Time Magazine (2022-02-28)

74 TIME February 28/March 7, 2022

be a leader. But one of the reasons I was so ex-

cited to write that book is because, from a young

age, I have loved reading. And I’ve always wanted

to write my own stories and be an author when I

grow up. But just knowing that, with all that I’ve

been able to learn, maybe one day I might become

a country or world or state leader in whatever ca-

reer that I may take. I hope that right now I’m able

to be a leader and inspire so many other kids to

become leaders as well.

Jolie: Whatever you choose to be in the future, I

have no doubt you will accomplish many things.

Do you do anything silly?

Jean: I’m a big reading person. I tried to get into

some musical instruments—drums and piano—

and, you know, playing video games with my

friends and just being a kid. Learning to have that

balance between all of the eff orts that I’ve done

and also just taking time to relax and be 11.

Jolie: I think a lot of young people who are becom-

ing more active and trying to make change can

burn out. And it sounds like your family knows

very well how important the balance is.

Jean: Self-care is just as important. You know,

you have to practice what you preach. If you

want other people to be able to take care of them-

selves and have all these necessities, then you

have to take time for yourself as well, and just

every now and then know when to take a break

and step back.

Jolie: I feel like I’m taking a class from you. You

seem so grounded in such an understanding of

what is important in life. And it’s really just an

honor to meet you.

Jean:The pleasure, believe me, is all mine. I have

loved your humanitarian work and your movie

work. When did you start your humanitarian

eff orts?

Jolie: Oh, well, I was raised by a mom who was

aware of things happening in the world and would

talk to me. She was extremely kind, my mom.

When I started traveling—I was in a fi lm and it

took me to Cambodia where I learned about ref-

ugees and land mines—I started to realize how

much I didn’t know. I realized that there was a big

piece of my education that I was going to have to

fi ll in myself. I asked to go into the fi eld with the

U.N. Refugee Agency and start to bear witness to

what was happening in the world, and then de-

cided it was the most important thing I could do

with my life.

Jean: Wow. I mean, you’re right, just the thought

that not everyone has the same privileges or

opportunities that sometimes I have taken for

granted. It really struck me just knowing that

there are people out there who really do need help,

and they don’t have the resources to be living in a

big home or with books or toys, or maybe even a

meal. Something as simple as a meal could be, you

know, not something that’s guaranteed.

Jolie: I will say also that, speaking of kindness, the

kindest people I’ve met are refugees—people who

don’t have anything. I’ve learned a lot about kind-

ness from those people that probably have a lot of

reasons to be angry, but they found their grace.

Jean: Totally. It’s so much easier to be kind when

your focus is simply on trying to get by, not con-

sumed by all of these other things.

Jolie: I think you’re right. When you’re stripped

of everything, you know what matters. Maybe one

day we’ll go into the fi eld together. I’d really love

to join your race to kindness.

Jean:Thank you. I think you are defi nitely a part

of the race. You have been doing it for much lon-

ger than I have.

Jolie: You’re very kind to say that. Thank you so

much for this interview. And congratulations on

being named TIME Kid of the Year. You deserve it.

Jolie, a TIME contributing editor, is an Academy

Award–winning actor and special envoy of

the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees. She

recently co-authored the book Know Your Rights

and Claim Them, a guide to human rights for

young people, with Amnesty International

Kid of the Year

Alena Wicker, 13

Wicker created the Brown

STEM Girl, an organization

that offers mentorship

and opportunities to

girls of color in STEM.

CEDAR HILL, TEXAS

Ethan Hill, 11

Hill started Ethan’s Heart Bags

4 Blessings, which distributes

donations to homeless members

of his community (with help

from local police offi cers).

BIRMINGHAM, ALA.

Meet the other

fi n a l i s t s