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7 Inspirational People Who Will Make You Wanna Do You Better

We see you Zendaya, Ian Somerhalder & Kim Kardashian...

There's some legends out there who are just nailing life dontcha think? If you're feeling a bit ~meh~ in life luckily there are always some people out there who are making a legitimate difference in the world that inspires us all to be better.

Thanks to our mates over at Nintendo we're celebrating some of the biggest role models in 2016. So without further ado here is our list of inspirational people who are going to make you wanna do you better.

Mark Zuckerberg 

Everyone knows old mate Zuckerberg as the genius and creator of Facebook, or one of the youngest billionaires in the world. Despite his wealth, he's a simple guy who wears the same old plain outfit to work everyday - his signature grey shirt and trousers. 

What you might not know about him, is that he's a massive philanthropist. He and his wife, Priscilla Chan, have recently pledged to donate $3 billion to cure all diseases. Additionally, the couple agreed upon the Giving Pledge, which means they'll commit to donating half their wealth to philanthropy or charitable causes during their lifetime or in their will.

If that isn't enough to get you inspired, they also agreed to donate 995 of their shares from Facebook (valued at $45 billion when announced in Dec last year). This will go towards the Chan Zuckerburg Initiative dedicated to "advancing human potential" through personalised learning, curing disease, connecting people and building strong communities.

Kim Kardashian 

With the recent event of our darling Kim Kardashian being horrifically held at gun point during fashion week in Paris - and all the discussions that came from it, she is someone that people should aspire to be. Haters and Internet trolls perceive her to be someone who does nothing for a living, whose undeserved fame and success came about from a mere sex tape. Wrong. 

Kim Kardashian is ultimately a business woman. She (with the help of her family) built an entire empire to the point of near world domination. She's arguably a great role model for women in regards to being body-positive and comfortable in her own skin. She embraces her curves and doesn't care if you don't want to see her selfies. 

Regardless of your stance, it is a fact that Kim Kardashian is a generous person. According to E! Online, she donates 10 percent of her earnings to charity every year. She has done a great job in bringing awareness to the Armenian Genocide. More recently, she defended her heritage and history by criticising The Wall Street Journal for publishing an advert denying that the genocide happened. 

 

Colton Haynes

Actor and model Colton Haynes has been gifted with killer cheekbones and a jawline to die for. He turned some heads when he came out as gay earlier this year and has revealed the adversity he has gone through to get him to where he is today. The 28-year-old kept his sexual orientation a secret for many years, and was recently awarded with the Human Rights Campaign's Visibility Award in Seattle earlier this year. He was awarded for his bravery in coming out publicly, which is daunting and difficult particularly in his field of work. 

"I'm asked to play so many different roles as an actor, but tonight I can actually be myself for the first time," he said. "It feels incredible." 

He now serves as a role model within the LGBTQIA+ community and has done amazing work in advocating and raising awareness for the community. 

Laverne Cox 

Not only did Laverne Cox make history in being the first African-American transgender actress to have a major role on an American TV show, she also became the first transgender woman to be nominated for a Primetime Emmy. The Orange Is The New Black star has been commended for creating a sense of visibility and providing a voice for trans people of colour who are not widely represented on our TV screens. 

Despite acknowledging the change her role as an actress has created, she recognises the struggle trans people deal with on a daily basis. Subsequently, she speaks out about her experiences in hope for a positive change, to face less prejudice and for more opportunities for trans people around the world. 

Malala Yousafzai

Not many people have faced the same adversity and challenges as 19-year-old Malala Yousafzai. If you aren't aware of the dramatic changes she has made to the world, she won a Nobel Peace Prize at the age of 16 for fighting and defending girls' rights to education. 

At age 11, Malala blogged for the BBC under a pseudonym to detail her experiences living in Pakistan, and the limited freedom she and other women experienced under the Taliban's reign. In 2012, she was riding a bus and was shot three times by someone from the Taliban trying to assassinate her. Miraculously, she survived and underwent several operations in the UK. She now has a book titled, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

Ultimately, Malala has brought about dialogue regarding children's education around the world. Three million people have signed her petition, which aims to ensure universal primary education for children everywhere.  

Jaden Smith 

Jaden has been in the limelight from a young age, being the offspring of Will and Jada Smith. He is known for his music and acting, as much as he is for his deep-thinking and existential comments. What makes him inspiring however, is his alternate world view. It is a breath of fresh air to have someone so young in the industry that defies current societal norms. 

Jaden is also known for challenging traditional views on masculinity and in subverting gender roles. This is evident in his fashion choices, often wearing skirts and dress as well as his role in Netflix's The Get Down, where his character partakes in a same-sex kiss. He refuses to conform and serves as a positive role model in introducing gender and sexual fluidity in today's society. 


Zendaya

Zendaya is a young actress made famous by Disney who completely owns her heritage and is a role model for young fans. She often shares uplifting tips on her social media accounts and educates her fans to think before posting, even when people are trying to get you down.

Additionally Zendaya has previously slammed magazines for altering her body, instead promoting the natural beauty of women and her own heritage. She also stepped in to defend a make-up artist, whose natural makeup-less appearance was under attack from the Twitter Account, Manstagram

 

- Martyn Reyes

Behind the scenes Aisha Jade for #MTVItGirls...

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