My name is Amaya Grace Montgomery. I am 7 years old and going into the second grade. And I am a Swiftie.
That means I am a big Taylor Swift fan. I first heard Taylor Swift when I was just 1 year old. Back then my favorite song was “Shake It Off.” Now it’s “Cruel Summer” on her album “Lover.”
But I’m not just a fan—because Taylor Swift isn’t just a good musician. Taylor Swift is a role model for girls like me. That’s why I’m writing this: My mom read me something that said that Taylor is not a good role model. That really upset me. So, I wanted to talk for little girls and explain why we don’t agree.
You don’t have to be married and have kids to be a good role model. To be a good role model, you have to be kind, sweet, generous and smart. And you have to give girls a feeling like they have power—girl power—and that we can make our own decisions. A good role model makes you feel like you’re powerful, and that you have to use your power to be kind and generous.
That’s what Taylor Swift does: Taylor Swift is girl power. And she is kind. And because she is both, she makes us feel like we can be both. And that’s a very good thing!
That is what I think makes Taylor Swift so special: She is a nice person and she is a good singer. She’s a good musician who writes good songs people love to sing over and over, and she helps people by donating money. She gives money to food pantries in all the cities she visits. She gives huge bonuses to the people who work for her. She donates so much money to the needy. I admire that. That is a role model.
I don’t care about who Taylor dates. I care about the music. I care about the generosity.
I don’t want to be exactly like Taylor Swift, because I am afraid of being in front of a lot of people. But she makes me feel brave. She makes me feel happy and excited when I sing her songs.
She writes all her songs and plays three instruments. One of her instruments is the guitar. I wanted to play the guitar because of her, and my mom bought me one.
Do I think Taylor can change the world? Maybe. Her music brings people together. She gives out friendship bracelets because she wants everyone to be friends. That is something that a role model does.
This is why Taylor is so popular with young girls but also older girls and women. She makes us feel like we can also be talented and kind. Every time you sing her one of her songs, you feel like you are connecting with a generous, kind, smart, talented person who uses her gifts for good.
That’s the definition of a role model.
I am proud to be a Swiftie. Now you know why.
Amaya lives in Spring, Texas with her family. She wants to be a scientist when she grows up. Her mother Emeri Montgomery is director of audience at Newsweek.
