February 19, 2025 • 48 mins
The Barron Prize was founded in 2001 by author T. A. Barron and was named for his mother, Gloria Barron. Since then, the Prize has honored 600 young people in the U.S.A. who reflect who demonstrate heroic qualities like courage, compassion, and perseverance as they work to help their communities or protect the planet. Melanie Young speaks with four 2025 Barron Prize winners about their programs: Clelia Poujade, Charlotte Rosario, Arya Gurumukhi and Elizabeth Djajalie. www.barronprize.org
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Fearless Fabulous You is broadcast live Wednesdays at 12 Noon ET on W4WN Radio - Women 4 Women Network (www.w4wn.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (www.talk4radio.com) on the Talk 4 Media Network (www.talk4media.com).
Fearless Fabulous You Podcast is also available on Talk 4 Media (www.talk4media.com), Talk 4 Podcasting (www.talk4podcasting.com), iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, Pandora, Spotify, Audible, and over 100 other podcast outlets.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
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(00:20):
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Speaker 2 (00:43):
Welcome to Fearless Fabulous You. I am your host, Melanie Young,
and I love using this show to spotlight inspiring women.
Each year, I have the honor and privilege of interviewing
the winners of the Gloria Baron Prize, which was founded
in two thousand and one by author Ta Baron. It
(01:05):
was named for his mother, Gloria Barron, an author, and
since then the prize has honored six hundred young people
who reflect the great diversity of America. Gloria Baron was
an environmentalist as well as a successful children's book author,
and a lot of these women who will be spotlighting
today have programs that are geared to helping the planet
(01:28):
and humanity, and goodness knows we could use that right now.
All of these women demonstrate heroic qualities like courage, compassion,
and perseverance as they work to help their communities and
protect the planets. The Baron Prize annually honors twenty five
outstanding young leaders who have made a significant positive impact
(01:48):
on their communities or environment. There are fifteen top winners
who each receive ten thousand dollars to support their services
in their work or higher education. You can learn more
about this at www dot Baron b A r r
N Prize dot org. The prizes are awarded at the
(02:09):
end of each year. I am honored to have four
outstanding young women join me today who are Baron Prize recipients.
They represent different backgrounds, different regions of this country, United
States of America. It is the United States of America
program and incredible initiatives. We are going to do four
(02:32):
interviews with four young ladies and I've asked them to
share what they what inspired them to become social impact
entrepreneurs basically at very young ages, and what they hope
to see in the future. My first Gloria Baron Prize
winner is Clelia Pougetide at age seventeen. Now they may
(02:56):
have had birthday since we left did the awards. We're
just present. But she's from Chicago, Illinois, and she founded
Hands Together to Feed Chicago to use her lifelong passion
for cooking to fight food in security and build community.
Lily and her team of volunteers have prepared and served
over eight thousand meals and desserts from scratch for those
(03:17):
in need, and she has built partnerships with a nearly
a dozen Chicago area organizations and shelters where she adapts
her favorite recipes to feed eighty people. Before we went
on the show, she said she was born in Paris
and moved here to the United States at a young Ageklia, welcome, Hi,
Thank you for having me. Absolutely absolutely. I want to
(03:42):
start by just briefly. I did a top line on
what your program is. Tell us what inspired you?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Yeah, So, like you mentioned, I was born in Paris
and my family's French. So growing up, food and cooking
was a really important part of my own and the
way I connected with others, especially because my grandparents and
my extended family all live in France. So when I
moved here, the only way I could really connect with
them was through food. Every time I went to my
grandma's we'd always be brainstorming a new recipe. Some of
(04:15):
my favorites were kisch Lauren, which is kind of like
a French ham and cheese, flaky crust tart filled with
an egg custard, and our homemade lasagna. The summer after
my freshman year, as well as a summer after my
sophomore year, I worked in labs and hospitals in Chicago's
South and West sides, and taking the bus to work
every day, I would see lines wrapped around the block
(04:38):
for soup kitchens and knew that they were both short
on food and resources and that something needed to be
done about it. So, combining the need that I saw
and the passion that I'd had for cooking since I
was growing up hands together to fi Chikago was kind
of born out of that, and I started by just
reaching out to dozens of organizations, telling them that I'd
always left to cook, I'd had some experience in the past,
(04:59):
and then meeting with them and then seeing if we
could get a program started.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
How did you reach out to the organizations? How did
you do your research.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Yeah, so really, I just kind of looked up like
local soup kitchens in Chicago, local shelters in Chicago, and
made a list of over one hundred different organizations, drafted
a sample email where I talked about my experience working
in a catering kitchen. I'd also had some training in
France under a chef who worked at previously worked at
a Michelin Star restaurant, just for a couple of weeks,
(05:29):
so I sent them like a little cooking resume, really
talked about my passion for wanting to help out, and
then I got a couple of responses hopped in some
zoom calls and they kind of grew from there.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Pretty impressive. I see that you also do a Valentine's
Day bakathon with five local bakeries to deliver more than
fourteen hundred sweet treats to shelters. How did are you
still doing that and us? And how are you growing this?
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
So now that I'm at college, I have a team
of high schoolers who were my friends. They were like
a grade under me, who've now kind of taken up
pants together to feut Chicago and they continue the on
site works of things like our birthday parties, our community meals,
and our bacathons. So I'm hoping we're able to make
it happen again this year. And the way that we
(06:18):
kind of got to started last time was I think
sometime in December January I started reaching out to like
shelters bakeries, seeing if they'd be open to receiving donations
and if the bakers be willing to help us out
by donating baked goods, because a lot of bakers have
like leftover day old baked goods which they're willing to
donate typically. And in terms of volunteers, I've recruited a
(06:39):
lot of my high school friends as well as past
volunteers we'd had to like bake cookies, bake cupcakes. So
I'm hoping it's something we can make happen again this year.
I think it'll be a little bit more difficult since
I'm not going to be in Chicago, but the girls
are really motivated, so I think they'd be excited about
doing it, And in terms of expanding it, I think
it'd be fun if we could try to reach more
(07:01):
shelters and partner with more bakeries. But I think probably
the most feasible way to expand it would be to
do this not just for Valentine's Day, but say, you know,
for Easter, for Christmas like, which would be like way
in a long time, or like just for like other
like various holidays throughout the year.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Absolutely, it's definitely something that should be a year round program.
Where are you in college now.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
I'm currently at Yale. I'm planning on studying electrical engineering
and economics, but I'm still not entirely sure about that.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Oh that's it. That's what we call a solid career choice.
So what does what if you learn from this experience?
Your takeaways?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Probably two of the biggest takeaways, the first being that
food truly is a bridge to other people and other cultures,
which is something I kind of had an idea of
growing up, but I think it's something I really saw
come like in reality, realized when I started doing this
work with Hands Together to FI Chicago. You know, the
bonds I've made both at the shelter staff, the volunteers,
(08:07):
guests that are meals and parties has been really heartwarming
and really exciting for me. And I'm so thankful to
still be in contact with a lot of them, and
I've also learned through a lot of conversations with guests
the value of listening to everyone's story and the sincerity
and background that each person brings to the table. A
lot of these guests come from difficult backgrounds and also
very varied backgrounds, and so it's been really valuable to
(08:30):
learn from them and to hear the diversity of people
that are in my local community. I think some of
the takeaways that I've gained also come from the challenges
we faced, which were primarily logistical and like partly personal.
Probably the biggest one was that at the very beginning,
I was really hesitant to reach out to organizations and
even bakeries for a bagathon. I was pretty confident they
(08:52):
wouldn't want a teenager in charge of their meals, or
they wouldn't really want to donate, because, like, I didn't
really think it was like that big of a thing
that I was doing. What I really quickly learned, however,
was that people are very, very willing to help, even
if you don't know them. If you just reach out
and you take that jump, most people will be willing
to help in some way, or if not, forge you
(09:13):
to someone who can help and another thing which was
mainly logistical that we struggled with, I would say, was
scaling the recipes for such large amounts of people and
adjusting them to fit pantry ingredients, because we don't always
have a good idea of what we can expect when
we're working with shelters, just because since ingredients are typically
donated by the Chicago Food Depository or schools, it's a
(09:35):
lot of canned food, a lot of sweet potatoes, strangely
a lot of rice, and so as I kind of
figured it out, I made a PDF including some of
my favorite recipes which I already scaled to serve eight
to one hundred people, as well as some tips and
tricks for structuring large batch meals and working with common
pantry ingredients, which since then I've shared on my website
and with volunteers nationwide to make it easier for other
(09:57):
people to start cooking their communities. The takeaway I went
from that is that you can always help, like you
helping people will inspire others to also start helping other people,
and just I've been really surprised at how helpful and
how willing to volunteer people have been throughout this whole endeavor.
What is your website hands together to Fichi cargo dot com.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
And I also see that you've done a cookbook.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
Right, Yes, yeah, that's the recipe PDIAF.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
That's terrific. I think this is wonderful. Did you partner
potential with Ladon Discaffie's chapter in Chicago? I didn't know, Okay,
I will. I'm a member of Ladon Diascaffe, which is
an international organization of women committed to philanthropy in fine wine,
food spirits and hospitality. So I'll make sure I connect
(10:49):
you because they would like to hear about this. Thank you, Clelia,
really great and becoming. Because I have a food background,
this one really hits hard for me because it's we
really don't want to see people go hungry. And I
think the takeaway of learning to listen is really important.
A lot of these people do have hardship and a
lot of people and no one talks to them. Often
(11:10):
they are just stepped over, ignored, and nobody even will
look people in the eye, and so listening is very
very important so they feel that they have a connection.
The next baron Price whenever we're going to be speaking
with is Charlotte Rosario again. Every single one of all
four of these women started their programs in their teens.
They may be a little older now, but at age
(11:32):
seventeen is when she won the Baron Prize. She's from Hillsboro, California.
She founded the Community Photo Booth to use the power
of youth and photography to address needs in her community
and around the world. Her collective of young photographers has
held more than five hundred and fifty donation based photo
shoots to raise over forty thousand dollars for global costes
(11:54):
that are often overlooked. The groups photographed three thy five
hundred individuals using their cameras for good. Charlotte, congratulations, I'm
curious what inspired you to found the Community Photo Both.
Speaker 5 (12:11):
Thank you so much for having me. Absolutely really, my
story of launching the Community Photo Booths started at age twelve.
My story really kind of began during the start of
the pandemic when my dad actually passed away by suicide
(12:32):
just a few days before the shutdown, and it was
a really difficult time for me and my family, and
photography really became an escape for me that summer, an
excuse for me to get outside and see friends through
six feet distance photo shoots, and in particular that summer,
(12:54):
I heard about first responders who were struggling at my
local hospital. I heard about families who were struggling with
food insecurity, and it made me realize that I wasn't
the only one struggling with invisible or unseen needs during
this pandemic. And that's when I had the idea. You know,
(13:16):
families were asking, hey, can you take my holiday card photos?
And it hit me that I had a way of
raising funds to help out people in my community. And
so that's really when I had the idea to merge
the two photography and philanthropy, and that's really when the
Community Photoboop was born.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Well, Charlotte, first of all, I'm really sorry to know
that your father committed suicide. I have two family members
who did commit suicide as well at a very young age,
and I know that the mental anguish that leaves the
family left behind fields. Do you have brothers and sisters?
Speaker 5 (13:56):
I do. I actually have an older brother.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So this is always a hard topic and you're very
brave to talk about it because mental health is something
that thankfully is being discussed because it hasn't for so
many years. And what you're doing is really putting a lens.
You basically rechanneled your grief through creating connection through photography,
(14:24):
which is really amazing. I see that you've done some
really interesting programs through your community photo booth to support
sixteen global causes. Talk to us about that.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
Of course. So over the years, through holding photoshoot fundraisers
as we like to call them, we've supported various initiatives
all around the world, these niches supporting Kenyan youth refugees
by purchasing camera equipment for them. Through the GISM initiatives,
(15:00):
We've supported doctor Tom Katina, who is a humanitarian health
clinic doctor who operates in the war torn Neuba Mountains
in Sedan. We've worked with Ukraine photographers including Julia Coachtova,
who are actively on the front lines photographing the war
(15:22):
and telling stories of families who are struggling. And we
supported organizations that are more local as well, such as
the local food banks in our area and county parks,
various climate action initiatives. So really just wherever there is need,
(15:44):
we really try to hone in and Hu's our bilanthropy
to help.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
How do you find these organizations and are you working
with people to help you.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
Yeah, that's a great question. We have an executive team
of youth who are not only photographers, but are also
interested in getting involved in doing the research and finding
the organizations that we work with. So we meet on
a weekly basis and we'll have our team. We'll do
(16:18):
in depth research trying to just find out what problems
are hitting the hardest in different parts of the world,
and then we'll look into different organizations and individuals who
are working to support their communities but are not getting
you know, maybe the coverage or the financial support that
they really deserve. And that's where we'll start to plan
(16:40):
fundraisers or that'supfic cause. And so right now, especially with
the LA fires, we're already looking into ways we can
support those communities down in LA. Well.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Photos tell stories, as we know, and we are in
a time where the mental health crisis is going to
be at an all time level of defcon high, particularly
with LA fires. So you are doing a wonderful job
connecting through photography. And you know, I say here that
(17:13):
you've donated thirteen thousand dollars from your twenty twenty two
photoshoot fundraiser to relaunch a mental health program in local
high schools. How is that going?
