She started fighting injustice as a kid. Now she's helping other kids be brilliant at it.
For as long as she can remember, Aria Finger has fought against social injustice wherever she's found it. Even when that fight ruffled some feathers.
For example, in a high school social studies presentation, way before she'd made social justice her career with DoSomething.org, she proposed this rather logical solution to the absurdly wide wage gap in America: the maximum wage shouldn't be greater than 40 times the minimum wage. Soon after, she found the word "communist" scrawled on her locker.
While no doubt jarring, it didn't deter her from her mission of advocating for those unheard voices.
"My parents instilled a deep sense of fairness in me, pointing out discrimination in all its forms," Aria writes in an email.
And this activism streak only grew stronger as she came into adulthood.
Thankfully, when she graduated from college and was looking for job in 2005, she came across a nonprofit that shared her personal mission.
A post shared by DoSomething.org (@dosomething) on
DoSomething is a social change platform that works to inspire young people to get out there and make an impact on a cause they care about. At the time, the whole organization was just six people. It was also before social media tools like Facebook where widely available, so everyone was literally pounding the pavement to get the word out.
Obviously today, the way the organization operates looks much different, but the mission remains the same. The internet just made it a bit easier to reach the younger generations and vice versa.
Here's how you can get involved in one of their many social good campaigns:
You become a member by telling DoSomething what you're passionate about, how much time you have to devote to it, and what skills you have to contribute. You're then matched with a campaign (or several), which offers instructions on how to take action. Once you get started, you're invited to share photos of your progress with friends/fellow members to inspire others to get involved as well.
That's it. It's that simple.
Their mission spoke to young people in a big way. In just 13 years, DoSomething grew from under 100,000 members to 6 million.
It was just about fanning the fire of social consciousness that teens and young adults already possess.
"We’re standing by their side giving them the tools, resources, knowledge, and power to unlock their inner activist," writes Aria.
Of course, she also had a lot to do with this exponential growth. In 2013, Aria founded the DoSomething Strategic, an arm of Do Something that works with brands on reaching young people through various initiatives that live in the social good realm.
For example, they're currently partnered with Garnier's Rinse Recycle Repeat campaign, which is educating the younger generations about how to recycle their beauty products the right way. Half of Americans don't recycle them at all which is part of why beauty and personal care products make upapproximately one-third of the trash in landfills. This campaign is working to shrink those statistics.
A post shared by DoSomething.org (@dosomething) on
And now, as the CEOs of DoSomething, she has a guiding hand in every aspect of the organization, which is perfect for an activist who could never pick just one area of social good to focus all her passion.
Aria talking to a colleague in the Do Something offices. All photos via DoSomething.org. Used with permission.
So, as you might imagine, it's almost impossible for Aria to choose just one social good campaign of her organization's to highlight. That said, here's one she loves that's started three months ago:
In honor of Ramadan, Sincerely Us is a campaign that encourages Do Something members to make homemade Happy Ramadan cards. All members have to do is send the cards in to DoSomething and they'll deliver them to every single mosque in America. The goal is to show members of the Muslim community that the younger generation sees them and supports them.
A DoSomething.org member with a Happy Ramadan card.
Another notable one, Teens for Jeans, calls on young people to donate their gentle used jeans, because it's the number one requested item from younger homeless people. According to DoSomething, there are approximately 1.7 million homeless teens in America. After the campaign was live for just five weeks, they'd collected enough jeans to clothe half of them.
But it's not just about finding solutions to the problems of today. DoSomething is also committed to getting young people to focus their activism on tomorrow, too.
Case in point, their partnership with Garnier is helping young people and adults alike clean up their recycling act so that the world is cleaner and healthier for future generations.
And again, it's a very simple mission — all you have to do is collect your empty beauty products. Once you've accumulated 10 pounds, mail them to TerraCycle — Garnier's other partner in this campaign.
DoSomething is also sharing photos of members completing the mission on social media to inspire others to join the movement.
A post shared by DoSomething.org (@dosomething) on
None of this is to say activism is easy. It involves a lot of hard work. But as long as idealistic, passionate young people are taking initiative, no social good mission is too big.
