Disney Star Sofia Carson on Her Mission to 'Evoke Real, Tangible Change' as UNICEF Ambassador

Adriano Fagundes/UNICEF USA

Sofia Carson first captured our hearts as Princess Evie in the wildly popular Descendants franchise. The Disney darling's career has been on the climb ever since, and she recently dropped a major solo single, "Guess I'm a Liar." Up next, she'll star alongside KJ Apa in the upcoming thriller film Songbird. As a passionate advocate for children's rights, she's been working with UNICEF since 2017 and was recently announced as the organization's newest Ambassador. Here, she writes about what the honor means to her — and the power of using one's platform for good.

2020 has been a year of frightening uncertainty, a year of confusion and chaos — with injustices that have gone on for far too long, and losses that have hurt far too much. A year when our world has, perhaps, never felt more divided. And though there is certainly no easy fix to anything we as a nation, and a world, have experienced in the last 224 days, 2020 has provided us with a choice. A choice to come together. A choice to open our eyes to the people and things that matter more to us than anything in the world, and that we must hold on to with everything we have.

Family – The pandemic has kept families, including my own, separated by thousands of miles. But despite the distance, my family has been and will forever be my whole world, my everything, my rock. I have never been more grateful for them, their health, and their love.

Activism – In this year of the unknown, it has been tremendously empowering to witness people from every walk of life lift their voices, come together and stand up for what they believe in. This generation of fearless young leaders has recognized their responsibility to shape the future of our country and of our world.

Giving back – Today, more than ever before, I am grounded in a deep sense of purpose to give back and evoke real, tangible change. As my mother wisely told me, "Our divided world has never been more UNITED." United in one resounding truth: We must hold onto the hope that the power of love will heal all wounds. For everything begins and ends with love, and there is nothing more loving for us to do than to come together to give.

It is with these three pillars in mind that I am deeply honored to be UNICEF USA's newest Ambassador. I'm joining the ranks of my idol Audrey Hepburn, P!NK, Selena Gomez, Halima Aden, and so many exemplary activists that I admire. My role as a UNICEF Ambassador is more important than any movie I could ever film or any song I could ever write. And to do it in an official capacity for an organization like UNICEF, the global leader in protecting vulnerable children everywhere, is the honor of my life. I vow to use this platform as a way to lift the lives and stories of children around the world whose voices have been silenced, and to do everything I can to fight for an equitable and just future for every girl and boy.

To my mother, who is the epitome of selfless love, you gifted me with the belief that to give is the most important thing that we will ever do. You are my guiding light. In your honor, I am proudly, wholly, and humbly committed to UNICEF's lifesaving mission, and I cannot wait for the journey that lies ahead.

Today, I ask you to join me in this journey.

Use your voice to vote, visit unicefusa.org and learn what it means to be a global citizen. Fearlessly and loudly use your platform to make a difference. Donate to an education program or become an advocate for one of these crucial bills. No matter how big or small, your voice is your super power. And the power of our united voices, standing up for the lives of children in every corner of the world, is an unstoppable force. Together, we can and we will heal the world.

My heart is yours forever,

Sofia Carson