Speaker 5 (17:23):
Yeah? So, back in twenty twenty two, one of our
fundraisers was for the Ending the Silence program at the
National Alliance for Mental Illness, and we raised thirteen thousand
dollars to effectively relaunch the program after it's shut down
during COVID. And since us relaunching the program, it's been
(17:45):
delivering mental health presentations at high school, high schools, and
middle schools in my county over the last year and
a half and have reached over two dozen schools now,
which is incredible, and that really means that you know,
at each of these schools where there are thousands of students, Uh,
(18:05):
these students are learning about the ways they can support
their peers when it comes to mental health, learning the
warning signs and really hopefully giving on the life saving
toolkits of how they can you know, keep their friends
and family and healthy.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
It's fantastic. I think it's really important just to note
right here, I think it's three one one is a
suicide hotline for anyone. It's sorry. Nine to eighty eight
is the suicide and crisis lifeline that has been set
up if anyone is feeling anxiety and goodness knows, this
is going to be a long haul situation with Southern
(18:48):
California Mental Health. But it's it's a lot of things
as we see the planet and people. It's it's you know,
I live in New Orleans and miss the terrorist attack
by forty five minutes. I'm Bourbon and Canal and it
here the anxiety of a community. Charlotte, are you in
college now? Are still in high school?
Speaker 5 (19:08):
I am a senior in high school.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
And what's the name of your high school? Give it
a shout out.
Speaker 5 (19:14):
I go to the Nueva School. It's in Sanato, California.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
No, your principal and teachers and classmates must be really
proud of you.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
What's your website for more information?
Speaker 5 (19:29):
My website for the community photo groups is just Community
photo Booth dot com and you can head over there
some more instaation.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
All right, just so our listeners know, I'm going to
leave a little time at the end to ask each
of these guests one last question, but we're going to
move on to the third of four Baron Prize winners
on the show today. Aria Gurumuki at age fifteen. I
think it's sache Texas, so correct me if I'm wrong.
(19:59):
Invented a novel catalysts to improve upon the bionic leaf technology,
a solar powered device that mimics photosynthesis to create a
highly efficient alcohol based fuel from water, sunlight, and bacteria.
She hopes her clean, sustainable energy source can reduce our
dependence on fossil fuels and reduce energy insecurity for people
(20:21):
in low income and remote communities around the world. Her
work was inspired. Well, I'm going to let her explain
why her work was inspired because it's a very great story. Aria.
Speaker 6 (20:30):
Welcome, Hi, Thank you so much for having me today.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
So what inspired you to focus on this bionic leaf
technology and the environment?
Speaker 6 (20:43):
Yeah, so, I think a couple of years ago, Texas
had a massive winter storm and within my family specifically,
we didn't have power for around two weeks. And I
remember the outcome of that winter storm being that dozens
of people lost their lives due to the lack of energy,
and it really got me thinking about how unstable our
current energy sources are. And so I remember doing some
(21:05):
research online and kind of figured out that current energy
sources like lithium, my own batteries, and fossil fuels are
not only extremely expensive, but they're also not environmentally sustainable,
and so I think I really got into starting to
do some research into developing a sustainable energy source that
could not only produce efficient energy, but would also be
(21:25):
cost effective. And so I think after reaching out to
labs and universities, I really started working on the bionic
leaf device and started just creating this idea and prototype.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
So when you say a device, I've interviewed a couple
of interesting people that are harnessing solar power to create
energy and also water, which I'm going to try to
find and introduce you to. Obviously, did you grow up
interested in science as when you were young?
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Yes, for sure.
Speaker 6 (21:55):
I remember when I was small, I'd always be doing
like little kitchen diy and I'd always be my garage
trying to break something apart. My mom didn't really appreciate that,
but I always making or creating new stuff.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
So how hard? What were some of the learning curve
takeaways from creating this device? What were some of your
challenges and the aha moment?
Speaker 6 (22:20):
Yeah, so I think there were definitely a lot of
challenges when I was making this prototype. I remember there
was a specific component of the catalysts that would just
not work, and I think I had to try like
around one hundred times before it could actually work. So
I think one of the biggest obstacles was just making
sure that the prototype was able to work, and it
required a lot of iterations. I think I made more
(22:41):
than a hundred. But I think it was through those
iterations and the constant retrying of me to making this
new prototype where I was I would get these aha
moments where I'd be like, oh, I should probably change
that to see if this works, And then when it
did finally work, the amount of relief I got was
also huge. So I think it was always those little
moments while I was prototype creating my prototype or developing
(23:04):
the idea where I was like, Okay, this could really
make this a better prototype.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Now, if you read online journals, you emailed dozens of professors,
you worked late nights of a lab in the University
of Texas, and as you said, you had over one
hundred iterations to launch her prototype. Who were your team members,
how did you put together team to help you? And
who are some of your partners?
Speaker 5 (23:29):
Now?
Speaker 6 (23:30):
Yeah, so I think I'll obviously could have never done
this alone. So I remember reaching out to a lot
of universities and professors asking them for advice at first
on what they thought could benefit for my prototype or
what they think I should change, And I remember reaching
out to one particular professor who was not only really
interested in the work I was doing, but was also
(23:50):
conducting similar energy storage research, and so I started meeting
up with him more frequently, and then we really got
together and collaborated on creating.
Speaker 5 (23:58):
This new prototype as whole.
Speaker 6 (24:00):
And I think it's been an incredible opportunity, not only
because of the resources I'm able to get with the
University in Love I'm working with, but also just the
wide connection of networks I'm able to get because of
the various science departments that are there. I would also
say that my teachers have been a huge help when
it comes to this process. Specifically, my teacher, Miss Baker
at my school has constantly been able to give me
(24:24):
advice on my presentation or just kind of know the
nitpicks around the prototype as well, So she's always been
there by support and yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Miss Baker, we love you. What's the name of your school,
And because you're still in high school, what's the name
of it?
Speaker 6 (24:37):
Yeah, the name of my school is Plano Senior High School?
Speaker 2 (24:42):
And where is pronounced your hometown so may and mispronounced it.
Where is it in Texas with the great State of Texas.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
It's Saxy, Texas, so it's in the Dallas region.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Okay, I remember those horrible storms, you know, Texas. You know,
let's just talk about the environment Texas. I'm in Louisiana, Texas.
This gets like all the really bad weather before it
gets Louisiana, and I watch Texas carefully because it's just
like the storms are worse and worse everywhere we're going.
