By Erin E. Evans

This week, senior reporter Taryn Finley launched HuffPost's flagship Black History Month Project, "America, As Told By Teens." The series elevates the stories of 13 teenagers who tell us about what issues matter to them most.

"Black teens are far more powerful, beautiful, creative and multifaceted than adults give them credit for. They are the trendsetters that pump life into culture’s pulse. They are the hope that leads the charge to fight for a more equitable and progressive future. And they are the voice that empowers those who need it most.

Jada Adams, 18, from Columbia, South Carolina, taps into optimism and hope to make music and create community that brings her peers a bit more joy. DeMario Brown, 17, of Detroit, wants to start a sports agency but also wants to help others secure housing and better opportunities. And Eden Wilson, 15, from Chicago is a computer science whiz who has dreams of coaching gymnastics at the Special Olympics one day," Finley writes.