Jean had the opportunity to talk to Actress and Global Ambassador Angelina Jolie for TIME about starting a kindness initiative.

"Well, to me, it can be a number of things. And the one that I started was the race to kindness," Jean said. "The race to kindness is not just a series of events but also a call to action. It's a way to get people involved in the community, you know, and when they see something happening now, they can go out and do something about it. Kindness is a choice, and while we can't force others to be kind, we can be kind ourselves and hope to inspire other people."

He further explained that although people have fantastic ideas, they usually never act on them. Still, he encourages people to start on something, and they too can make a difference.

"So many people have great ideas but never act on them. I think it's all about really caring about the issues that you're seeing. Someone told me that you have to find something that breaks your heart for you to really get out there and make a difference in that area," Jean said.

"And I want others to know that they can start today," he continued. "If there's an issue or problem or something that they see that they want to solve, all it takes is really just knowing deep down inside that it's something you care about, and you can go out and get started."

Edward Felsenthal, TIME editor-in-chief and CEO, described in a statement how the 2021 Kid of the Year is we picked each year, adding that Jean exemplifies "sheer inspiration."

"Choosing the Kid of the Year, now in its second year, is sheer inspiration. And Orion personifies it." Felsenthal said. "When he was just 9 years old, he won a student kindness contest and donated his $500 prize to a local children’s hospital."

"Since then, he’s collected and donated hundreds of thousands of books, meals, and toys to those in need," he continued. "Orion not only launches big efforts to fix problems he sees in everyday life, like food insecurity and lack of access to education. He also inspires others to join him, bringing local communities and governments together to help the neediest among us."

Watch: Angelina Jolie and TIME's #KidOfTheYear Orion Jean discuss activism https://t.co/XTW4lSyNYL
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— TIME (@TIME) February 10, 2022

Times-Magazine

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