#BlackGirlsRock: 12-year-old makes Forbes Magazine

26th October 2015   ·   0 Comments

(Special from EURweb) – At 12 years old, Zuriel Oduwale, has more going on for her than most people of any age. So is it really a surprise that a publication as prestigious as Forbes came knocking on her door?

Last I heard, they can smell success!

Yes, little Miss Oduwale has quite an impressive “history.” And she has been at it since she was nine years old, and has already begun to build her legacy.

Her initiation into sheer awesome-ness started with political journalism, where she was interviewing presidents, prime ministers and celebrities (such as sports icons, the Williams’ sisters) in numerous African countries, the West Indies and the U. S.

Oduwale lives in California, but was born in Nigeria.

She also wears the title of being the youngest working … as in “professional,” filmmaker in the world.

And she is also the youngest to be interviewed by Forbes Africa.

Wonder what they talked about. Hmm..perhaps the fact that Business Insider named her “One of the World’s 100 Most Powerful Individuals”…AT AGE 12!!!?

Or maybe they wanted her to elaborate on her invitation to the African Union’s 50th anniversary conference.

Nah, they may have been distracted by the fact that she was selected as “Global Brand Ambassador for Ethiopian Airlines,” or wanted more input on her appointment as “Heritage Bank’s Financial Literacy Ambassador” in Nigeria.

Whatever pointed them in her direction, people will surely be inspired by how much this young entrepreneur cares. Deeply. And her “Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up” campaign proves it.

Oduwale aims to inspire young Black women such as herself, and states that she is “concerned that not every girl has a right to get an education or a chance to accomplish her dreams like she does.”

In speaking with the media Zuril says, in spite of it all, she does all the things any girl her age does.

“I do all the usual things like go to the mall with my mum and sisters and ride my bike with my neighbors,” she shared. “I am in a home school-based curriculum, so that allows me to get ahead in my school work and then I have some time to travel for my extra curricular programs like my Dream Up, Speak Up, Stand Up program, or interviewing leaders for my documentaries.”

This article originally published in the October 26, 2015 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.