>>> WELCOME BACK
THIS MORNING WE'RE CONTINUING
OUR SERIES "USING OUR VOICE"
WHERE WE'RE HIGHLIGHTING YOUNG
PEOPLE AT THE HEART OF THE
CURRENT FIGHT FOR SOCIAL
JUSTICE.
WELL, APRIL AND KENNEDY ARE TWO
INCREDIBLY TALENTED 14-YEAR-OLD
BALLERINAS WHOSE IMAGES WENT
VIRAL AFTER THEY TAKE THEIR
TALENTS INTO THE STREETS
TAKE A LOOK.
>> WHEN I'M DANCING, I FEEL AS
THOUGH I'M LIKE MY OWN ALTER EGO
AND I'M JUST LIVING MY BEST
LIFE
>> ANY WAY FOR ME TO GET MY
EMOTIONS OUT
>> Reporter: FOR TEN YEARS BEST
FRIENDS AVA AND KENNEDY HAVE
BEEN DANCING SIDE BY SIDE.
>> WE'RE A GOOD OUTLET FOR EACH
OTHER.
WE BECOME OUR BETTER SELVES WHEN
WITH EACH OTHER.
>> Reporter: BUT AIF AVA AND
KENNEDY SAID BEING A BALLERINA
OF COLOR CAN FEEL LIKE ALONE
>> I HAD TO GO TO THE STORE AND
FIND A FOUNDATION TO FIND MY
PERFECT SKIN COLOR AND I HAD TO
PUT IT ON IN LAYERS.
YOU KIND OF QUESTION IF YOU
SHOULD BE THERE.
IF YOU GET THE SAME CHANCES AS
ANYBODY ELSE
>> Reporter: ACROSS THE COUNTRY
AS PROTESTS SURGE, A MONUMENT IN
AVA AND KENNEDY'S HOMETOWN OF
RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, TOOK CENTER
STAGE.
>> WE'RE TAKING IT DOWN.
>> WE KIND OF JUST THOUGHT OF IT
AS A HISTORIC MOMENT WE NEEDED
TO RECORD.
>> Reporter: DRESSED IN TUTUS
AND POINT SHOES, THEY POSED IN
FRONT OF THE ROBERT E. LEE
MONUMENT
>> THE MESSAGE HIDDEN IN THE
PICTURE ARE JUST THAT YOU CAN
PROTEST IN DIFFERENT WAYS.
YOU DON'T ALWAYS HAVE BEEN TO BE
ON THE FRONT LINES AND ALL THE
RALLIES.
BUT CHOOSING YOUR OWN ART AND
KPR
KPRESING IT THROUGH YOUR GIFTS
IS A GREAT THING TO DO
>> IT WAS JUST SO EMPOWERING
>> Reporter: LITTLE DID THEY
KNOW THAT DAY IN JUNE WOULD
CHANGE THEIR LIVES
>> THE REASON THAT I WANTED TO
PROTEST WAS TO SHOW THAT, YES,
BLACK LIVES MATTER IN THE WORLD,
BUT ALSO IN THE DANCE COMMUNITY
WHERE YOU DEFINITELY DON'T FEEL
IT
>> Reporter: JULIA WAS
PHOTOGRAPHING THE PROTEST WHEN
THEY CAUGHT HER EYE.
WITH THE MOTHERS' BLESSI
IT CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF
CELEBRITIES TOO INCLUDING JOHN
LEGEND
AND COUNTRY ICON NOW KNOWN AS
THE CHICKS
>> IT'S MIND BLOWING
IT FEELS LIKE A DREAM WORLD.
IT'S KIND OF CRAZY THAT PEOPLE
RECEIVED OUR MESSAGE AND THAT
OTHERS COULD ALSO ADD ONTO IT.
>> Reporter: DESPITE THEIR
NEWFOUND FAME, AVA AND KENNEDY
SAY THIS IS PART OF A MUCH
BIGGER MOVEMENT.
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO
KEEP GOING BECAUSE ONCE YOU GET
THIS MUCH RECOGNITION, IT'S A
LOT OF STUFF YOU CAN DO WITH THE
POWER YOU HAVE
AND NOT LET THIS BE LIKE 15
MINUTES OR FAME OR JUST A
MOMENT, BUT MAKE THIS A MOVEMENT
AND BE PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER.
>> I NORMALLY DON'T SPEAK UP
ABOUT STUFF, BUT THIS MOMENT
RIGHT HERE HAS DEFINITELY
STARTED THE ACTIVISM EVEN MORE
I'M DEFINITELY EVEN MORE NOT
AFRAID TO SAY WHAT I THINK
>> Reporter: AS THEY HEAD INTO
THEIR FRESHMAN YEAR OF HIGH
SCHOOL, SHER STHEY ARE SHOWING
SIGNS OF SLOWING DOWN.
>> IT'S CHANGED OUR LIVES.
WE'RE YOUNG ACTIVISTS WHICH YOU
DON'T SEE VERY OFTEN
>> THE THING WITH THIS
GENERATION IS WE ARE REALLY
POWERFUL
WE ARE DEFINITELY TAKING THIS ON
VERY STRONG AND HEAD FIRST
AND WE'RE NOT AFRAID OF
ANYTHING
>> AVA AND KENNEDY AREN'T
STOPPING THERE
THE TWO ARE STARTING A NONPROFIT
CALLED BROWN BALLERINAS FOR
CHANGE
THEY ASKED THE PHOTOGRAPHER WHO
TOOK THAT VIRAL PICTURE TO SIT
ON THEIR BOARD
MEANWHILE, THE ROBERT E.