Activism involves taking action to challenge oppressive systems and create a just world for all. While there are potential harms to activism, there are many potential benefits as well. We have the power to create change through collective action. This article explores the significance and components of activism through the story of Katniss in The Hunger Games.

Recently celebrity activists such as Beyoncé, Jennifer Garner, and Sheryl Sandberg have thrown their weight behind a campaign to ban the term “bossy” to describe women (banbossy.com, #banbossy). The goal of the campaign is to encourage young women to step into leadership roles and to assert themselves in the classroom and in life. In this blog I highlight the social value of celebrity activism and I highlight important caveats of celebrity activism based on science.