“All I really want people to know is that your differences are your superpower.”⁣ ⁣ Meet Tilly Lockey (@tilly.lockey). She #Advocates for body positivity and equality, especially in the disabled community.⁣ ⁣ “Growing up, I always had to explain myself,” explains 15-year-old Tilly, who lost her hands to meningitis when she was a baby. “Lots of people would just constantly assume things about me like, ‘Oh, well, she wasn’t able to do this, she mustn't be able to do that.’ It really got on my nerves because I’m a very independent person.⁣ ⁣ I don’t have hands, so I wasn’t going to be able to write, draw or do anything along those lines. I’ve gone down the route of prosthetics. Originally, I was given a glove and told that I kind of had to hide away. So that was definitely motivation for me to just be, like, ‘Why do I want to hide away? That’s not what I want to do. I want to embrace my differences.’⁣ ⁣ I’ve worked with prosthetic companies throughout my life, and now I’m working with a company called Open Bionics. We’ve made a bionic Hero Arm, which is basically made to accentuate those differences, which is why I love it so much. I like to think of these bionic arms now as more than a medical device — they help you both mentally and physically, which is a huge improvement.⁣ ⁣ I wouldn’t take my disability and what happened to me when I was so young back for the world, because it’s made me the person I am today.”⁣ ⁣ #Advocates highlights people around the world who are sparking positive change. ✨⁣ ⁣ Reel by @tilly.lockey⁣

Dance and history are both made by movements. ✨💫⁣ ⁣ For Black History Month, celebrated in the UK, Ireland and the Netherlands in October, professional dancers Taitlyn and Kaylee Jaiy (@thejaiytwins) created a routine to music by @sonsofkemet and inspired by Black culture’s enduring legacy.⁣ ⁣ “It’s so important to honor and celebrate Black history, especially in 2020,” Taitlyn says. “It’s a time for so many to come together, learn and hopefully create change for a brighter future.” #ShareBlackStories⁣ ⁣ Reel by @thejaiytwins

“I frequently receive messages from trans folks saying that my story, work or presence has saved their life. This means the world to me. It is the sole reason I do the work. I find myself in tears each time I hear this.”⁣ ⁣ Meet Schuyler Bailar (@pinkmantaray). He’s a full-time educator and #Advocates for transgender rights, awareness and inclusion. “Growing up, I never saw myself in the world, so when I became the first transgender athlete to compete for an NCAA D1 men’s team in 2015, I decided to share my story because I want kids like me to know that I exist — not ‘I’ as in Schuyler Bailar, but ‘I’ as a trans athlete who not only exists, but also thrives. I want them to know they can exist and thrive, too.⁣ ⁣ Although most people logically understand one trans person cannot possibly represent all trans people, I think I’m often expected to represent entire communities anyway. And I cannot do this. Trans people are far more diverse than my story can demonstrate. This work should always raise the voices of those most marginalized, specifically Black and brown trans women.⁣ ⁣ Most people spend a great deal of time focusing on difference. This isn’t always bad — these differences can be beautiful and are often ways of distinguishing ourselves. But we should value common ground — the experiences and characteristics that tie us together — over everything because this is where our humanity truly thrives.”⁣ ⁣ #Advocates highlights people around the world who are sparking positive change. ✨⁣ ⁣ Reel of @pinkmantaray by @ehsanimami