I met a powerful young woman in Minneapolis during a tour with the film about my life, He Named Me Malala. We would screen the film for young people, and then I would talk to them afterward, asking them to tell me about their lives. While many girls told me their stories that day, one really stood out—her name was Zaynab. I could feel her determination. As it turned out, despite having been out of school for two years as she fled wars, Zaynab had just graduated from high school as valedictorian with a 4.0. Her sister, Sabreen, however, had a different experience. Not because she is not as bright or as determined. Zaynab got a visa and resettled in the United States. Sabreen did not have the same luck.

—Malala