WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Sometimes little things can create big changes in people's lives.

That's why Spectrum News 1 launched the series called "The Little Things Matter,” and we're focusing on the youngest voices in our community as kids head back to school.

That includes 14-year-old scholar-activist Ambriana Witherspoon.


What You Need To Know

  • Ambriana Witherspoon wants to see a change in the school system

  • She’s a part of The Lit City Freedom School-Activists

  • The group held a student-led rally called “The Pushback”

Witherspoon is a member of The Lit City Freedom School-Activists, a nonprofit in Winston-Salem.

The goal is to advocate for Black youth who they say are disciplined and pushed out of school at higher rates than white classmates.

“Like have us all getting treated equally like the kids won’t have to worry about teachers having to send them out more than the white kids," Witherspoon said. 

The Lit City Freedom School program allows students to advocate for opportunities and resources Black students need to survive and thrive.

“They're like teaching you new things you might want to learn about and helping you with your skills," Witherspoon said. 

They key is to listen and support our youth, in and out of the classroom. 

“We're trying to protest to make everything better," Witherspoon said. "We're trying to make a change.”