And I remember that storm and it must have been
(25:13):
terrible to be so cold and seeing people who were,
you know, suffering from that. So kudos to you, Aria
for coming up with this concept. Now, will you be
taking this when you apply for colleges? What will you
be doing with this?
Speaker 6 (25:27):
Yeah? So, I definitely want to continue my research on
the bionic leaf in the future, and I want to
work towards getting a patent on some sort of the
bionic leaf.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
But I'm also interested in.
Speaker 6 (25:37):
Just material science and genetic engineering as well, so maybe
that's also another pathway I take when I do go
to college. But right now I'm one hundred percent going
to continue my research on the bionic lea.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
And do you have a website for more information?
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (25:52):
So the website is www dot the BIONICLEAF dot com.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
The BIONICLEAF dot com. Remember the Bionic Man probably were
born in the Bionic Man was on the first time,
Alart what bionic was? All right, We're going to continue
on and like I said, I'm going to circle back
and ask h U some more questions and we do
the wrap. But our fourth Baron Prize winner is from Juno, Alaska.
(26:18):
She's actually joined us from Hawaii, so really early there, Aloha.
Her name is Elizabeth dajah Lee. At eighteen, she has
dedicated her work to helping protect Alaska's ecosystems and way
of life by conducting research to help conserve Pacific salmon.
She leads the student arm of the Alaska Science and
(26:41):
Engineering Fair ASEF, a statewide nonprofit that supports STEM education
for youth, and she's also helped raise money to help
send get more students involved in the ASEF. Elizabeth, tell
(27:02):
us how you were inspired to become involved?
Speaker 4 (27:06):
Yeah, so I always grew up.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
I was born and raised in Juno, Molasna, so I
always grew up around the water, around salmon and wildlife,
and actually one of my learning account activities, I guess
when I was about four, maybe two or three, four
something like that, was going to the glacier near my
house and there was always this there's this bridge that
ran over a salmon river run that we had, so
(27:29):
I would like count the fish there, and especially soccat
Salmon was something I always grew up around eating or
just like seeing in the water. So when I grow
on to high school, I knew I wanted to do
something to do with environmental research, and so I talked
to the local NOAH so that's the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, and I asked about what projects they had
(27:50):
going on, and they had a ton of projects going on,
everything from aquaculture to other environmental conservation, growing and help
and things like that. And the DNA was something that
really struckts my interest just because of how fascinating it
sounds sounded. I remember when the scientist was saying that
environmental DNA was something that was very cutting edge they
were working on. So I asked if I could join
(28:12):
the team, and they kind of connecting me to the
head of the genetics department, and I started working on
a project with them.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
How you know, environmental DNA sounds really heavy and serious.
What exactly for the people who don't quite understand what
that is? What does that mean?
Speaker 7 (28:30):
Yeah, So it's actually a much simpler concept than you'd think.
It basically stands for any DNA that an organism sheds
in its habitat. So think about skin cells, or the
fury or golden retriever leaves on the couch, or just anything.
Speaker 4 (28:43):
That they really leave in the environment.
Speaker 7 (28:44):
And you can collect this and it's basically the organism's
environmental DNA, and then you can take it to the lab,
you can sequence it, and after you sequence it, match
it to a database of basically this huge database that
has millions of barcodes in them for all the different
species that we've sequenced so far, and from that you
can tell basically what species are in the area without
(29:07):
having to actually see the species. So this has huge
implications just for wildlife conservation and saving costs and making
it more efficient to count almost count once the technology
is better to actually not just be able to know
what's there, but also how much is there in terms
of the species.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Now we know that salmon. The salmon has a long journey.
They do an annual pilgrimage south and they make the
pilgrimger north to spawn and then they die after this.
There's a whole story there about the lifeline of the
specific salmon and they are challenged. And what are the
(29:44):
challenges now environmentally to the lifeline of the Pacific salmon
because they have to make this journey they come all
the way up. We're dealing with a lot of environmental
factors now that are impacting Pacific ocean waters and warming areas.
What are some examples of the challenges I kind of
(30:05):
alluded to them, be more specific and how is what
you're doing addressing them to protect them?
Speaker 5 (30:14):
Right?
Speaker 7 (30:14):
So with the warming climate, that's really impacting, oh, just
overall their natural habitat the and it can also impact
their the cycle of the water temperature that kind of
tells them when to migrate. It's also just makes it
harder for them to survive in warming conditions and can
make it harder for the young salmon to survive. And
overall that also just impacts I think it's also to
(30:37):
do with fishing, so maybe not necessarily, particularly the climate,
but also the fishing policy has caused the collapse of
certain salmon species, especially off the coast of California. Alaska,
maybe less so just because the water temperature is still
pretty conducive.
Speaker 4 (30:52):
To salmon right now.
Speaker 7 (30:53):
But overall, my research is about quantifying the species because
the first step to any conservation is to be able
to quantify what species are there, so you can tell
population over time and you can really quantify what impact
different variables are having on the species. And this is
the really interesting thing about DNA is that it's not
just apticable to salmon, because obviously climate change is a
(31:15):
global issue. It's affecting almost every single species on the planet.
So DNA can help be used to quantify any species
that has DNA, So don't just think about salmon, think
about you can even quantify plant species, other water species,
terrestrian species, and even airborne species.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
So you can think about micro organisms.
Speaker 7 (31:37):
And in some studies, DNA has actually been used in
a hospital setting to measure like pathogen spread in different
areas in the hospital. So basically the potential is pretty
boundless limitless with DNA. It just depends on refining the
technology and refining its ability to quantify species overall.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Really interesting. Are you going to find artificial intelligence? This
is going to be helping you as we get into
this good question. Everybody's talking about artificial intelligence, So I'm
just curious in this area if you think there's any
potential with it.
Speaker 7 (32:16):
Yeah, I think especially with AI, AI has applications and
so many different factors of DNA. I think they can
be used to streamline the database, maybe streamline the matching process.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
Maybe even this might be far fetched, but maybe even.
Speaker 7 (32:29):
Projects sequences of new because we haven't sequenced all the species.
So if artificial intelligence can maybe do more to match
the existing barcodes with what we are what we sample
from the environment.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
So very interesting. So you also created the students Spokesperson's
Board for a se F again, which is the Alaska
Science and Engineering Fair, and raised over sixteen thousand dollars
to send more students to the fair because you saw
that there were a lot of them couldn't afford it,
they were underfunding. What other initiatives are you doing beyond
(33:07):
the conservation in school? How are you working with schools?
Speaker 7 (33:13):
Yeah, so with schools as through the Alaska Science and
Engineering Fair, we reached out to I believe about one
hundred and sixty to one hundred and seventy Alaskan school
So we really wanted to not just to raise money
to have the fair, but also just expand the participation
we have.
