A digital anthology of youth empowerment and collective action

Leena Vyas & Sydney Conn

Indianapolis, Indiana USA

June 2020

SYDNEY:

We were just two girls from Indiana standing in front of the United Nations in New York City. Do we even belong here? Pitching our idea to investors? Why would they be interested in us?

Breathe. Take a deep breath.

We’re here for a reason.

LEENA:

Only a minute ago, it was 8am. My stomach growls, I look up at the clock, and realize that I missed lunch. There were many days like this when we were so deep in our work on our project "Breeze Charger". There were also days when the project seemed so beyond me that I was ready to give up.

SYDNEY:

When we first arrived at MMUN, I was awestruck by all these people with such great ideas. As we started making more connections during the workshops, I began to realize what we had accomplished too. Something suddenly clicked within me, and people were asking about our idea.

LEENA:

Oh, it would have been so easy to walk away, but we had mentors who truly listened to us. All these tiny interactions kept us engaged, encouraged, curious to wonder: How far could we go? Where might it take us?

SYDNEY:

Breeze Charger took root and we took root as a team. An NGO or an invention will not succeed by focusing only on capital or science, but rather, a team’s ability to bring all skills, knowledge and connections to the table. You never know where a given connection might lead you.

LEENA:

Together, we experienced the joys of independent thought, the tranquil luxury of progressing at our own pace, and simply believing in ourselves. Even if it means feeling witless at times, we found the courage to share our ideas with others. For me now as a materials science engineering major in college, that means recycling down to the tiniest particle and developing materials that are effective for change.

What part of the planet is yours to save?

Calling all former MMUN delegates and teachers: How did MMUN inspire you take action in your community or create lasting change within yourself? Submit your story and we'll feature a select group in the next volume of "The Once and Future Ambassadors" anthology!

Leena and Sydney are from Indiananapolis, Indiana USA and former Youth Impact! Forum entrepreneurs. Learn more about how their Breeze Charger project utilizes wind power to charge mobile phones.