Portsmouth teen to meet 'the face of true courage'

Zoe Butler, 18, of Portsmouth, has a VIP pass to meet her hero on Thursday.

She and her twin are six months younger than Malala Yousafzai, whom Butler first heard about the day Malala was shot.

"It's going to be like meeting the face of true courage and bravery and truth-telling," said the Portsmouth Abbey graduate, who will be a guest of The Providence Journal, a media sponsor of "An Evening with Malala Yousafzai."

"I think this is going to be one of the most remarkable experiences of my life," she said.

Inspired by Malala's example, Butler started a human rights club at Portsmouth Abbey and spoke to about 500 middle school students after a screening of the documentary "He Named me Malala" in February at The Jane Pickens Theater, in Newport.

Butler and her twin, Emma, daughters of Debra Curtis and Dr. Stephen Butler, went to Tibet last summer to ask marginalized teens about their life expectations. Both girls will attend Brown University, where Zoe wants to study political science and gender and sexuality.

—dnaylor@providencejournal.com

(401) 277-7411

On Twitter: @donita22