Speaker 4 (33:29):
In the fair, and especially for me, was something that was.
Speaker 7 (33:31):
Interesting about the Alaska Science Fair is how geographically diverse
it is. Because Alaska, it's not like you can drive
from one town to the other.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Everything's very spread out to a huge state. So what
I always.
Speaker 7 (33:41):
Participated virtually actually in the Science Fair, which is unconventional
in terms of science for participation, but I thought that
was a really important factor in expanding access to students
basically in very rural areas. So we wanted to make
sure that students of ural areas, students from backgrounds could
really participate in there, and that was part of our
(34:03):
outreach program through ASF and outside of ASEF. I also
worked on a podcast I'm kind of similar to this,
but it was a future of a podcast where a
few of my friends and I basically in the community
in various fields, published the spot the podcast to Spotify,
and last I checked, we had to reach of listeners
(34:25):
in over in about ten countries, so that was really
fulfilling for us, and it's that my younger friends are
still carrying on right now. And then I also the
first thing I guess I ever started in terms of
STEM was founding just like starting small, but like founding
a math club in my city.
Speaker 4 (34:39):
So that was something that you know, you think.
Speaker 7 (34:41):
Every school would have already, but my city didn't have
a math club at the time, and I was into
competition math going into high school, so I wanted to
take the American Mathematics competitions. There wasn't a way to
do that in Juno, Alaska without flying to Seattle or something.
So my teacher, my amazing math teacher. Actually she's really amazing,
So she and I started the club for that. So
(35:02):
I guess those are my three main STEM organizations.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
That's who was the name of your teacher? Give her
a shout out.
Speaker 7 (35:09):
Yeah, Carol May So she's awesome. She's still teaching in
Juno Douglas High School.
Speaker 3 (35:13):
Right.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
We love teachers. Now, Elizabeth, are you in college now
or going to college or are you a senior in
high school? Where are you now in your education?
Speaker 4 (35:21):
Yes, I'm a yeah, I'm a freshman at Harvard College.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
Right, now, okay, so we've got a Harvard student. Anything
else fantastic? And do you have a website that you
can share at.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
The we were trying to meet up at the Harvard.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Do you have a website we can share?
Speaker 4 (35:42):
I think she's just internet can out again.
Speaker 7 (35:44):
But yeah, but search of the Future Women of STEM
podcast on Spotify?
Speaker 2 (35:50):
And what's the name of it? The podcast.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
The Future Women of STEM podcast and it's on Spotify?
Speaker 2 (35:59):
Okay, And do you have a website on the website
for that? Okay, okay, thank you. So we have a
little bit of time left, so I'm going to ask
each of you two questions. Pity the first person because
I'm gonna give you a little bit of time to
think about it. But the first one is, you know,
(36:20):
you're all still young, so I want to I want
you to tell.
Speaker 3 (36:24):
Me what.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
You would love to see happen in the future with
your life. Obviously, life changes, so you can have many
iterations of it. I want you just to briefly think
about that. And also what it means to be honored
you each of one receive ten thousand dollars to support
your work or higher education. And lastly, who is the
(36:48):
one person you admire that you would love to meet
and why. Okay, so mole that over. While you're mowing
that over, I'm just going to reiterate that we've been
talking with the four of the winners of the Baron
Pies barn Is BA ro N Prize, so Barrenprize dot org.
If you have or know someone who should apply who's
(37:11):
doing some amazing things these This prize honors annually twenty
five outstanding young leaders who've made a significant positive impact
on their communities or environment. So I'm going to ask
Clei a pougetide a Hands Together to Feed to Chicago,
what would you like to see happen in the future
(37:31):
with your goals and dreams and who is the person
you inspire that you'd like most to meet and why?
Speaker 3 (37:38):
Yeah, of course. So in the future, I'd really like
to work with biotech companies, helping them to obtain financing
so that life saving medical innovations can reach the market,
which initially sounds pretty unrelated to Hands Together to Feed
Chicago and cooking in general, but it's actually something I've
grown increasingly interested in over my time working in Chicago
(38:00):
and three Hands Together to fea Chicago. So I mentioned
this a little bit earlier on but over the summers
I worked at Rush Hospital, the Illinois Institute of Technology,
as well as Northwestern University, and I studied a variety
of things, but by far what interested me the most,
and I think kind of a common threat that titled
my research together was the way that our environments, so
(38:21):
our diet, our neighborhood, etc. Can actually shape our health
care outcomes in a way that is really surprising. And
then working directly in Chicago's impoverished neighborhoods, you know a
lot of them food deserts. A lot of these people
didn't have regular access to nutritious food. Threw hands together
to Chicago gave me a real life glimpse at how
our environment can really shape our long term health and
(38:42):
direct changes that we can make as community members. And
so now, because of both my interest in science as
well as the work I've done in Chicago, I'd like
to work with firms in the genetics and healthcare space
in the future to ensure more accessible healthcare treatments, especially
preventive healthcare treatments, and better outcomes for all.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
Wonderful, It's very good. Thank you, Charlotte, Rosario, a founder
of Community Photo Booth, same question to you, what do
you want to see happen in the future with what
you're doing? And you didn't. Clearly you didn't tell me
who you'd like to meet. We may not let me
wait for that. Let's get through this part and see
if we have the time. Charlotte, what would you like
to see happen in the future with what you're doing?
Speaker 5 (39:24):
First things first, I'd love to see the Community Photo
expand keep growing nationally and hopefully someday globally, empowering young
people all around the world to take cobbies that they have,
whether it's photography or filmmaking or even things or into sports, music,
(39:46):
and find ways they can use it as a force
for good, for fundraising and to really put their efforts
back into serving their communities. So we'd love to really
expand expand our efforts going forward, and on a more
personal level, you know, going into college next year, I
(40:07):
really love to keep finding ways I can leverage kind
of unconventional ways to work on humanitarian issues. My dream
is to someday launch and lead a social innovation lab
that works on bridging emerging technology and creative mediums like
(40:28):
art or photography really specifically to create solutions, especially for
issues like the mental health crisis.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
Fantastic. Where will you be going to college right now?
Speaker 5 (40:40):
I'm currently leaning towards Stanford, but I'm going to finalize
my decision in the spring.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
Okay, good luck, Ariah, go to Mookie. Talk to me
about what you're going forward, what you'd like to see
happen with your initiative.
