Remp received the high school diploma he forfeited to serve our country. Hand-delivered to his hospice bedside, this diploma marks a heartfelt tribute to his lifetime of bravery and service.

https://t.co/lPqfoBEbM4 pic.twitter.com/TG3bb8EuMV

— Montgomery County MD (@MontgomeryCoMD) May 20, 2024

Maryland resident Richard Remp was 17 when he dropped out of high school to enlist in the military during World War II. After this, he remained in the Marines and went on to serve in the Korean War, and then in the Vietnam War as a decorated gunnery sergeant. But despite his distinguished military career, Remp—like so many men and women who served in World War II—never received his high school diploma. That was, until Sharon High School in Pennsylvania issued Remp, now 98, a high school diploma in May.

This feat of human kindness was made possible by Remp's family, American Legion Post 247, and Superintendent Justi Glaros. After Glaros convinced her school board to approve the diploma, she drove 4.5 hours to Remp's home in Poolesville, Maryland, to hand-deliver the diploma to the veteran.

Remp, who is currently in hospice care at his home for stage four cancer, was surrounded by his family as Glaros presented him with the long-overdue diploma, as well as a Sharon Tigers t-shirt. Even though the veteran didn't attend Sharon High School, the importance of the gesture can't be overstated. After spending years serving his country, his community has found a way to give back in a big way.

Congratulations to Remp for becoming a member of the Class of 2024. You can watch the moment he receives his diploma, as well as his heartwarming response, below.

A veteran named Richard Remp finally earned his high school diploma at the age of 98.

h/t: [Neatorama]

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@jordankh_ Would You Cross the Globe for a stranger? PART 3️⃣ #series #lovestory #internationalcouple #lovestorytime #lovestorytheseries #lovestory❤️ #miniseries #viraltiktokvideo #viralvideo #globaltiktok #amazonfinds #amazon #staytunedformore @Pitiuruk @LATAM Airlines @Geowulf @Flight Centre ♬ original sound – jordankh_

How far would you go for love? For a woman named Jordan Hauenschild, the answer seems to be: halfway around the world. The Australian woman was scrolling her Instagram Explore feed one night when she came across 24-year-old Pitiuruk, an Indigenous Ecuadorian content creator who chronicles his life in the Amazon jungle. Curious about his lifestyle, she reached out to him him and sparks flew.

Pitiuruk lives in a rural Kichwa community, a branch of the Quechua people native to Ecuador. “I was so intrigued about how people still live this way of life and to some degree I knew there were tribes in the Amazon, but I had never taken the time to learn about it,” the Hauenschild told news.com.au. “I clicked on his page and I just messaged him.” To her surprise, she got a response. Soon, they were both video chatting regularly “to understand each other’s cultures, what we do in our day to day, and what our [lives are] like on opposite sides of the world.”

After four months of talking, they started planning to meet up. Hauenschild then quit her 9-5 office job and made her way to Guayusa Runa, a journey that took her 35 hours. “As the plane was landing in Quito, I realized the magnitude of the situation—I had gone on a whim with a ‘why not’ attitude and I was about to meet someone I had never seen in real life,” she recalled. However, that first encounter made her think it had all been worth it. “I just couldn’t believe he was real. It was my first time in Ecuador and I just wanted to ensure I was really respectful, but I just couldn’t wipe the smile off my face.”

While she had plans to visit other destinations, Hauenschild arranged to spend as much time as she could with Pitiuruk. During their time together, they went horse riding, kissed beneath waterfalls, crossed the jungle in canoes, and cuddled in hammocks with monkeys. Hauenschild described the experience as “cinematic,” and shared that his family was very welcoming of her.

Sadly, the couple had to part after a few weeks, but got to work on meeting again immediately. After sharing her story, Hauenschild's TikTok followers were enthralled by their romance and will to stay together. Moved by their plight, a travel agency offered to cover the woman's airfare back to Ecuador, so she'll be reuniting with her love later in June.

To stay up to date with her whirlwind romance, you can follow Hauenschild on TikTok.

How far would you go for love? For a woman named Jordan Hauenschild, the answer seems to be: halfway around the world.

@jordankh_ Would You Cross The Globe for a Stranger? Stay tuned for PART 2️⃣ #partone #series #lovestory #staytunedformore #globaltiktok #viralvideo #viraltiktokvideo #miniseries #internationalcouple #lovestory❤️ #lovestorytime @Pitiuruk ♬ original sound – jordankh_

The Australian woman was scrolling her Instagram Explore feed one night when she came across 24-year-old Pitiuruk, an Indigenous Ecuadorian content creator who chronicles his life in the Amazon jungle.

