Salvador Gómez-Colón

Salvador Gabriel Gómez-Colón
Born2002 (age 21–22)
San Juan, Puerto Rico
NationalityPuerto Rican
EducationSaint John's School
Phillips Academy
Yale University
OccupationActivist
Known forHumanitarian work
AwardsTime's 30 Most Influential Teens of 2017
President's Environmental Youth Award
Diana Award (2019)
Straubel Foundation Impact Leader Award
Websitesalvadorgomezcolon.com

Salvador Gabriel Gómez-Colón (Latin American Spanish: [salβaˈðoɾ ɣaˈβɾjel ˈɣomes koˈlon]; born 2002) is a youth activist from Puerto Rico. In 2017, Gómez-Colón founded the humanitarian initiative Light and Hope for Puerto Rico in response to Hurricane Maria. He is also the author of Hurricane: My Story of Resilience.[1]

Early life

Gómez-Colón was born in 2002. He was raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and attended Saint John's School until 2018 and left to Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts.[2] During his senior year, he served as one of the student body co-presidents.[3][4]

Hurricane Maria

See also: Hurricane Maria

After the hurricane in September 2017, Gómez-Colón launched a crowd funding campaign called "Light and Hope for Puerto Rico."[2][5] Starting in November 2017, he raised funds and delivered solar lamps and hand-operated washing machines to the affected communities through his campaign.[6][7] The campaign raised over $170,000 and distributed 4,100 lamps to over 3,500 households across the island.[8]

Davos 2020

In January 2020, Gómez-Colón attended the annual meeting of World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. He spoke along with Greta Thunberg, Natasha Mwansa, and Autumn Peltier on a panel named Forging a Sustainable Path to a Common Future.[3][9] Gómez-Colón was named one of the inaugural teenage change-makers at the annual meeting.[10]

Gómez-Colón is featured on Marvel's Hero Project, in the episode "Superior Salvador" of Season 1.[11][12]

Honors and awards

Gómez-Colón was named one of "The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2017" by Time magazine.[13] In 2019, Gómez-Colón received the Diana Award for his humanitarian work.[14]

Publications

Gómez-Colón has published opinion editorials for various media, including Time magazine, The Independent, and CNN Business.[15][16][17] His book Hurricane: My Story of Resilience was published by Norton Young Readers in October 2021.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Hurricane". wwnorton.com. Retrieved 2021-07-14.
  2. ^ a b Parija Kavilanz (Sep 30, 2017). "15-year-old boy in San Juan raising funds for solar lamps". CNN Business. Retrieved Feb 19, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Nancy Hitchhock (Feb 4, 2020). "Gómez-Colón '21 featured at World Economic Forum". Phillips Academy. Retrieved Feb 19, 2020.
  4. ^ Laura Ospina (April 13, 2020). "Megan Cui '21 and Salvador Gómez-Colón '21 Elected Student Body Co-Presidents". The Phillipian. Retrieved Feb 19, 2021.
  5. ^ "Ninth grader raises funds for Puerto Rico". CNN Business. 21 November 2018. Retrieved Feb 19, 2021.
  6. ^ Parija Kavilanz (Feb 3, 2018). "Teen delivers hundreds of solar lamps to Puerto Ricans without power". CNN Business. Retrieved Feb 19, 2021.
  7. ^ Phineas Ruckert (Oct 24, 2017). "This 15-Year-Old Is Bringing Light to One of Puerto Rico's Poorest Communities". Global Citizen. Retrieved Feb 19, 2020.
  8. ^ "Student Council Launches Hurricane Dorian Relief Initiative for the Bahamas". The Phillipian. 2019-09-20. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  9. ^ "World Economic Forum: Four young activists address world leaders at Davos". British Broadcasting Company. Jan 21, 2020. Retrieved Feb 19, 2021.
  10. ^ Dara Lee and Gill Cassar (Jan 19, 2020). "Meet the teenage change-makers making waves at Davos 2020". World Economic Forum. Retrieved Feb 19, 2021.
  11. ^ Jamie Frevele (Feb 25, 2020). "'Marvel's Hero Project' Recap: Superior Salvador". Marvel Entertainment. Retrieved Feb 19, 2021.
  12. ^ "MARVEL'S HERO PROJECT SEASON 1: SUPERIOR SALVADOR". Marvel HQ. Retrieved Feb 19, 2021.
  13. ^ Time Staff (Nov 2, 2017). "The 30 Most Influential Teens of 2017". Time.
  14. ^ Simon Perry (July 1, 2019). "Record Number of Americans Honored by Charity That Carries Princess Diana's Name on Her Birthday". People. Retrieved Feb 19, 2021.
  15. ^ "We Need Empathy in Times of Crisis. But That Doesn't Just Mean Feeling for Others". Time. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  16. ^ "Opinion: A hurricane changed my life. It taught me how young people can help solve climate change". The Independent. 2020-07-17. Retrieved 2021-07-13.
  17. ^ Perspectives, Salvador Gomez Colon for CNN Business (22 November 2018). "Perspectives: I'm growing up in Hurricane Maria's aftermath. Here's what the world can learn from youth resilience". CNN. Retrieved 2021-07-13. {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  18. ^ "Hurricane: My Story of Resilience". W. W. Norton & Company. Retrieved Feb 20, 2021.