Speaker 6 (40:58):
Yeah, so I think in the future, definitely, I'd love
to see the bionically if expanded internationally to where low
income communities, but just communities all across the world are
using the bionical leaf in place of current existing energy
source mechanisms like fossil fuels and lithium ion batteries. But
I also think for in the future when it comes
to my personal plans, I really want to continue research
(41:19):
on energy storage methods in general, So whether that be
developing another prototype or continuing to work on the bionic Leaf,
I really want to do something in research where I'm
developing and innovating something new. But I also think if
there was one person I would want to meet, it
would be Greta Thunberg, just because of her passion for
(41:40):
environmental activism, but also because of the fact that despite
criticism that she receives, she continues on to not only
become passionate about environmental actimism, but she continues to support
the one thing that she truly does love, and that's
a really admirable quality.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
She sticks to her guns. Thank you so much, Elizabeth
doaja a Lee. Do you know Alaska? What do you
want to see happen in your environmental efforts to help
the Alaska fishing fishermen and the seafood industry.
Speaker 8 (42:14):
Yeah, so I'd like to see EDNA more implemented in
our places, like you, Noah, in terms of fisheries quantification
and just fisheries monitoring overall.
Speaker 4 (42:25):
So I think DNA really needs to be developed further.
Speaker 7 (42:28):
So if i, Noah obviously puts quite a bit of
funding towards projects like this, so I think that's a
great step towards developing it to make it ready for implementation.
Speaker 4 (42:36):
But I'd really like.
Speaker 7 (42:37):
To see it also applied to you know, other species
and other applications, to hospitals, to airborne species and everything
like that. So I just think it has super huge
potential and a variety of spaces outside of fisheries too,
So that's really where i'd like to see you go.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
Is there anyone you want to specifically meet that you
that inspires you.
Speaker 4 (42:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (42:59):
I think I wanted to meet Jane Goodall actually because
when I was really young, I read an article about,
you know, her whole expedition with.
Speaker 4 (43:08):
Just her whole expedition into.
Speaker 7 (43:09):
The into the woods and with her work with.
Speaker 5 (43:12):
The gorillas and everything.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
So I just I really want to talk to her
about that. And I love field work.
Speaker 5 (43:17):
I love field work.
Speaker 4 (43:19):
So I actually went on a glacier expedition.
Speaker 7 (43:21):
There were no other there were no gorillas or anything
like that there, but it was a different kind of expedition.
But I really just appreciated her work getting out her
hands dirty, getting out into the environment, and she had
some interesting takes about how environmental her environmental story was
kind of portrayed in the media.
Speaker 4 (43:36):
So I just want to ask her.
Speaker 7 (43:37):
About kind of the nuances between the actual experience and
like how it was portrayed in popular media.
Speaker 2 (43:42):
I'd like to meet her too. Charlotte Rosario, briefly, is
there who who do you inspire that you'd like to
meet and why?
Speaker 5 (43:51):
Back in tenth grade, I had the privilege of listening
to Amanda Nuin speak at a conference in San Antuiniosh
he used to be an activist at Harvard, who has
basically a bill in Congress for sexual assault survivors. And
the crazy part about it is that now just a
(44:11):
few years later, she's pursuing her next dream, which is
to become an astronaut. So she works at Blue Origin
training to go to the moon or yeah, oginally just
go to space someday. So I really am inspired by
how she's taken such a non linear career path and
find that incredible.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
That is incredible, And I just want to say it's
okay to take linear career path. Sometimes you just want
to jump ship and do something different, and it's perfectly okay.
Lilia Poujeide, who would you like to meet and why?
Speaker 4 (44:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (44:47):
So I would probably say Candice Nelson, who's the founder
of Sprinkle's Cupcakes, which is like they have like a
cupcake atm in Chicago. It's like a big cupcake company.
Because initially she worked in tech, I think, and then
she quit her job and went to pastry school when
she discovered a passion for baking. And I just also
want to grow up to be someone who stays in
touch with their passions, whether that be cooking or something else,
(45:10):
and has the courage to pursue them even when it
feels scary and new.
Speaker 2 (45:14):
Well, I don't know Cannice, but I know Bobby Lloyd,
the founder of Magnolia Bakery, who's done very very well
and has Magnolia Bakery is all around the world now
and she followed her passion after working in restaurants. So again,
it's I think a couple of takeaways here. All of
you have focused and done a lot of trial and era.
(45:37):
Some of you, most of you were inspired by seeing
something terrible or experiencing something terrible and making something beautiful
over it. Or you're seeing what the environment is happening
in the environment or to people, and you want to
help improve the environment in humanity. You're not afraid to
take risks. You know how to ask for help. That
(45:57):
is a very important takeaway that you've got to create.
As it says, it takes a village. You've got to
go out and ask for help and not be fearful
of being judged because of your age, or your background
or your identity. You stick to your guns and have
a focus, and I think that all of you've done
some amazing things and I'm excited for your future and
(46:20):
we are taking it and I hope everyone listening feels
the same way. I mean, we need to support all
young people in helping them pursue purposeful initiatives and dreams,
and particularly, of course, I have a soft spot for
doing this for women because it's hard. You know, we
tend to be put in our place and we're not.
We need to create our own space and our own
(46:42):
place for the future. So Pulia Pougetid, Charlotte Rosario, Aria
Aria Guramuki, and Elizabeth de Jali thank you for joining
me on Fearless Fabulous. You you embody what my final
message is to everyone out there, and that is, at
any age, in any stage of your life, you have
(47:04):
the choice to make on how you want to live
your life. People may want to put you in your
place and tell you what you should be doing or
must be doing, but you need to follow your soul
and your gut and the voice inside of you, and
you may make different changes along the way, and that's
perfectly okay. The key is to choose life on your
(47:25):
terms and always choose fearless and fabulous. I'm Melanie Young.
You can follow me at Melanie Fabulous. You can check
out my work at Melanieong dot com, my sub stack,
Melanie Fabulous, my other show, The Connected Table Live Theconnected
Table dot Com. I too, have had many iterations and
the stages of my life. It is perfectly okay to
(47:48):
do that. Follow your dream, follow your gut and that
inner voice, and get out there and do something to
make an impact. Thank you for joining me, ladies, and
good luck to you in the future.
Speaker 5 (48:01):
Stand
The topics and opinions expressed on the following show are
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those of W four WN Radio It's employees or affiliates.
We make no recommendations or endorsements for radio show programs, services,
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Radio It's employees or affiliates. Any questions or comment should
(00:20):
be directed to those show hosts. Thank you for choosing
W four WN Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:43):
Welcome to Fearless Fabulous You. I am your host, Melanie Young,
and I love using this show to spotlight inspiring women.
Each year, I have the honor and privilege of interviewing
the winners of the Gloria Baron Prize, which was founded
in two thousand and one by author Ta Baron. It
(01:05):
was named for his mother, Gloria Barron, an author, and
since then the prize has honored six hundred young people
who reflect the great diversity of America. Gloria Baron was
an environmentalist as well as a successful children's book author,
and a lot of these women who will be spotlighting
today have programs that are geared to helping the planet
(01:28):
and humanity, and goodness knows we could use that right now.