@jordankh_ PART 2️⃣: Would YOU cross the Globe for a stranger? #parttwo #series #lovestory #internationalcouple #lovestorytime #lovestory❤️ #miniseries #viraltiktokvideo #viralvideo #globaltiktok #amazonfinds #amazon @Pitiuruk ♬ original sound – jordankh_

Curious about his lifestyle, she reached out to him him–and sparks flew.

@jordankh_ Part 4️⃣: The Next Step : Work . Save ️. Catch That Plane #series #lovestory #internationalcouple #lovestorytime #lovestorytheseries #lovestory❤️ #miniseries #viraltiktokvideo #viralvideo #globaltiktok #staytunedformore #viraltiktok #ecuador #australia #travel #traveltiktok @Pitiuruk @LATAM Airlines @Qantas @Flight Centre ♬ original sound – jordankh_

After talking for four months, they decided to meet up, and Hauenschild made her way to Ecuador, where they spent some weeks together.

@jordankh_ Moments in the Amazon Through rivers, tropical mountainous terrain and lush rainforest, @Pitiuruk and his family welcomed me into their home Guayusa Runa @Runa #lovestory #internationalcouple #lovestorytime #lovestorytheseries #viraltiktokvideo #globaltiktok #ecuador #australia #travel #jungle #amazonrainforest #amazoniaecuatoriana ♬ The Beginning – Flawed Mangoes

Although they had to part, Hauenschild will be returning to Ecuador soon.

@jordankh_ With a huge thanks to @Flight Centre, @Pitiuruk and I are going to be reunited in ECUADOR so we can begin the next chapter of our story! ✈️❤️ We’re so grateful and can’t wait to have you follow along for our reunion! T-2 weeks! #lovestory #flightcentre #flightcentreau #internationalcouple #lovestorytime #lovestorytheseries #viraltiktokvideo #globaltiktok #ecuador #australia #travel #jungle #amazonrainforest ♬ The Best Part – anamē & gardenstate & Bien

Jordan KH: TikTok
h/t: [Bored Panda]

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READ: Australian Woman Quits Job and Travels to the Amazon to Live Fairytale Life With Indigenous Ecuadorian Man

2024 Goldman Prize winner Alok Shukla (Photo: Goldman Environmental Prize)

The biodiverse Hasdeo Aranya forests are one of the largest intact forest areas in India. Spread over 657 square miles, the forest, which is popularly known as the Lungs of Chhattisgarh, provides crucial natural resources to the 15,000 Indigenous Adivasi people living there. The sprawling forest is also home to diverse wildlife including elephants and tigers, as well as thousands of unique reptiles and birds.

However, one of India's largest coal reserves is also located in the Hasdeo Aranya forest, and in a country where blackouts are common and widespread, there has been a great deal of focus on turning the forest into a mining hub. Even though the Hasdeo Aranya forests are considered a “no-go” zone by India's environmental ministry, the policy was never enacted into law and as a result, more than 21% of India's coal comes from the region.

Several years ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's regime pushed for 21 new mines to be placed in the forest, but a local man named Alok Shukla refused to let that happen. Shukla, a 43-year-old environmental activist, grew up watching the effects of deforestation on his community. He stepped up and founded the Save Hasdeo Aranya Resistance Committee, a grassroots organization advocating for the preservation of the sweeping, lush forests in the region. The protest campaign relied on both in-person action and social media awareness, and included events such as sit-ins, tree-hugging campaigns, and advocating for couples to write #savehasdeo on their wedding invitations.

Shukla's efforts paid off as India's legislature voted unanimously that all new mining proposals in the forest should be canceled. His commitment to conservation has also earned him the 2024 Goldman Environmental Prize, which “honors ordinary people who take extraordinary actions to protect our planet.” He is sharing the prize with five other winners from Brazil, the United States, South Africa, Australia, and Spain.

An environmental activist in India named Alok Shukla founded a grassroots organization to help preserve the lush forests of his country.

2024 Goldman Prize winner Alok Shukla and community members at Hasdeo Aranya (Photo: Goldman Environmental Prize)

Over the years, India has cut down forests to build coal mines, but Shukla took a stand against the environmentally harmful deforestation of places like the Hasdeo Aranya forests.

