A Call to Young Changemakers: Building the Future We Deserve
By: Jaya Srinivasan
In my day-to-day life, I frequently forget that the reality I live in is not universally shared. When I read about the often frightening state of the world, from violence, poverty, hunger, and inequality to eroding democratic values and natural disasters exacerbated by climate change, I feel despair, but also powerless—too young and irrelevant to address humanitarian crises and create genuine change.
As someone who is not an activist by nature, in the past, I have been intimidated and reluctant to step up towards student leadership roles in community service and civic engagement. Outside of one-off opportunities, such as food and toy drives, I held back from deeper, longer term commitments, simply supporting in silence without taking up space. However, I have grown to learn that distancing myself from valuable opportunities out of fear of being inadequate and ineffective contributes to a cycle of bystanding and inactivity.
My first experience with GO Campaign was in 2024, when I joined the Youth Advisory Board as an 8th grader. It was the first opportunity to create real impact in the world that I had truly taken advantage of rather than shied away from. I immediately felt the support of my mentors and fellow Youth Advisory Board members, and was astonished to see firsthand how we could support local, national, and global communities. When a group of students and I worked together with Local Hero Nangyalai Attal to address youth education barriers in Afghanistan, particularly for girls, I never felt intimidated or inadequate. On the contrary, I felt involved in global activism in a way that felt empowering and comfortable, where peers and I provided critical support in developing grant letters to help build girls’ education facilities in Afghanistan. The entire process was a meaningful opportunity to work with other aspiring changemakers, and I felt more motivated than ever.
Students in Afghanistan receive school materials
Younger generations often desire to create social change, and when we set aside fear and doubt and apply ourselves wholeheartedly to solving real-world problems, even if we feel in the moment we are playing a small role, it is incredible how much we can achieve collectively. All around me, I see my peers stepping out of their own experiences and addressing issues such as homelessness, through running a hygiene drive for homeless teen youth, and environmental justice, through writing a column in a school newspaper on sustainable agriculture. In the global sphere, recent researchhas found that Gen Z has played a crucial role in protests to hold ineffective governments accountable, stepping up to challenge unjust social, political, and economic systems present in and out of their communities. While it may seem like change requires one courageous individual to rise up, real progress comes when we rise together.
Local Hero Giselle Carillo (Los Courage Camps, California) speaking at the 2025 GO Gala
As young people, we envision a future defined by justice and security and we have the power and innovation to help create it. Change may feel difficult, but so does remaining the same; together, our voices and strengths can be instrumental in making the path forward far more achievable. Becoming involved with GO provided a unique and extensive approach to philanthropy by supporting communities in need near and far, and volunteering at the recent GO Gala in 2025 exposed me to dedicated individuals by whom I took away powerful ideas. What particularly stuck with me was the inspiring journey of a local hero who created beach camps for underprivileged youth who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to go to the beach, something commonly taken for granted by my peers and I.
Seeing the dedication put into simple yet powerful endeavors made me realize that I would have never been able to overcome my fear of being small in a big world if I had kept isolating myself from chances to advocate and collaborate with peers. GO has played a fundamental role in my personal growth and empowerment, and I urge others to cast aside their self-doubt and take action in this world as early as possible. Early activism allows us to find ourselves and build strong communities, and every small step is progress toward building the future we deserve. More than anything, in cases of urgency, our world needs voices, not silence.
Youth in the after-school STEAM Program at Young STEAMers (Alameda, CA)