All of these women demonstrate heroic qualities like courage, compassion,
and perseverance as they work to help their communities and
protect the planets. The Baron Prize annually honors twenty five
outstanding young leaders who have made a significant positive impact
(01:48):
on their communities or environment. There are fifteen top winners
who each receive ten thousand dollars to support their services
in their work or higher education. You can learn more
about this at www dot Baron b A r r
N Prize dot org. The prizes are awarded at the
(02:09):
end of each year. I am honored to have four
outstanding young women join me today who are Baron Prize recipients.
They represent different backgrounds, different regions of this country, United
States of America. It is the United States of America
program and incredible initiatives. We are going to do four
(02:32):
interviews with four young ladies and I've asked them to
share what they what inspired them to become social impact
entrepreneurs basically at very young ages, and what they hope
to see in the future. My first Gloria Baron Prize
winner is Clelia Pougetide at age seventeen. Now they may
(02:56):
have had birthday since we left did the awards. We're
just present. But she's from Chicago, Illinois, and she founded
Hands Together to Feed Chicago to use her lifelong passion
for cooking to fight food in security and build community.
Lily and her team of volunteers have prepared and served
over eight thousand meals and desserts from scratch for those
(03:17):
in need, and she has built partnerships with a nearly
a dozen Chicago area organizations and shelters where she adapts
her favorite recipes to feed eighty people. Before we went
on the show, she said she was born in Paris
and moved here to the United States at a young Ageklia, welcome, Hi,
Thank you for having me. Absolutely absolutely. I want to
(03:42):
start by just briefly. I did a top line on
what your program is. Tell us what inspired you?
Speaker 3 (03:52):
Yeah, So, like you mentioned, I was born in Paris
and my family's French. So growing up, food and cooking
was a really important part of my own and the
way I connected with others, especially because my grandparents and
my extended family all live in France. So when I
moved here, the only way I could really connect with
them was through food. Every time I went to my
grandma's we'd always be brainstorming a new recipe. Some of
(04:15):
my favorites were kisch Lauren, which is kind of like
a French ham and cheese, flaky crust tart filled with
an egg custard, and our homemade lasagna. The summer after
my freshman year, as well as a summer after my
sophomore year, I worked in labs and hospitals in Chicago's
South and West sides, and taking the bus to work
every day, I would see lines wrapped around the block
(04:38):
for soup kitchens and knew that they were both short
on food and resources and that something needed to be
done about it. So, combining the need that I saw
and the passion that I'd had for cooking since I
was growing up hands together to fi Chikago was kind
of born out of that, and I started by just
reaching out to dozens of organizations, telling them that I'd
always left to cook, I'd had some experience in the past,
(04:59):
and then meeting with them and then seeing if we
could get a program started.
Speaker 2 (05:03):
How did you reach out to the organizations? How did
you do your research.
Speaker 3 (05:07):
Yeah, so really, I just kind of looked up like
local soup kitchens in Chicago, local shelters in Chicago, and
made a list of over one hundred different organizations, drafted
a sample email where I talked about my experience working
in a catering kitchen. I'd also had some training in
France under a chef who worked at previously worked at
a Michelin Star restaurant, just for a couple of weeks,
(05:29):
so I sent them like a little cooking resume, really
talked about my passion for wanting to help out, and
then I got a couple of responses hopped in some
zoom calls and they kind of grew from there.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
Pretty impressive. I see that you also do a Valentine's
Day bakathon with five local bakeries to deliver more than
fourteen hundred sweet treats to shelters. How did are you
still doing that and us? And how are you growing this?
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (05:56):
So now that I'm at college, I have a team
of high schoolers who were my friends. They were like
a grade under me, who've now kind of taken up
pants together to feut Chicago and they continue the on
site works of things like our birthday parties, our community meals,
and our bacathons. So I'm hoping we're able to make
it happen again this year. And the way that we
(06:18):
kind of got to started last time was I think
sometime in December January I started reaching out to like
shelters bakeries, seeing if they'd be open to receiving donations
and if the bakers be willing to help us out
by donating baked goods, because a lot of bakers have
like leftover day old baked goods which they're willing to
donate typically. And in terms of volunteers, I've recruited a
(06:39):
lot of my high school friends as well as past
volunteers we'd had to like bake cookies, bake cupcakes. So
I'm hoping it's something we can make happen again this year.
I think it'll be a little bit more difficult since
I'm not going to be in Chicago, but the girls
are really motivated, so I think they'd be excited about
doing it, And in terms of expanding it, I think
it'd be fun if we could try to reach more
(07:01):
shelters and partner with more bakeries. But I think probably
the most feasible way to expand it would be to
do this not just for Valentine's Day, but say, you know,
for Easter, for Christmas like, which would be like way
in a long time, or like just for like other
like various holidays throughout the year.
Speaker 2 (07:18):
Absolutely, it's definitely something that should be a year round program.
Where are you in college now.
Speaker 3 (07:25):
I'm currently at Yale. I'm planning on studying electrical engineering
and economics, but I'm still not entirely sure about that.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Oh that's it. That's what we call a solid career choice.
So what does what if you learn from this experience?
Your takeaways?
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Probably two of the biggest takeaways, the first being that
food truly is a bridge to other people and other cultures,
which is something I kind of had an idea of
growing up, but I think it's something I really saw
come like in reality, realized when I started doing this
work with Hands Together to FI Chicago. You know, the
bonds I've made both at the shelter staff, the volunteers,
(08:07):
guests that are meals and parties has been really heartwarming
and really exciting for me. And I'm so thankful to
still be in contact with a lot of them, and
I've also learned through a lot of conversations with guests
the value of listening to everyone's story and the sincerity
and background that each person brings to the table. A
lot of these guests come from difficult backgrounds and also
very varied backgrounds, and so it's been really valuable to
(08:30):
learn from them and to hear the diversity of people
that are in my local community. I think some of
the takeaways that I've gained also come from the challenges
we faced, which were primarily logistical and like partly personal.
