Discover the incredible lives of changemakers who dared to challenge the status quo and inspire generations! In this interactive class, you'll dive into the legacies of individuals who worked to make the world a better place—triumphant or not, their stories reveal the power of compassion, resilience, and vision.

Created by Nicole Pauling, a seasoned educator with a Master’s in Education, a Bachelor’s in Psychology and Sociology, and a minor in Philosophy, this course is backed by over four years of expertise in writing history curriculums. Nicole brings a unique blend of academic insight and creative teaching methods to make history engaging and impactful for every student.

Using engaging video content, dynamic student participation, and thoughtful conversations, this course brings history to life like never before. Through storytelling, discussions, and creative activities, students become active explorers of the profound human drive to create a lasting impact. This isn’t just a class—it’s an adventure into the heart of what it means to change the world!

Each week we will: 
Check In
Look at the topic and review any class warnings
Engage with the topic through conversation, story telling, and video

Topics by week: 

Champions of Equality and Justice
December 1, 2024 - December 7, 2024: Malala Yousafzai – Education for girls in the face of danger.

December 8, 2024 - December 14, 2024: Harriet Tubman – Escaping slavery and liberating others through the Underground Railroad.

December 15, 2024 - December 21, 2024: Frederick Douglass – From slavery to a leading voice for abolition.

January 12, 2025 - January 18, 2025: Martin Luther King Jr. – Civil rights through nonviolent protest.

January 19, 2025 - January 25, 2025: Ruth Bader Ginsburg – Pioneering gender equality in law.

January 26, 2025 - February 1, 2025: Susan B. Anthony – Women’s suffrage movement in the U.S.

February 2, 2025 - February 8, 2025: Nelson Mandela – Ending apartheid in South Africa.

February 9, 2025 - February 15, 2025: Sojourner Truth – Fighting for both racial and gender equality.

LGBTQ Advocates and Allies

February 16, 2025 - February 22, 2025: Marsha P. Johnson – Key figure in the Stonewall Riots and LGBTQ liberation.

February 23, 2025 - March 1, 2025: Harvey Milk – First openly gay elected official in California and advocate for LGBTQ rights.

March 2, 2025 - March 8, 2025: Audre Lorde – Poet and activist fighting for LGBTQ rights and intersectional feminism.

March 9, 2025 - March 15, 2025: Alan Turing – Codebreaker and computing pioneer persecuted for his sexuality.

March 16, 2025 - March 22, 2025: Sylvia Rivera – LGBTQ rights activist and co-founder of STAR.

March 23, 2025 - March 29, 2025: Bayard Rustin – Organizer of the March on Washington and key strategist for civil rights.

Advocates for Peace
March 30, 2025 - April 5, 2025: Mahatma Gandhi – Nonviolent resistance to British rule in 
India.

April 6, 2025 - April 12, 2025: Eleanor Roosevelt – Drafting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

April 13, 2025 - April 19, 2025: Southern Poverty Law Center: Advocates for the Poor

April 20, 2025 - April 26, 2025: Thich Nhat Hanh – Promoting mindfulness and peace in a time of war.

April 27, 2025 - May 3, 2025: Jane Addams – Founding the Hull House and advancing social reform.

Innovators in Science and Medicine

May 4, 2025 - May 10, 2025: Jonas Salk – Eradicating polio with a groundbreaking vaccine.

May 11, 2025 - May 17, 2025: Marie Curie – Advancing science and medicine with her research on radioactivity.

May 18, 2025 - May 24, 2025: Katherine Johnson – Overcoming barriers to help NASA reach space.

May 25, 2025 - May 31, 2025: Alexander Fleming – Discovering penicillin and saving millions of lives.

June 1, 2025 - June 7, 2025: Rosalind Franklin – Unlocking the secrets of DNA.
Defenders of Nature and the Planet

June 8, 2025 - June 14, 2025: Wangari Maathai – The Green Belt Movement and environmental justice.

June 15, 2025 - June 21, 2025: Rachel Carson – Raising awareness about environmental harm through Silent Spring.

September 1, 2025 - September 7, 2025: Greta Thunberg – Youth leadership in combating climate change.

September 8, 2025 - September 14, 2025: John Muir – Founding the National Parks movement.

September 15, 2025 - September 21, 2025: Jane Goodall – Protecting wildlife and promoting conservation.

Courage During Crisis

September 22, 2025 - September 28, 2025: Oskar Schindler – Saving lives during the Holocaust.

September 29, 2025 - October 5, 2025: Clara Barton – Founding the American Red Cross during war and disaster.

October 6, 2025 - October 12, 2025: Irena Sendler – Rescuing Jewish children during World War II.

October 13, 2025 - October 19, 2025: Raoul Wallenberg – A diplomat who saved thousands from the Holocaust.

October 20, 2025 - October 26, 2025: Florence Nightingale – Revolutionizing nursing during wartime.

Artists and Creators for Change

October 27, 2025 - November 2, 2025: Frida Kahlo – Empowering others through personal and political art.

November 3, 2025 - November 9, 2025: Diego Rivera – Art as a tool for labor rights and social change.

November 10, 2025 - November 16, 2025: Nina Simone – Civil rights activism through music.

November 17, 2025 - November 23, 2025: Langston Hughes – Amplifying Black voices through poetry and writing.

December 1, 2025 - December 7, 2025: Banksy – Using art to challenge societal norms and raise awareness.

Voices for Workers' Rights

December 8, 2025 - December 14, 2025: Cesar Chavez – Advocating for farmworkers’ rights.

December 15, 2025 - December 21, 2025: Dolores Huerta – Co-founding the United Farm Workers movement.