Val Weisler (she/her) is an activist, educator, childcare provider, and likely the first American doctoral candidate in Children’s Rights, living in New York. Her passion for children’s rights began at age 14 when she founded The Validation Project, launching a global youth empowerment movement. Now at Queen’s University Belfast, Val’s pioneering research explores a child’s right to seek, receive, and share information within the United States—the only nation yet to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. Her study breaks new ground as the first to involve young children as co-researchers, redefining how child-friendly material is created and shared.
Most recently, Val served as a Youth Delegate for the United Nations General Assembly with We Are Family Foundation. A first-generation college graduate, she is a Harry S. Truman Scholar and Point Foundation Scholar. Her dedication to advancing children’s rights has earned her prestigious honors, including the National Jefferson Award for Public Service and the L’Oréal Paris Woman of Worth Award.
Outside of work, Val enjoys exploring Prospect Park with her dog, Howdy, perfecting her egg cream recipe, and sampling Brooklyn’s breakfast spots with her partner, Ky.
Follow Val on:
- Instagram: @valiswiser
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerieweisler/