So, who’s Lyn Jones?

Lyn Jones is a queer, 17-year-old human rights activist based in Richmond, Virginia. Jones got her start in human rights advocacy when she organized a school-wide walkout following the Allen Outlets Mass shooting to protest for increased firearm regulations. At the time of the walkout, Jones was a freshman at Lovejoy High School in Lucas, Texas, just minutes away from where the shooting occurred. 

Following the walkout, Jones felt her calling to activism and wanted a way to continue her advocacy work-that’s when she founded The Changemaker’s Diary. In its infancy, The Changemaker’s Diary was solely a blog where Jones would post activism-related articles once a month, but now, nearly 3 nearly years since its creation, The Changemaker’s Diary has grown into a full-scale advocacy organization with nearly 10,000 followers across its platforms. 

Jones’s advocacy has been heavily influenced by her upbringing in a two-mom-headed, racially diverse family in Texas. Living for over 16 years in Texas in such a diverse family, Jones experienced firsthand the hatred of conservative values, and has long since resonated with liberal ideologies. Diversity, equity, and social justice are at the heart of Jones’s advocacy work, and she is fighting for a world that supports and uplifts families such as hers. 

Jones’s Issues

While not all of Jones’s issues, the list below outlines a few priority areas. Please note that Jones approaches sociopolitical issues with intersectionality and disproportionate impacts on marginalized communities in mind to ensure she accounts for relationships between wealth, class, and systemic oppression while addressing critical concerns and demanding justice.

• Gun Violence Prevention

Guns are the number one killer of American children and teens—Jones wants to change that. Jones’s approach to gun reform includes protecting citizens’ Second Amendment rights while also prioritizing ending the American gun violence epidemic. Jones advocates for a total ban on non-military possession of semi-automatic weapons, regulation of “ghost guns,” instating a minimum 3-day waiting period for firearm purchases, and mandated background checks for all firearm sales nationwide.

• Women’s Health and Reproductive Rights

Jones takes a clear stance on reproductive rights and women’s healthcare: We need to do better. Jones fights for women’s right to choose—without limitations. Moreover, women have been historically underserved by their healthcare providers—and government—which is why Jones advocates for increased federal funding for women’s healthcare research.

• LGBTQIA+ Rights

As a queer person and the daughter of a queer couple herself, Jones is an avid advocate for the queer and trans community. Jones’s advocacy includes efforts to keep queer literature and teachings in schools, protecting transgender persons’ access to gender-affirming care, and ensuring marriage equality remains federally protected.

• Immigration

Immigrants are a fundamental part of American society, and Jones believes our immigrant communities deserve better. Eliminating financial barriers to naturalization, increasing immigrant aid programs, such as temporary food and housing assistance, and prioritizing assimilation over deportation will all increase the well-being of not just immigrant communities, but American society as a whole.

• Federal Assistance Programs

Jones has seen the necessity of federal aid programs, such as the Free and Reduced Lunch Program and Medicaid, and believes all families in need deserve access to such support. Jones advocates for the protection of federal assistance programs and supporting lower-income families.