Malala on Why Activism Isn’t Sainthood

You might think you know Malala. After all, few people born after 1995 go by just one name, a testament to how Malala Yousafzai — the girls’ education activist — has spent more than a decade in the global spotlight. First, she was the Swat Valley student who stood up to the Taliban, then the world’s youngest Nobel laureate, and now a woman coming into her own. In her new memoir, Finding My Way, she sheds the titles to reveal what came after: college life, anxiety, friendships, laughter, and love.

We sat down with Malala to talk about reintroducing herself to the world yet again. She opened up about mental health, being the eldest daughter in a South Asian family, her dream of meeting Shah Rukh Khan, and why humor (even TikToks) are part of her activism. She also spoke candidly about people twisting her words online and why, through it all, she’ll never stop fighting for girls all over the world. 

We have edited this interview for length and clarity.