Purva | Junior in high school | Environmental and social justice advocacy | Poetry | New Jersey, USA |
Instagram: @purvaab and @bbpbnewjersey
1) THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENED TO YOU IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS?
Making my passions a priority. Over the course of this past year, I have begun to realize and gain confidence in my interests and my goals for the future, while also finding an incredible community of friends, mentors, and youth activists. This has been rewarding and grounding, as I feel a sense of purpose in the journey that lies ahead.
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2) THE WORST THING THAT HAPPENED TO YOU IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS?
Facing inner conflict about my work ethic. This has also been one of the best things too, in a way, because it brought me to have a much healthier relationship with my workload and stress.
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3) YOUR BIGGEST WISH FOR THE NEAR FUTURE?
To empower young people to take issues into their own hands and advocate for change. Many youth are told to wait until the future to do something, and I hope to see more of my peers rejecting this ideology and creating a future that they truly envision for themselves.
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4) YOUR BIGGEST WORRY FOR THE NEAR FUTURE?
As an environmentalist, I am constantly worried about the threats humanity has brought to the rich biodiversity of our planet and am afraid of how inaction on the climate crisis by decision-makers abd world leaders could endanger the earth and the lives of future generations.
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5) A CONTEMPORARY WOMAN YOU CURRENTLY ADMIRE?
Jane Goodall. Her courage in spite of the many sexist setbacks to her career, her vision and hope for a better future, her passion for conservation, her incredible perseverance, and so much more always touch my heart. She inspires me with my activism and my journey as an aspiring environmental engineer, scientist, and researcher.
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6) A ONE-SENTENCE MESSAGE TO OTHER WOMEN?
Don't let fear come in the way of turning your dreams to a reality.