A new online youth magazine Woke created by local sisters, the Knijnik triplets, Luiza, Juliana and Marina was officially launched last week.
The aim of Woke is to provide a platform that informs youth about what's happening in the world, as well as telling the stories of many young people who are following their dreams and striving to make a difference to society.
The magazine's motto is: 'Woke. For all of us who give a damn'.
Magazine sections include News and Politics, Human Rights, The Planet, Identity, and Young People Making a Difference.
Articles in the first edition include, Greta Thunberg, Our Climate Chance Warrior, Offshore Detention, The Epidemic of Homophobia, and Homelessness - how we can help.
The magazine was created as part of Georges River Council's Youth Week event, Dragon's Den event which was run in partnership between the council, 3Bridges and the Rotary Club of Hurstville.
Georges River Council Mayor Kevin Greene officially launched Woke last week, in the presence of about 70 people including local youth services representatives and educators.
"Woke provides a valuable outlet for young people to express their opinions and speak freely, two things that are essential to bringing about societal change and assisting the community to develop and progress," Cr Greene said.
"It's enormously heartening to see young people who are passionate about the interests, issues and concerns relevant to their peers, and taking action to provide a platform for their discussion," Councillor Greene said.
"Council was pleased to award $2,000 to aid in the website's development, and I look forward to watching its progress as other young people add their voices in order to inform and inspire each other."
Juliana Knijnik said that she and her sisters started Woke because they wanted to make a difference, and her sister Marina said that the Dragon's Den competition gave young people with a dream of helping their community a chance to pitch their ideas to judges.
"We've always thought about doing something to help our community and this was our chance," said Marina.
"The world today seems to regard teenagers and young adults as incapable of forming intelligent opinions based on world problems. They think students should stay in school and leave the politics to those outside the school.
"This opinion that adults have about teenagers only encourages the apathetic nature many of us demonstrate. We decided to create a website for young people by young people that talks about issues that affect us everyday.
"We want to provide a platform that informs the youth about what's happening in the world, as well as telling the stories of many young people who are following their dreams and striving to make a difference in our society.
"Our plan is to empower the youth of today, by informing them and telling them about these young change makers, so that little by little we can make the world a better place.
"This is the dream of Woke - to connect, inspire and empower the youth of today's society and show them that they can truly make a difference," Marina said.
Luiza Knijnik said that one voice or article calling for change is crucial to activism in
today's world.
"That's what Woke aims to do. We want to be the spark that can set the world aflame, because one person can make a difference. One voice can start a ripple effect, and as the old adage goes, a pen will always be mightier than the sword," Luiza said
For more information or to check out Woke online magazine, go to ourwoke.com
contact them by email at ourwoke@gmail.com