2024 Goldman Prize winner Alok Shukla at the edge of a mine (Photo: Goldman Environmental Prize)

Shukla's efforts paid off as India's legislature voted unanimously that all new mining proposals in the forest should be canceled.

Hasdeo Aranya (Photo: Goldman Environmental Prize)

And now, he's won the Goldman Environmental Prize for his work on conserving one of the largest forests in India.

Alok Shukla at the 2024 Goldman Prize ceremony in San Francisco (Photo: Goldman Environmental Prize)

Watch Shukla's acceptance speech:

Goldman Environmental Prize: Website | YouTube

My Modern Met granted permission to feature photos by Goldman Environmental Prize.

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READ: Environmental Activist Saves One of the Largest Forests in India From Harmful Coal Mining

 

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Una publicación compartida por Ace-Liam | youngest Artist GWR holder (@ace_liam_paints)

Many children are natural born artists. After all, they possess boundless imagination and approach colors and shapes with a unique curiosity. That's why it would be hard to spot the youngest artist on Earth;  however, Guinness World Records has found him. Ghanian toddler Ace-Liam Ankrah, who will be 2 years old in July, has been named “World’s Youngest Male Artist” after fulfilling specific requirements needed to qualify.

Ace-Liam created his first painting at just 6 months old, aptly titled The Crawl. His mother, artist Chantelle Kuukua Eghan, needed to keep him entertained while she worked on her own projects. “I spread out a canvas on the floor and added paint to it, and then in the process of crawling he ended up spreading all the colors on the canvas,” she told AP. After that, and prompted by his mother, he continued to paint.

The boy has created his vibrant, expressive works using acrylic paint. After selecting the canvas size and paint colors, his mother opens the bottles for him, and lets his imagination run wild. Eghan now sees Ace-Liam as a budding Jackson Pollock, who also pouring paint across the canvas in his famous drip paintings. ​​“Jackson Pollock allowed his inner child to still be with him, even when he was old,” she told BBC News. “His work is vibrant and spontaneous, and that is how I see my son’s work.”

Eghan decided to apply for the record last June. In November 2023, Guinness World Records told her that to break a previous record, her son needed to exhibit his work and sell paintings. She then arranged for Ace-Liam’s first exhibition at the Museum of Science and Technology in Accra in January 2024, where nine out of 10 of his pieces listed were sold. Ghana’s first lady, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, attended the exhibition and even commissioned a piece from him.

“His abstract paintings are inspired by the world around him: colors, shapes, textures and his mood,” says Eghan. “Every painting is an expression of his curiosity and joy in discovering new things.” Each of Ace-Liam's painting sessions can last anywhere from a few minutes to about half an hour, depending on his interest at the moment. “Sometimes he leaves a painting and comes back to it after a couple of days to finish it,” Eghan shares. “Once he’s done, he says, ‘Mama, finish.’”

So far, Ace-Liam has sold 15 paintings during his brief career—excluding The Crawl, which his mom aims to keep in the family. There are plans to hold an auction soon for his new paintings, in addition to looking for new opportunities for her son, such as applying for scholarships and helping him sell paintings to an international audience. Overall, she hopes to inspire other parents to discover and nurture their children’s talents—and she’s happy to see how far her kid can go. “He is painting and growing and playing in the whole process,” she says.

You can stay up to date on this tiny toddler’s artistic journey by following Ace-Liam’s Instagram.

Ghanian toddler Ace-Liam Ankrah, who will turn 2 in July, has been named “World’s Youngest Male Artist” by Guinness World Records.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Ace-Liam | youngest Artist GWR holder (@ace_liam_paints)

Ace-Liam created his first painting at just 6 months old. The artwork is aptly titled The Crawl.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Ace-Liam | youngest Artist GWR holder (@ace_liam_paints)

After selecting the canvas size and paint colors, his mother opens the bottles for him, and lets his imagination run wild.

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Ace-Liam | youngest Artist GWR holder (@ace_liam_paints)

Guinness World Records told his mom that to break a previous record, Ace-Liam needed to exhibit his work and sell paintings. The toddler went on to exhibit and sell 9 out 10 exhibited works.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Ace-Liam | youngest Artist GWR holder (@ace_liam_paints)

“His abstract paintings are inspired by the world around him: colors, shapes, textures and his mood.”

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Ace-Liam | youngest Artist GWR holder (@ace_liam_paints)

Ace-Liam Ankrah: Instagram
h/t: [Smithsonian Magazine]

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READ: Toddler From Ghana Is Declared ‘World’s Youngest Male Artist’ by Guinness World Records