The Bright-Eyed

Today's episode features Sejal Bilwar, a high school junior from the Bay Area. She was inspired to create her organization, lukupp, after seeing the gap between high school students and CS/engineering opportunities. We discuss how her small idea became an organization, the importance of supporting students interested in STEM fields, and the impact of empowering our youth in fields like computer science and engineering . Take a listen!lukupp: https://www.lukupp.com/  GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Website: https://thebrighteyedpod.carrd.co/ Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriber LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed 

Today's episode features Grace White, a senior in high school that enjoys reading, writing, and doing art. Grace has been adopted from China since March 2005 and has a huge passion to help others in any way she can. She is also the founder of Mental Health Matters, the Adoption Hub and Global Adoptees. We discuss the importance of community as well as how to combat inaccurate perceptions and stigmas surrounding mental health and adoption. . Take a listen!GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Website: https://thebrighteyedpod.carrd.co/ Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriber LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed 

Tune into this month’s minisode all about taking breaks! You'll learn why it's difficult to take breaks, the importance of taking breaks, ways to tell you need one, and practical advice for how you can do that in multiple scenarios. Take a listen!

Today's episode features Zandy Wong, a second year undergraduate student at Johns Hopkins University, scientist, disability advocate, and a researcher in the science of hearing loss. Zandy is also the founder of the NextGen Accessibility Initiative where she helps Gen Z educational organizations run by Gen Z fix digital accessibility gaps in their content. Her work through the NextGen Accessibility Initiative has helped over 61,000 students across 119 countries have access to accessible digital content. We discuss how Zandy’s experience as someone with hearing loss fuels her advocacy, the importance of policy in achieving greater accessibility for the disabled community, and how initiatives/nonprofits can take steps to become more accessible. Take a listen!NextGen Accessibility: https://www.instagram.com/nextgenaccessibility/ GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Website: https://thebrighteyedpod.carrd.co/ Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriber LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed 

Today's episode features  Samantha Parr, the founder and executive director of Dancer for Dancer. Having been a classical ballet dancer for 15 years, she was inspired by firsthand experience with the challenges of being a dancer and a desire to create a community for others like her. We discuss Samantha’s own experiences as a dancer, how she’s created an international dance community through Dancer for Dancer, and the importance of diving into the things you are passionate about. Take a listen!Dancer for Dancer: https://www.dancerfordancer.com/ GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Website: https://thebrighteyedpod.carrd.co/ Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriber LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed 

Today's episode features  dedicated crafter, small business owner, and  social activist Jade Bahng. With a passion for jewelry making  and a strong desire to make a difference, she created The Daily Daisy Project selling beaded jewelry with all the proceeds donated to various humanitarian organizations. We discuss Jade’s personal connection to crafting, her journey creating The Daily Daisy Project, being proactive as an activist, and the importance of making a change . Take a listen!The Daily Daisy Project: https://www.dailydaisyproject.com/ GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Website: https://thebrighteyedpod.carrd.co/Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriber LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed 

Today's episode features two entrepreneurs from Revoteen Aditya Jain and Manav Bokinala. Revoteen is an entirely student-run start-up business that seeks to connect students to opportunities to join organizations, volunteer, and so much more.  We discuss their journey creating a startup, what makes youth startups unique, and their personal advice on creating one. Take a listen!Revoteen: http://www.revoteen.com GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Website: https://thebrighteyedpod.carrd.co/ Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriber LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed 

This minisode is all about strengths. I dive into why it's important to know what your strengths are and ways you can identify what they are. We often focus on our weaknesses, but reflecting on our superpowers can provide such excellent insight on who we are and give us the confidence to pursue what we are passionate about. So let's find out what your superpowers are! There are probably a lot more than you think.

Today's episode features friends and co-founders Adin Choung and Katelyn Jo. Together, with the help of the Dragon Kim Foundation Fellowship program, they started a project called Intertwined, a community service program dedicated to improving social engagements between low-income senior citizens after the pandemic in efforts to improve their mental and physical health. We discuss their personal motivation for wanting to work with seniors, the importance of valuing the stories of seniors, and how being believed in made all the difference for them. Take a listen!Intertwined Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theintertwinedproject/ GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriberLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed

Today's episode features Tanvi Jeph: a 13-year-old writer and a poet based in India who combats stereotypes with the power of words. Her work has been published on a national and international level and she is here to talk about her poems and how you can have a voice through writing, too.  We discuss Tanvi’s deep connection with writing, how poetry can change perspective, and overcoming rejection and criticism. Take a listen!Tanvi’s Poems:  linktr.ee/tanvijeph    GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriberLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed

Today's episode features Hela Khalil: a senior in high school who has explored her passions for politics and change-making through her podcast, Five-Minute Feature. Five-Minute Feature is a platform through which she discusses political and social news in five minutes to keep youth engaged and inspire political activism. Aside from her podcast, Hela participates in several programs such as Mock Trial, Junior States of America, and an internship to further explore her interests. We discuss what inspired her to start her podcast, the importance of objectivity in politics, polarization, and how to get involved in political activism. Take a listen!Five-Minute Feature Podcast:  https://linktr.ee/fiveminutefeaturepodcast     GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriberLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed

Welcome to the September minisode! This month's mini-episode, is all about motivation and how to keep going when you start losing sight. A common challenge I have personally dealt with and have discussed while interviewing inspiring teens is trying to keep going when you are just starting out, during slow growth periods, or when you start losing motivation to work on your passion projects and initiatives. Tune in to hear my own experience with losing motivation, some tips for how to keep going when things get tough, and encouragement for anyone who is starting to lose sight of what they want to achieve. 

