Buzz Aldrin, Lilly Singh, OMI, Sabrina Carpenter, Paula Abdul, Olivia Holt, Jordan Smith, George Takei and more come together at WE Day Minnesota to Celebrate Young People Changing the World

SAINT PAUL, Minn., Sept. 20, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, WE Day, a series of inspiring stadium-sized life-changing events that take place around the world, brings together world-renowned speakers and performers including Buzz Aldrin, Lilly Singh, OMI, Sabrina Carpenter, Paula Abdul, Olivia Holt, Jordan Smith, Serena Ryder, George Takei, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton and more. Alongside international activists and WE co-founders, Craig and Marc Kielburger, the cast of returning WE Day fan favorites and new faces join 18,000 students and educators from over 600 schools to celebrate the contributions of young people and kick-start another year of change.

WE Day is part of WE – a movement that brings people together and gives them the tools to change the world locally and globally, achieving transformative outcomes for themselves and others. People from across Minnesota can join the movement by visiting WE.org to take the WE Pledge, a commitment to living WE by making a difference every day. Led by National Co-Title Sponsor Allstate, WE Day Minnesota celebrates the remarkable stories of people creating change and provides the youth in attendance – and tens of thousands more watching the event streamed live on WE.org/watchweday – inspiration to find their place within the WE Movement.

"I'm proud to be a part of the WE Movement—a community of people that encourage and support each other, and are fueled by passion to make real change in the world," said American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality, Paula Abdul. "Every time I attend WE Day, I am inspired by the energy and commitment that vibrates throughout the stadium."

To kick off the day, Governor Mark Dayton officially proclaimed Tuesday, September 20, 2016 as WE Day Minnesota, a day highlighting youth engaged in service learning and philanthropy in communities throughout the state.

Making WE Day a true community celebration of youth taking action, local Minnesotans with inspiring stories join the WE Day Minnesota lineup, including Mandi Simon, age 13. At 7 years old, Mandi already knew she wanted to make a difference in the world. Passionate about supporting children, she founded Simon Says Give, a charity organization that inspires young people to use their talent and skills to celebrate the birthdays of those who don't have the opportunity or means to do so. Mandi and Simon Says Give have since inspired thousands of volunteers to join the mission, leading to the support and celebration of nearly 30,000 children. Mandi is just one of the many young people who will share their story to motivate their WE Day peers.

Speakers and performers at WE Day Minnesota will energize the crowd through a day full of powerful educational speeches, inspirational moments and empowering performances. A few must-see highlights include:

• Republic Records artist and winner of The Voice, Jordan Smith, performs a powerful rendition of the hit song "I Lived" with the Rosemont High School drum line

• American singer-songwriter, dancer, choreographer, actress and television personality, Paula Abdul, connects with the WE Day audience, sharing the impact dance has made in her life and her passion for mentoring young dancers

• Astronaut, Apollo XI & Gemini 12 Global Space Statesman, Buzz Aldrin, inspires 18,000 students and educators to dream big, take chances and reach for the stars

More than a one-day event, WE Day is connected to the yearlong free educational program, WE Schools, which provides schools and community groups with curriculum, educational resources and action campaigns designed to enhance a school's existing social initiatives or spark new ones. WE Schools encourages students to further their curricular learning and develop life skills for success. Young people are challenged to research and make an impact on at least one local and one global issue, and are supported with curricular resources, service campaigns and mentorship programs to help them to become change-makers.

"Every year, more than 200,000 students, from over 10,000 schools around the globe earn their ticket to WE Day through the yearlong WE Schools program, creating positive impact at their schools and in their communities," said Craig Kielburger, co-founder of WE. "WE Day Minnesota will unite and celebrate thousands of young leaders who are working passionately for the causes they care about most, creating sustainable change on a local and global level."

In the 2015/2016 school year, students and teachers from across Minnesota participated in remarkable social change. More than 600 schools improved the world through WE Schools, volunteering over 600,000 hours and raising more than $1 million in support of local and global causes. Students from East Central Senior High School have been living WE by taking on a range of initiatives through WE Schools to support their school and community. Students developed a backpack food program, partnering with local businesses to ensure students in need of food items are receiving healthy and nutritious meals. Students also led a winter clothing drive, partnering with a local church to create a pick-up center for families with limited resources.

A global movement of 2.4 million young people strong, youth involved in the WE Movement have raised $62 million for more than 2,500 local and global organizations, volunteered 19.9 million hours for local and global causes and collected over 7.6 million pounds of food through service learning programs and campaigns.

You can't buy a ticket to WE Day—students from across the United States earn their way with the actions they take on one local and one global cause of their choice. WE Day Minnesota is free of charge to the thousands of students and educators in attendance, thanks to the generous support of partners led by National Co-Title Sponsor Allstate. As supporters of WE Day, Allstate empowers future generations with the strength, confidence and skills to rise up as leaders and realize their full potential—demonstrating to the world that good starts young.

About WE Day
WE Day is part of WE—a movement that brings people together and gives them the tools to change the world. WE Day is the celebration of people coming together and filling stadiums around the globe to experience the greatest classroom in the world for a full day, live event. You can't buy a ticket to WE Day – young people earn their entry by taking action on one local and one global cause. WE Day unites world-renowned speakers, presenters and award-winning performers with thousands of young people and families to celebrate and inspire another year of incredible change. This year alone over 200,000 young people will come together in 15 stadium gatherings across the U.S., Canada and the U.K. to take part in this unprecedented educational initiative.

WE Day is connected to the yearlong free educational program, WE Schools, which provides curriculum, educational resources and action campaigns to help students develop the leadership skills to succeed academically, in the workplace and as active citizens.

Join the WE Movement today and learn more at WE.org.

For more information on WE Day Minnesota or to request an interview, please contact:

Camila Ossa
Associate Director, Public Relations, WE Day
+1-416-885-5522 
[email protected]

Rebecca Raveendran
Manager, Public Relations, WE Day
+1-416-346-2790
[email protected] 

Photos available on the WE Day Minnesota Electronic Press Kit by 4 p.m. CT.

SOURCE WE Day

Related Links

https://www.we.org