FoxPhile

He really is very active. When you see kids his age that seem to understand the importance of the movement, it gives you hope.

WeBuiltThePyramids

It makes me think about an exchange I saw on Twitter once - someone asked my Millennials were all so angry and depressed, and the reply said "probably because we saw 3,000 people die on live TV when we were 10 and then things never got better."

I was 8 then; Riley would have been 8 when the Black Lives Matter movement got started. That's an age when you're just starting to be able to understand things on the news. People who were in the 8-12 range in 2013 are coming of age now, and they're finally getting to the point where they can go and make a difference.

FoxPhile

That's an interesting perspective. I think of the things that were happening when I was 8 - 12. The first news event I remember was the assassination of John Kennedy, when I'd just turned 6. What dominated the news when I was in that age range was the Vietnam War, the Cold War and the Civil Rights movement. There was also a lot of coverage of the budding environmentalist movement. I got very involved in environmentalism and still am to this day. Probably because there was simply nothing I could do about either the Vietnam War or the Cold War, and the Civil Rights issues were not presented back then in a very sympathetic light.

One thing I can say from that time is that, although change is agonizingly slow, don't ever think that protests and activism don't make a difference. They definitely do. The world is far from perfect and there's a long way to go - but things have changed a lot from when I was that age. And it's because people made their feelings known and didn't quit.

WeBuiltThePyramids

It probably also helped that Riley was around several people of color while on Scorpion; I don't really know if Elyes thinks of himself that way or if he's just "British" but I know Jadyn views that part of her identity as a really important one, and there were at least a few POC on the crew. So I'm sure he was at least partially privy to conversations about the BLM and related movements while he was at work.

Cyclone139

Bumping this one because Ralph definitely shouldn't be on page 2 either!

WeBuiltThePyramids

No, not the Scorpling.

FoxPhile

Seeing some of Riley's recent IG posts, I bet he wishes he was old enough to vote.

... so do I.

Cyclone139

He seems very switched-on for a teenager. Actually, not just for a teenager!

WeBuiltThePyramids

I wish he was old enough to run for office

FoxPhile

I wouldn't be surprised if he becomes an activist for something as soon as he's old enough to drive.

WeBuiltThePyramids

I'm sure he will be!

FoxPhile

Riley using his IG for good again...

WeBuiltThePyramids

He is such a good kid.

FoxPhile

Judging by his IG, Riley has some mischievous cats.

WeBuiltThePyramids

Riley's been posting about places he wants to travel to after it's safe again and it's making my wanderlust intensify.