Brittany McMillan, the founder of Spirit Day, was still in high school when she came up with the idea to devote one day to international solidarity against bullying of LGBT youth. Now she’s talking about how she did it. 

She’s gone through depression and suicide attempts, and so she felt for her peers who experienced similar emotions as a result of bullying. Like many of us, she was distraught by the large number of LGBT suicides in 2010. In this editorial for The Advocate, she explains how she started Spirit Day, and it’s pretty awesome. 

You’re probably wondering why you should participate in Spirit Day (whether that is for a first, second, or third time). But to be honest, it’s really up to you to decide. I can’t tell you why youshould wear purple, but I can tell you why I’m choosing to wear purple.

Part of my Spirit Day is spent sharing the stories of the young people who lost their lives to suicide. I tell people their names and their ages and what happened in their lives that made them feel like there was no way out. The stories are often shocking and saddening, but that’s what sticks in people’s minds. That’s what they remember. And when people take the time to hear these stories, they learn to more carefully consider their actions, and they stand up in support of all young people.

This girl is inspiring. Read her piece and you’ll see why.