Nigerian-American student and Black Lives Matter activist Ugochi Egonu (@ugochiegonu) believes that self-love is the most radical form of protest. “If we learn to see the beauty in things we’ve been told are flawed — in womanhood, in blackness, in queerness — it becomes so much easier to fight for our rights and fight for other people who are struggling,” says the 17-year-old from Santa Clara, California. Ugochi combines art and activism in her poetry, seizing the opportunity to document and shape the Black Lives Matter movement. “We have the power to show future generations what’s happening now,” says Ugochi. “Whether it’s through art, academia, athleticism or whatever is your way of getting your message out, it’s so important to value your own voice.” This post is in celebration of Women’s History Month. Throughout March, we’ll be highlighting the stories of women doing extraordinary things around the world. Photo by @ugochiegonu

A post shared by Instagram (@instagram) on Mar 12, 2017 at 3:37pm PDT