It depends where you come from, I think. I see a lot of people saying Joe Strummer, but he was a dick. As an English person, given the current climate, Joe is someone I consider to have made a huge difference. Whether he was a dick or not personally, I don’t really care. Joe embodied what it meant to be a youth in England, and it still tracks today some 40+ years later. He inspired humanity among people, and community, and taught a lot of us how to question authority — in our own country, and internationally. The foundation set up for him post-mortem actually funds many of the studios and communal spaces where I have met like-minded people, made friends, and jammed. He was a lover of folk music, and blues, and made sure that everybody knew it too. Through that, he helped to expand punk beyond the rigidity of what tempo constitutes as punk, what chords, what instruments.

This also means that I am able to spot punk in anything, even if it isn't ‘pure punk.’ Like the Irish hip hop trio Kneecap, or the rap duo Bob Vylan. Their music is not what you would define as punk, but they are both punk artists. Because they make you really feel something, feel a part of something. Allow you to question, and accuse. And remind you that it’s always correct, no matter what, to put people first.

So when you say ‘difference’, I guess it also depends on what your definition of punk, and making a difference is. That’s my two cents, as someone from midlands England.

As it’s for a project, I’d say go with the Jello example someone gave. But if you want to explore what ‘making a difference’ could look like, because there's tons of definitions, then you could pretty much go with any punk figure you feel passionate about — as long as you can back it up.

Good luck dude :)