The cover story: The 2020 Next Generation Leaders

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The Cover Story TIME's 2020 Next Generation Leaders By Naina Bajekal Deputy International Editor, TIME Choosing the young people to spotlight on our list of Next Generation Leaders tends to be a time for optimism. In a year like this one, it was more of a joy than usual to focus on the up-and-coming activists, innovators, artists, entrepreneurs and athletes around the globe who have stepped up to lead at a time of crisis. Previous honorees have gone on to lead countries, win  Golden Globes, and  take home Olympic medals. This year's leaders are equally unafraid to break boundaries. In the U.K., trailblazing  model Munroe Bergdorf is using her platform to speak out against racism and transphobia, despite facing vociferous backlash. "Trans people offer the world so much," she says. "We show people what it is to be free." In the U.S., fans have flocked to pop star Halsey for her unflinching honesty and her willingness to share her journey publicly: she is biracial and bisexual, and has bipolar disorder. In India,  Manasi Joshi hopes to represent her country as a badminton player in next year's Tokyo Paralympic Games, while campaigning for the rights of millions of people with disabilities in India. Elsewhere in the package, we highlight Latin America's youngest lawmaker, Ofelia Fernández, who spent most of her first year in Buenos Aires's legislature fighting to expand abortion access in Argentina, while working out of her mom's living room. We spoke to  Kim Clavel, the Canadian boxer who traded boxing gloves for nurse scrubs to help out during the pandemic, and to Nigerian megastar  Burna Boy, who is championing a new vision for Africa through his music and activism. In Tunisia, engineer  Mohamed Dhaouafi is trying to make artificial limbs more affordable, while in Australia, marine biogeochemist  Emma Camp is saving coral reefs and recruiting more women to join her. For all of us, this has been a year of immense challenge. It can be easy to feel like today's problems are insurmountable—but these 10 exceptional leaders offer a bright window into our future. In using their voices and platforms to build movements and push for change, they are inspiring the world. Read the Story » Share the cover story

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