Malala Yousafzai has done a lot in 19 years: survived a terrorist attack, won a Nobel Peace Prize, and started a school for Syrian refugees. But the girls’ education activist took on a new handle today, literally. That’s right: Malala just joined Twitter.
The activist used her new social media account (which technically was created in 2012 but remained dormant until now) to send out a thread message on Friday morning. She began her message quite simply with a friendly "Hi, Twitter."
Hi, Twitter.
— Malala (@Malala) July 7, 2017
Then, she explained why she finally decided to join the social network.
Today marks Malala’s last day of secondary school, which she called “bittersweet.” She plans to head to Oxford University in the autumn, where she wants to study PPE (philosophy, politics, and economics).
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But the teen isn’t taking much time to relax between finishing one chapter and beginning the next: She also tweeted that she’s heading to the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America as a part of her Girl Power Trip. According to the Malala Fund, the trip is a chance for the activist to "to spend as much time as possible meeting with girls around the world and fighting for their futures."
Malala ended her very first tweetstorm with a call to action: "On and off Twitter, I'm fighting for girls — will you join me?"
On and off Twitter, I'm fighting for girls — will you join me?✋? 6/
— Malala (@Malala) July 7, 2017
In an interview with Refinery29 earlier this year, Malala described social media as key to her mission of reaching girls and getting more people to care about their education. "There's still a lot that needs to be done in terms of engaging people more across the globe," she said.
And her online message seems to be working. Malala already has nearly 430,000 followers on Twitter. She’s getting a lot of support and love from them, too.
a very young girl from Rio, Brazil, already trying to join you ❤ [with a little help from her family]. pic.twitter.com/fMvyxXYpWK
— Beatriz Diniz (@beatrizdiniz) July 7, 2017
We are with you ✊
— Rob AF. (@RobForbesDJ) July 7, 2017
You are my hero. ❤
— Amnaa Sid (@AmnaaSid) July 7, 2017
Her father and fellow activist Ziauddin Yousafzai also welcomed her to Twitter.
Welcome @Malala ,More power to you.@MalalaFund wants to see a world where every girl completes 12 years of free,safe and quality #education https://t.co/e149lcPY9t
— Ziauddin Yousafzai (@ZiauddinY) July 7, 2017
Yousafzai has had an account since 2013, so hopefully he can show his daughter the ropes. Malala seems to already be slaying the Twitter game, though. Her message is not only important, but the emojis that accompany it are on point.