Student Spotlight: Claire Lejeune

Claire Lejeune  is the oldest of 8, homeschooled, trilingual (French, English, and Spanish), and passionate about worldwide travel. She grew up in Northern Virginia and is currently a freshman at NoVa Community College.

Claire is currently an intern at Live Action. Her active participation in pro-life work began when she was only 16, when she founded what would become Prolife Youth, an action platform for young adults interested in getting involved in the movement.

What inspired you to get involved in the pro-life movement?

Ever since I went to my first March For Life when I was four, I have been shocked that unborn children are killed. At the age of fourteen, I became aware of how important it is to take action in protecting life. I was able to meet Lila Rose soon after, and I was so struck by her courage and determination at such a young age that I decided that I had to do something to stop the abortion industry as well.

What do you do to support life and  defend the pre-born?

In 2012, I started a pro-life Twitter account called Prolife Youth.

Two years later, Prolife Youth has almost ten thousand Twitter followers, a growing Facebook page, Instagram, a website, and a blog with 20 international bloggers. Prolife Youth’s goal is to get more young people involved in the pro-life movement so that no one feels afraid of speaking out. I do this through the blog, social media, engaging graphics, pro-life merchandise, and giving talks to youth groups and pro-life clubs.

The mission is to encourage youths to stand up for human rights through social media activism, rallies, and active engagement in the pro-life movement. We also encourage youths to be completely pro-life, not just pro-birth, by helping those in need and the defenseless such as the poor and homeless.

What are some ways students can be active in their pro-life work during school breaks?

They can go on social media and publicly show their pro-life views through tweetfests or blogging or just sharing pro-life articles and pictures. They can go pray and rally in front of abortion clinics; they can go to pregnancy support centers and help the pregnant mothers; they can collect and donate baby clothes and essentials for those centers. They can hand out The Advocate to their friends – in the mall, at church. They can start a pro-life club at their school.

Share with us an encouraging event or a success story from your work.

One girl said the Prolife Youth tweets encouraged her and her boyfriend to talk their pregnant coworker into keeping the baby. This is my ultimate goal, the greatest reward of all: to be able to save precious, innocent life.

Share with us an encounter with pro-abortion opposition and how you faced it.

It has not always been easy to continue this fight. I have received many violent and angry tweets from people who are irked or appalled by my pro-life message. I recall especially one time where an OBGYN kind of harassed me on Twitter for a couple weeks and would call out everything I tweeted. At first I would reply to her tweets, but, finally seeing that she was just looking for a fight, I stopped replying and just prayed for her. The outcome was that a bunch of youths ended up tweeting her and defending the pro-life movement. It was very inspiring.

What keeps you going through the tough times?

When I am dealing with mean messages or comments, I usually will watch a Live Action investigation or watch the movie 180 to stay encouraged. Watching those on a regular basis helps me stay focused on what I am fighting for. Also being able to hold babies and help pregnant mothers is really encouraging.

I went to Peru this year for a month and a half and was able to help in a pro-life office. I was able to help with sonograms and do check-ups on the babies’ hearts. It was so beautiful to hear their heartbeats and see the mothers’ faces; that really encouraged me to keep up Prolife Youth.

Finally, the #ProlifeYouth tweetfest I had in June was very encouraging, as the hashtag trended nationwide for five minutes. Seeing thousands of youths tweeting about life and standing up to society’s pressure to follow their peers is probably the most encouraging thing that has happened.

What advice would you give to your peers?

Never let what others discourage you, or you won’t get anywhere.

Leave your comfort zone. You will make a difference only if you do something big, crazy, and different. Doesn’t matter what others think if you are working for good.

Name a hero or role model of yours and explain why he or she inspires you.

Mother Teresa is probably the person I look up to the most. She left a comfortable life to help those in the most need and never stopped her mission, even when confronted by many difficult situations. She labored her whole life to do what she believed was the right thing and influenced millions of people with her life witness.

What is your favorite pro-life quote?

“The right to life is the first among human rights.”
— Pope Francis

“Abortion should be listed as a weapon of mass destruction against the voiceless.”
— E.A. Bucchianeri, author

 

“We’re all human, aren’t we? Every human life is worth the same, and worth saving.”
— J.K. Rowling, author

Given a large sum of money and any connections you need, what would you do for the pro-life cause?

I would organize west coast, mid-west, and east coast rallies. I would get a couple singers/bands to perform, screen the 180 movie, teach people the truth about abortion using Live Action’s videos and Blood Money, and then finally inspire them by having powerful speakers such as Lila Rose, Alveda King, and George W. Bush. I want to inspire and motivate young adults to stop abortion, and to work until it is abolished. I also want them to know that thousands upon thousands of kids their age are pro-life and are involved in the pro-life movement.

You can follow Claire on Twitter, on Facebook, and at her website ProLife Youth.

---

Do you know a student whose pro-life work should be recognized? Nominate them for a Live Action Student spotlight here.