Today's episode features Sophia Greene: a seventeen year old who has found her passion in helping other kids living with chronic illnesses or who are affected by prolonged hospitalizations. She is the founder of the Hearts for Healing Project, a community service organization that shares this mission. Hearts for Healing also serves as a platform that actively raises awareness about ableism and provides the media representation disabled and chronically ill individuals didn’t receive before. We discuss the amazing work Hearts for Healing has been doing, the importance of providing a platform for disabled and chronically ill individuals to share their story, and the impact of ableism on young people. Take a listen!Hearts for Healing Project:  https://heartsforhealing2021.wixsite.com/heartsforhealing GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriberLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed

Today's episode features Tej Shah: a rising junior based in Chicago. He strongly believes in the power of presence, using his work to help build communities that empower each other.  As the co-founder and leader of his organization called Words for Essential Workers, Tej works to spread kindness and offer support to frontline workers during the pandemic through the personal act of letter-writing. Words for Essential Workers has been able to send almost 4000 letters to 20 essential businesses and medical facilities, and this number keeps on growing.  We discuss the experience of essential workers during the pandemic, the power of presence in making an impact, and why writing a letter can make such a  big difference. Take a listen!Words for Essential Workers:  http://www.words4essentialworkers.org/  GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriberLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed

Today's episode features Riya Cyriac: the Executive Director of The Young Writers Initiative, a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, servicing, and inspiring young writers. She is also a singer, Bharthanatyam dancer, model UNer, and, of course, a writer with work published in a variety of magazines. She will be attending the University of Texas at Austin as a business and Plan II honors major, and hopes to pursue a career in law and business. We discuss how being a reader and writer has impacted her perspective, the power of writing as a platform for others, and her journey starting and running TYWI. Take a listen!The Young Writers Initiative:  https://www.tywi.org/links.html GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriberLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed

Today's episode features Zeynep Cildir: a 3rd-year Biomedical Sciences student who is passionate about helping immigrant families transition into their new lifestyle as well as an advocate for education & sciences. In addition to being the founder & president of Refugee Support Association (RSA) and the co-founder & co-executive director of Passionate Minds (PM), she also loves teaching and helping students transition into university through mentoring them. We discuss the experience of refugees in Ottawa, how Zeynep’s immigration story inspired her nonprofit work, and how she is making educational materials more accessible for high school students. Take a listen!Refugee Support Association: @uottawa_rsa on InstagramPassionate Minds:  http://passionate-minds.com/?ltclid= GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriberLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed

Today's episode features Stacy Zhang: the founder of Justice For Society Magazine and @foradvocacy on Instagram. She is a sixteen year old activist from the Greater Toronto Area. She currently attends Unionville High School for its intensive arts program for piano and intends on pursuing business and law in the future. Stacy is passionate for expression through creative arts: from music, fashion, to makeup! In her free time, she can be found leading their organization, Justice For Society, or working on their activism project @ForAdvocacy on Instagram. We discuss the harms of performative activism, the role of intersectionality in allyship, and their experience running their magazine and activist platform. Take a listen!Justice for Society Mag:  https://justiceforsociety.carrd.co/For Advocacy:  @foradvocacyGET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriberLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed

Today's episode features Vhon Michael:  student leader, writer, climate and equality activist, and grassroots organizer. Vhon started his environmental activism in 2015 after his National Science Quest journey and contemplating on what happened during the 2013 super-typhoon haiyan disaster that devastated his island. He currently organizes with Zero Hour and serves as the Director for Zero Hour Asia and founded Zero Hour Philippines. We discuss how climate change has personally affected him, why youth activism is important, and the effects of discrimination and racism in activism. Take a listen!Zero Hour:  http://thisiszerohour.org/GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriberLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed

Today's episode features Bianca Jortner and Savanna Jiang: the co-founders of the nonprofit organization Youth Promise.  Bianca is a rising senior based in Connecticut and Savanna is a rising junior based in New York. After seeing the disparity gap in access to education, they were both inspired to start Youth Promise and provide educational opportunities for inner-city youth, youth from low-income households, and more. We discuss their organization, the importance of educational equity, and how they’ve been both impacted by the work they do. Take a listen!Youth Promise:  https://www.youthpromise.org/ GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriberLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed TEEN CHANGE MAKER CON:Register: www.eventbrite.com/e/teen-change-maker-conference-tickets-149607352619Instagram: @teenchangemakerconMore Info: teenchangemakercon.weebly.com

Today's episode features Olivia Zhang: the founder of the nonprofit organization Cancer Kids First.  Olivia is a 16 year old sophomore who is passionate about helping others. As the CEO and founder of Cancer Kids First, Olivia oversees 17K+ volunteers and 60 chapters across the world. Cancer Kids First, or CKF, works towards providing kids with cancer with a chance at a normal childhood and aims to normalize the hospital environment through events, fundraisers, care packages, and more. We discuss Olivia’s personal connection with cancer, how the pandemic has affected cancer patients, and how Olivia manages such a large organization. Take a listen!Cancer Kids First:  https://www.cancerkidsfirst.org/ GET CONNECTED W/ THE BRIGHT-EYED:Instagram: @thebrighteyedpodYouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCctFEZ2wEjVd_N2l5WPCpLg?view_as=subscriberLinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/thebrighteyed TEEN CHANGE MAKER CON:Register: www.eventbrite.com/e/teen-change-maker-conference-tickets-149607352619Instagram: @teenchangemakerconMore Info: teenchangemakercon.weebly.com