LUISA KERN

After high school in Munich (with six months in Minnesota, US) Luisa attended a General Studies program at Leibniz Kolleg. With improved political (and Swedish and Italian) knowledge and a new-found passion for Peace Studies, she went on to a French-German dual degree in Political Science (Sciences Po Paris/FU Berlin). After two incredible and challenging years in France, following a trilingual curriculum, diving into International Law and Human Rights, joining an organization for genocide prevention, organizing two fashion shows and participating in MUNs she moved to Berlin. There she has participated in multiple workshops on EU topics. Concerned about climate change she spent two months in 2017 on a German Island working in coastal protection and education.

“Solidarity is prerequisite for achieving a more equal world”

Q: TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY, AND ALSO YOUR LIFE'S STORY!

I grew up in Munich, in the south of Germany. Famous for its beer, this region is also quite nice to visit for its proximity to the Alps and its many lakes. I’m currently pursuing a dual degree between Sciences Po Paris and the Free University of Berlin in Political and Social Sciences. At the same time, I’m active in projects related to two of the political issues that I care deeply about, Global inequalities and European integration. In 2013 I was an exchange student at a high school in Minnesota, United States. This experience sparked my political interest because I learned more about issues such as marginalized minorities and inequalities.

Back at home, I was convinced that I wanted to study politics and became subsequently interested in peace and conflict studies. A discussion in school about the future of Europe further increased my motivation to pursue my undergraduate studies in Social Sciences. In this discussion was up against the so-called “Titanic Scenario”, a future scenario that scared me, probably because since I was very young, I have profited extensively from a peaceful, open-borders Europe and continue to do so.

After graduation, I went on to study at Leibniz Kolleg in Tübingen where I attended a one-year General Studies programme. While I’d been very interested in current affairs for quite a while, I only started to actually become politically active in my second year in France. I joined STAND, a student organization that aims to end genocide and mass atrocities. This taught me a lot about contemporary international conflicts and especially about genocide and post-genocide situations. After moving to Berlin, I became a Youth Ambassador for the ONE campaign, that fights to end extreme poverty and global injustice.

Drawing from my previous experience working with STAND, I realized that I wanted to continue to advocate for a safer world, without conflicts and with better socio-economic conditions for all, independent of location. I also pursued the other big interest of mine: European Integration. After participating in Europe Mobile, a programme where we led workshops on EU politics in schools, I attended a number of EU projects and joined Polis180, a young Grassroots think tank. I’m part of a team working on the podcast “Brüsseler Bahnhof” that is aimed at young voters and tries to both inform about and increase interest in the EU. Those causes have become quite dear to me and they’ve repeatedly shown me how crucial youth engagement is.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD AS IT IS TODAY? AND HOW DO YOU DEFINE THE CONCEPT OF A BETTER WORLD?

I think that a better world translates to a more equal world. However, there’s still so much disparity when it comes to gender equality, access to (reproductive) health services, justice, protection of minorities, prosperity and social and political rights, (the list goes on) across our globe. I do think that things are changing, and I believe in the power of youth-led activism and civic participation but I also think that this requires from all of us to examine our own behaviour closely and to hold people in leadership positions accountable.

A better world also implies solidarity, especially with those that are less privileged and therefore less able to raise their voice. Standing up for what’s right and especially using one's own platform for positive change and for amplifying the voices of others is crucial in this context. Solidarity to me is a prerequisite for achieving a more equal world.

Unfortunately, though, instead of seeing injustice as a global issue, many turn to nationalist solutions or choose to ignore the problems at hand completely. That’s why I am a youth ambassador for ONE. One of ONE’s mottos is “None of us is equal until all of us are equal” and there’s so much truth in this.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY CHALLENGES IN YOUR SOCIETY?

I do think that political apathy and inertia are a big and potentially explosive issue. On the one hand, we’re content with the way things are and at the same time, we struggle to believe that we might be able to change something. Some part of this apathy might also stem from fear. For many, it’s difficult to make sense of this fast-paced world, both when it comes to new ways of living and revolutionary technology that now marks our lives. Our world is ever-more connected and globalized and while all this has a great potential for improving our communities, it can also give many the impression of getting left-behind and being unable to adapt quickly enough.

