Stories of Change

VOL 2:

Youth Making a Difference

Interviews with Youth Venturers

What i everyone in the world took initiative to improve society? What i instead o looking to others or leadership, everyone stepped up, addressed social challenges and led positive change? Ashoka believes that the most important contribution we can make to the world is to increase dramatically its number o changemakers. As our world becomes smaller and global problems become bigger, we need changemakersnow more than ever..Ashoka aims to inspire a billion people to become changemakers. Ashoka created Youth Venture toprovide the inspiration and investment or young people during their most ormative years to have afrst experience o launching and leading civic ventures. Through this experience, young people learn that they are powerul, and they will continue to take initiative and lead throughout their lives. Youth Venturehas enabled over 70,000 young people globally to take part in lasting youth‑led ventures to improvesociety. Youth Venture endeavors to support many millions o young people in becoming changemakers,who will inspire and enable countless others to do the same.Ashoka is also demonstrating to every part o society the critical need or more changemakers. Ashokaworks closely with universities, corporations, civil society organizations, school systems and other key players in society to help them realize their potential as places o changemakers, which increases their competitiveness and ability to succeed. As leading institutions become invested in having morechangemakers they too will become stronger engines or improving society. Staples Inc. was the frstcompany to see the potential o Youth Venture’s work in cultivating changemakers. The Staples partnershiphas paved the way or dozens o other companies to partner in this mission, including eBay, Starbucks,Best Buy, Virgin, YPF, Nike, Knorr‑Bremse, Pepsi, JP Morgan Chase, and others. By shaping a generation o changemakers, these companies together orm the engine o transormation in our society to one whereeveryone can and will solve our global needs.This eBook oers the stories o ten young changemakers. We hope you are as inspired by their stories aswe and our partners are.

STORIES OF CHANGE

Stories o Change is Ashoka’s electronic book series.Through these publications we will share the storieso the changemakers in the Ashoka community: Fellows, Youth Venturers, sta and partners. People whoare producing system change solutions or social problems, inspiring innovation and creating an EveryoneA Changemaker™ world. We hope you enjoy and share these stories. But most importantly, we hope these stories will inspire you to continue creating change in your community.

Stories of Youths and their Ventures:Interviews with Youth Venturers

Table of Contents

Writer: Jim BachEditing and Coordination:Tom Dawkins and Aliya BhatiaLayout:Aliya Bhatia and Rachel LandContributors:Tia Johnston Brown, Tina Choi, Laura Rusnak, and Gretchen Zucker Cover Photo:Kyle Taylor All interviews were previously published at and are re‑printed with permission. Attribution‑Noncommercial‑No Derivative Works