That said, access to tools of engagement, like the internet, is keeping some of them from getting involved. It's Aria's ultimate goal to see every young person who wants to do good working on a DoSomething campaign, or something like it in the not-too-distant future.
"I want every young person, regardless of income, geography, race, etc. to have the opportunity to volunteer, lead, and make change," she writes. "Nothing makes you feel more powerful and confident than seeing that you can make the world a better place for your fellow humans."
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12 non-threatening leadership strategies for women
We mustn't hurt a man's feelings.
Men and the feels.
Note: This an excerpt is from Sarah Cooper's book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings.
In this fast-paced business world, female leaders need to make sure they're not perceived as pushy, aggressive, or competent.
One way to do that is to alter your leadership style to account for the fragile male ego.
Should men accept powerful women and not feel threatened by them? Yes. Is that asking too much?
IS IT?
Sorry, I didn't mean to get aggressive there. Anyhoo, here are twelve non-threatening leadership strategies for women.
Encourage.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When setting a deadline, ask your coworker what he thinks of doing something, instead of just asking him to get it done. This makes him feel less like you're telling him what to do and more like you care about his opinions.
Sharing ideas.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When sharing your ideas, overconfidence is a killer. You don't want your male coworkers to think you're getting all uppity. Instead, downplay your ideas as just "thinking out loud," "throwing something out there," or sharing something "dumb," "random," or "crazy."
Email requests.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pepper your emails with exclamation marks and emojis so you don't come across as too clear or direct. Your lack of efficient communication will make you seem more approachable.
Idea sharing.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
If a male coworker steals your idea in a meeting, thank him for it. Give him kudos for how he explained your idea so clearly. And let's face it, no one might've ever heard it if he hadn't repeated it.
Sexism.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you hear a sexist comment, the awkward laugh is key. Practice your awkward laugh at home, with your friends and family, and in the mirror. Make sure you sound truly delighted even as your soul is dying inside.
Mansplain.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Men love explaining things. But when he's explaining something and you already know that, it might be tempting to say, "I already know that." Instead, have him explain it to you over and over again. It will make him feel useful and will give you some time to think about how to avoid him in the future.
Mistakes.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Pointing out a mistake is always risky so it's important to always apologize for noticing the mistake and then make sure that no one thinks you're too sure about it. People will appreciate your "hey what do I know?!" sensibilities.
Promotions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Asking your manager for a promotion could make you seem power- hungry, opportunistic, and transparent. Instead, ask a male coworker to vouch for you. Have your coworker tell your manager you'd be great for the role even though you don't really want it. This will make you more likely to actually get that promotion.
Rude.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Sometimes not everyone is properly introduced at the start of a meeting. Don't take it personally even if it happens to you all the time, and certainly don't stop the meeting from moving forward to introduce yourself. Sending a quick note afterward is the best way to introduce yourself without seeming too self-important.
Interruptions.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When you get interrupted, you might be tempted to just continue talking or even ask if you can finish what you were saying. This is treacherous territory. Instead, simply stop talking. The path of least resistance is silence.
Collaboration.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When collaborating with a man, type using only one finger. Skill and speed are very off-putting.
Disagreements.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
When all else fails, wear a mustache so everyone sees you as more man-like. This will cancel out any need to change your leadership style. In fact, you may even get a quick promotion!
In conclusion...
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
Many women have discovered the secret power of non-threatening leadership. We call it a "secret power" because no one else actually knows about it. We keep our power hidden within ourselves so that it doesn't frighten and intimidate others. That's what makes us the true unsung heroes of the corporate world.
About the Author: Sarah Cooper
Sarah Cooper is a writer, comedian, and author of 100 Tricks to Appear Smart in Meetings. Her new book, How to Be Successful Without Hurting Men's Feelings, is out now.
The comedic book cover.
With permission from Sarah Cooper.
A satirical take on what it's like to be a woman in the workplace, Cooper draws from her experience as a former executive in the world of tech (she's a former Googler and Yahooer). You can get the book here.
This article was originally published on March 25, 2019.