However, we are faced with challenges that make it practically impossible to go on with the status quo. In view of climate change and increasing inequalities in many places of the world, we can simply not afford apathy. That our voices can matter and that we, individually and collectively, can have an impact is something that we should constantly remind ourselves and each other of.

In my opinion, youth participation is a key contributor to change. Young voices need to be taken more seriously and not be ridiculed. Especially young people do not hesitate to ask the uncomfortable questions and they have the essential optimism and courage to demand the necessary change that first seems so daunting.

Q: AS A YOUNG INDIVIDUAL WHAT ARE A FEW OF THE HURDLES THAT YOU HAD TO OVERCOME UP UNTIL TODAY?

I think that I grew up quite privileged, with parents that were very supportive of my education and with a lot of opportunities for personal development. I want to be conscious of this when it comes to answering this question. In regard to the hurdles that I’ve overcome, I believe that the biggest one had to do with myself and my idea of success. Arriving at Leibniz Kolleg, where I spent a year in a competitive General Studies program, I was extremely intimidated by the intelligent and quite extrovert people around me. I struggled for a while trying to keep up with the others, which continued in my first year in France. It wasn’t until I realized that I harboured a lot of preconceptions about what being successful should look like, that this changed. I started to realize that there are a lot of different ways of leading or having an impact and that this might not necessarily mean being best at everything but rather pursuing your interests in a meaningful way.

Q: WHY IS THE ROLE OF A MENTOR IMPORTANT FOR YOU?

Having a mentor has been very important for me so far, as she has helped me to make sense of a lot of my thoughts in regard to my career and my goals for the future. It's both reassuring and challenging (in a very positive way) to have someone following your progress and ideas.

Q: NAME A PROJECT, A FOUNDATION OR A PERSON IN YOUR COUNTRY THAT YOU THINK IS DOING GREAT WORK IN HELPING IMPROVE OTHER PEOPLE'S LIVES!

The ONE campaign (Germany). I'm quite biased here, as I get to be a Youth Ambassador for this great organisation, but I've very much enjoyed working with the people there that are so committed to making this world a better and safer place.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WOMEN IN YOUR COUNTRY FACE AND WHAT EFFORTS ARE MADE TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY?

I believe that one of the biggest issues that women face in Germany is the lack of representation in leadership positions. An example is the number of women in parliament (which decreased in this legislative period, compared to the last one – from 36 to 30 per cent) as well as the lack of women in other official capacities- such as the foreign office and government positions. Additionally, it seems as though there's quite a lot of pressure on women in regard to their choices regarding parenting and having a career. It's still frowned upon in certain situation to be working as a mum, while at the same time other women are shamed for staying at home. I believe that in regard to child care, Germany still has a long way to go. There are efforts regarding "Elternzeit" and attempts to achieve universal childcare, but this is not going far enough.

Q: ATHENA40 IS THE FIRST EVER GLOBAL SELECTION OF THE TOP 40 WOMEN FORWARD THINKERS, COMMENTATORS, ACTIVISTS, AUTHORS, ACADEMICS, ENTREPRENEURS, EXECUTIVES, INNOVATORS. CAN YOU THINK OF A TRULY INNOVATIVE AND FORWARD-THINKING WOMAN FROM YOUR COUNTRY THAT YOU WISH TO NOMINATE FOR THE ATHENA40 GLOBAL LIST?

There are a lot of great women that could be part of this category. I'm struggling to decide on only one.

Q: SHARE WITH US A PHRASE, A POEM OR A STORY THAT YOU LOVE OR YOU FIND INTERESTING!

I would like to share one of my favorite quotes, that has been very motivational for me:

 "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has" - Margaret Mead

Q: TELL US ONE THING THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM YOUR MENTOR.

I learned to question my reasons for doing what I'm doing and making sure, that I'm actually following my passions and interests and not only aiming to build up my CV.