Recently appointed the new CEO of Greening Forward—a NY-based youth environmental sustainability training program founded by TPP Grantee Charles Orgbon—Ananya Singh, 16, represents the socially conscious, modern-day teen: accomplished, ambitious, and ready to change the world.
Singh, who was mentored by Orgbon since she was 12, became passionate about activism and environmental sustainability at a very young age and soon after became an animal-rights activist and vegan. Through her work at the Youth Empowered Action (YEA) camp and the National Youth Leadership Council, Singh learned leadership skills, mentoring skills—and how to create a killer strategic plan.
She’s putting these skills to use right away as Greening Forward’s new CEO. “I’m very excited about strategic planning,” Singh says. “Our goals are to create pathways for engagement as well as more opportunities to stay engaged. We’re going to strengthen partnerships with organizations that have a youth voice. Together, we’ll seek to address climate change and other important environmental issues.”
Singh also recognizes that, in some cases, she may need some help from adults—such as when she pressured U.S. Representative Leonard Lance to divest from fossil fuels and he ultimately lost the re-election–but she wants her own seat at the table. “It’s important to talk about youth partnerships with adults, to find someone you can trust who can be an ally and amplify your voice. But, it needs to be an equitable partnership.”
Most important, though, is Singh’s support network: her family, friends, and the like-minded teens she surrounds herself with: “I’ve met so many other passionate young people [who are] doing amazing things in their communities, young people who want to give back … I don’t want to wait until I’m older to make a difference. And neither do they.”
TPP congratulates Ananya Singh on her new appointment and is thrilled to support these incredible young changemakers.
