Vermont State Representative Taylor Small received a 2022 International Politician of the Year Award from One Young World, the global forum for young leaders, at their annual summit in Manchester, England on Sept. 8.
Rep. Small was one of five internationally recognized for their work. She was recognized for her work in garnering unanimous support in passing legislation to ban the use of the “LGBTQ+ Panic Defense” in Vermont.
The award aims to counter low levels of political engagement and political disengagement among young people worldwide by celebrating and connecting them with young leaders making a difference across the globe. It is presented at an annual summit where some 2,000 young leaders from more than 196 countries discuss global challenges alongside world leaders and generate innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing issues.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be recognized along these phenomenal change-makers on stage with me,” said Small in her remarks. “As a first-term legislator from the small but mighty state of Vermont, it is almost unbelievable to receive such an important distinction. And yet, I am here.”
Small went on to highlight the lack of young and diverse leadership both in her home state as well as around the world. She closed her remarks by encouraging other young leaders at the Summit to run for office: “Marginalized people, especially women, are asked an average of seven times to run for office before they begin their journey into politics. So let me be the first to say please run for office; any office, especially local office. We need you. The world needs you.”
After the award ceremony, Small was featured in two interactive panels. The first session was on ‘Purposeful Pride’, which focused on how we can be purposeful, inclusive, pride-driven leaders, and the discussion featured Canada’s first openly gay Olympic Champion Mark Tewksbury, and Anti-Racism Taskforce Member for the Victorian Government Elvis Martin. The second session was on ‘Understanding Power Structures: Women & Political Leadership’ where she was joined by fellow Politician of the Year award winners: Áslaug Arna Sigurbjörnsdóttir and Dr. Sumera Shams, as well as the former President of Costa Rica, Laura Chinchilla.
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