Naomi DeBerry, a 13-year-old author from New Orleans, has been named one of TIME Magazine’s Girls of the Year for 2025 — an honor celebrating young leaders making extraordinary impacts around the globe. Remarkably, DeBerry is the only American included on this year’s international list.
DeBerry earned recognition not through celebrity or spotlight, but through something far more powerful: compassion and storytelling. Inspired by her father’s experience receiving a life-saving kidney transplant, she wrote a children’s book designed to help young readers understand organ transplantation and the importance of donation.
Her work shines a gentle light on a topic that can feel intimidating or unfamiliar, especially for children. By transforming her family’s journey into an accessible story, Naomi is helping other families talk about health, hope, and the miracles made possible through organ donors.
At just 13, Naomi DeBerry is already proving that leadership doesn’t require age — only empathy, courage, and the willingness to turn personal experience into something that can uplift others. Her recognition as a TIME Girl of the Year is not only an achievement, but a glimpse into an inspiring future.
