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I'm youth activist, Naomi Wadler.
Last year, I gave a speech at the March
for Our Lives rally in Washington, DC.
I am here today to acknowledge and represent
the African-American girls whose stories don't
make the front page of every national newspaper.
Since then I've been on a mission to change the world one
conversation at a time.
The importance of having a good ally in your life
is knowing that somebody, no matter what,
will always support you.
I was more than excited to sit down with Josie Totah.
I've been a fan of her ever since she was on "Jessie".
It was so cool being able to meet her and get
to know her better.
So excited to get to know you.
I watched you and Skai Jackson on "Jessie".
And when you came out, I was so excited.
I was so happy for you.
Thank you so much.
I love you so much.
Thank you, oh, my gosh.
That means so much to me.
I really appreciate that.
As a transgender woman, what are some of the biggest challenges
that you've had to overcome?
I think just knowing the fact that no matter where I go,
or how accepting, or comfortable people
say they are with the LGBTQ community,
whether it's, like, with trans people, or gay people,
that it's always in the back of their mind I'm different.
And I feel like that prejudice, even though a lot of people
don't know that they have it, like, affects me
in so many ways, whether I'm at the airport, or, you know,
trying to buy something.
And it's something that I'll have
to carry with me for the rest of my life.
What are some of the things that you've
had to do to overcome knowing that people
view you as different?
I guess it's just, like, being confident in myself
and my friends and my family who, like, hype me up
and support me.
I feel like everyone can get insecure sometimes,
so just knowing that it's OK, and who cares
what everyone else thinks.
And, like, start thinking in my own head that I'm doing great,
and that I'm fine, and kind of power through it in a way.
And then just being, like, you're amazing, you're fine,
don't worry about what everyone else thinks.
Yeah, hearing you say that is so great to me because I really,
really care what other people think of me.
And I'm really trying to overcome that.
And I was with Jameela Jamil--
I love her.
--She's great and she was telling me a similar thing.
Every time that you feel content with yourself,
and you feel powerful, and you feel
like you are good just as you are,
that is an act of feminist resistance.
So I implore you to do that.
And, like, I think it's so great having these two
amazing women telling me this.
Because it's really changing my mind on what
I should think of other people.
All that matters is what you think about yourself.
And your self-worth and your value
is determined how you carry yourself,
not how others perceive you.
And that's something that I've been working on a ton.
And, you know, I still have to work on.
What do you want kids who are questioning
their genders to know?
That you are loved and that although society
may say that you are different and not normal,
it is normal to question your identity,
no matter of the gender that they were assigned at birth.
If they love that, then that's fine.
You're still on your journey.
That's amazing.
But if you don't love the gender you were assigned to at birth,
and you want to, you know, explore who you truly
are as a person, I also think that's great.
How about kids who might be uncomfortable
discussing the genders?
I think you should never have to speak
about something unless you're totally comfortable
speaking about it.
But I feel like finding that one person
that you feel comfortable talking to,
whether it's like an advocate at school, or a teacher,
or like that one best friend.
Like it's not going to be really easy,
I feel like, the first talking to someone about something
so private.
And, like, don't not talk to them
just because you're afraid to.
I feel like getting over that fear is such an important part
of your growing identity.
And maybe you haven't found that one yet.
Keep that hope inside yourself, and keep
searching for that person.
So many people are scared to have
these conversations for fear that they
might say the wrong thing.
What would you want to let them know?
The truth is just being open and honest
and asking genuine questions can not ever go wrong.
And just saying, look, I am not 100% informed on this.
I am not a professor in all gender identity.
I don't know everything.
But I'm just genuinely asking because I'm curious,
and please correct me if I'm wrong.
I think that a lot of people think that it's not their job
to try and help and to support because they
don't know what transgender people are going through.
And I think that you might not fully understand.
But you can still help, and you can still be a supporter,
and you can still let them know that you care.
Yeah, definitely, it takes people like you
who say, hey, like I don't know everything.
I might not even know anything, but I care.
I support you.
Takes people like that that makes the world a so much
better place instead of people who just assume
and who prejudge because that causes conflict and doesn't
bring people together.
It splits people up.
Yeah.
Thank you so much.
Of course.
There we go.
Josie taught me a little bit more about being a good ally,
especially to trans women and men.
Cheerios and I want to encourage kids to do good
for others around them.
So I wanted to shout out Mason who's doing exactly that.
Mason has a mission to do 100 acts of good in 100 days
and is halfway to his goal.
In the past, he has donated 6,600 pounds of pet food
to a shelter and donated 331 toys to a children's hospital.
I can't wait to see what you achieve, Mason.
Do you feel that our generation is
very informed on social issues?
I do.
I think, actually, social media is a very big part in it.
Have any of you guys ever been in a situation
where you were being bullied?
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