Probably the biggest one was that at the very beginning,
I was really hesitant to reach out to organizations and
even bakeries for a bagathon. I was pretty confident they
(08:52):
wouldn't want a teenager in charge of their meals, or
they wouldn't really want to donate, because, like, I didn't
really think it was like that big of a thing
that I was doing. What I really quickly learned, however,
was that people are very, very willing to help, even
if you don't know them. If you just reach out
and you take that jump, most people will be willing
to help in some way, or if not, forge you
(09:13):
to someone who can help and another thing which was
mainly logistical that we struggled with, I would say, was
scaling the recipes for such large amounts of people and
adjusting them to fit pantry ingredients, because we don't always
have a good idea of what we can expect when
we're working with shelters, just because since ingredients are typically
donated by the Chicago Food Depository or schools, it's a
(09:35):
lot of canned food, a lot of sweet potatoes, strangely
a lot of rice, and so as I kind of
figured it out, I made a PDF including some of
my favorite recipes which I already scaled to serve eight
to one hundred people, as well as some tips and
tricks for structuring large batch meals and working with common
pantry ingredients, which since then I've shared on my website
and with volunteers nationwide to make it easier for other
(09:57):
people to start cooking their communities. The takeaway I went
from that is that you can always help, like you
helping people will inspire others to also start helping other people,
and just I've been really surprised at how helpful and
how willing to volunteer people have been throughout this whole endeavor.
What is your website hands together to Fichi cargo dot com.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
And I also see that you've done a cookbook.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
Right, Yes, yeah, that's the recipe PDIAF.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
That's terrific. I think this is wonderful. Did you partner
potential with Ladon Discaffie's chapter in Chicago? I didn't know, Okay,
I will. I'm a member of Ladon Diascaffe, which is
an international organization of women committed to philanthropy in fine wine,
food spirits and hospitality. So I'll make sure I connect
(10:49):
you because they would like to hear about this. Thank you, Clelia,
really great and becoming. Because I have a food background,
this one really hits hard for me because it's we
really don't want to see people go hungry. And I
think the takeaway of learning to listen is really important.
A lot of these people do have hardship and a
lot of people and no one talks to them. Often
(11:10):
they are just stepped over, ignored, and nobody even will
look people in the eye, and so listening is very
very important so they feel that they have a connection.
The next baron Price whenever we're going to be speaking
with is Charlotte Rosario again. Every single one of all
four of these women started their programs in their teens.
They may be a little older now, but at age
(11:32):
seventeen is when she won the Baron Prize. She's from Hillsboro, California.
She founded the Community Photo Booth to use the power
of youth and photography to address needs in her community
and around the world. Her collective of young photographers has
held more than five hundred and fifty donation based photo
shoots to raise over forty thousand dollars for global costes
(11:54):
that are often overlooked. The groups photographed three thy five
hundred individuals using their cameras for good. Charlotte, congratulations, I'm
curious what inspired you to found the Community Photo Both.
Speaker 5 (12:11):
Thank you so much for having me. Absolutely really, my
story of launching the Community Photo Booths started at age twelve.
My story really kind of began during the start of
the pandemic when my dad actually passed away by suicide
(12:32):
just a few days before the shutdown, and it was
a really difficult time for me and my family, and
photography really became an escape for me that summer, an
excuse for me to get outside and see friends through
six feet distance photo shoots, and in particular that summer,
(12:54):
I heard about first responders who were struggling at my
local hospital. I heard about families who were struggling with
food insecurity, and it made me realize that I wasn't
the only one struggling with invisible or unseen needs during
this pandemic. And that's when I had the idea. You know,
(13:16):
families were asking, hey, can you take my holiday card photos?
And it hit me that I had a way of
raising funds to help out people in my community. And
so that's really when I had the idea to merge
the two photography and philanthropy, and that's really when the
Community Photoboop was born.
Speaker 2 (13:37):
Well, Charlotte, first of all, I'm really sorry to know
that your father committed suicide. I have two family members
who did commit suicide as well at a very young age,
and I know that the mental anguish that leaves the
family left behind fields. Do you have brothers and sisters?
Speaker 5 (13:56):
I do. I actually have an older brother.
Speaker 2 (14:00):
So this is always a hard topic and you're very
brave to talk about it because mental health is something
that thankfully is being discussed because it hasn't for so
many years. And what you're doing is really putting a lens.
You basically rechanneled your grief through creating connection through photography,
(14:24):
which is really amazing. I see that you've done some
really interesting programs through your community photo booth to support
sixteen global causes. Talk to us about that.
Speaker 5 (14:39):
Of course. So over the years, through holding photoshoot fundraisers
as we like to call them, we've supported various initiatives
all around the world, these niches supporting Kenyan youth refugees
by purchasing camera equipment for them. Through the GISM initiatives,
(15:00):
We've supported doctor Tom Katina, who is a humanitarian health
clinic doctor who operates in the war torn Neuba Mountains
in Sedan. We've worked with Ukraine photographers including Julia Coachtova,
who are actively on the front lines photographing the war
(15:22):
and telling stories of families who are struggling. And we
supported organizations that are more local as well, such as
the local food banks in our area and county parks,
various climate action initiatives. So really just wherever there is need,
(15:44):
we really try to hone in and Hu's our bilanthropy
to help.
Speaker 2 (15:49):
How do you find these organizations and are you working
with people to help you.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
Yeah, that's a great question. We have an executive team
of youth who are not only photographers, but are also
interested in getting involved in doing the research and finding
the organizations that we work with. So we meet on
a weekly basis and we'll have our team. We'll do
(16:18):
in depth research trying to just find out what problems
are hitting the hardest in different parts of the world,
and then we'll look into different organizations and individuals who
are working to support their communities but are not getting
you know, maybe the coverage or the financial support that
they really deserve. And that's where we'll start to plan
(16:40):
fundraisers or that'supfic cause. And so right now, especially with
the LA fires, we're already looking into ways we can
support those communities down in LA. Well.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
Photos tell stories, as we know, and we are in
a time where the mental health crisis is going to
be at an all time level of defcon high, particularly
with LA fires. So you are doing a wonderful job
connecting through photography. And you know, I say here that
(17:13):
you've donated thirteen thousand dollars from your twenty twenty two
photoshoot fundraiser to relaunch a mental health program in local
high schools. How is that going?
Speaker 5 (17:23):
Yeah? So, back in twenty twenty two, one of our
fundraisers was for the Ending the Silence program at the
National Alliance for Mental Illness, and we raised thirteen thousand
dollars to effectively relaunch the program after it's shut down
during COVID. And since us relaunching the program, it's been
(17:45):
delivering mental health presentations at high school, high schools, and
middle schools in my county over the last year and
a half and have reached over two dozen schools now,
which is incredible, and that really means that you know,
at each of these schools where there are thousands of students, Uh,
(18:05):
these students are learning about the ways they can support
their peers when it comes to mental health, learning the
warning signs and really hopefully giving on the life saving
toolkits of how they can you know, keep their friends
and family and healthy.
Speaker 2 (18:24):
It's fantastic. I think it's really important just to note
right here, I think it's three one one is a
suicide hotline for anyone. It's sorry. Nine to eighty eight
is the suicide and crisis lifeline that has been set
up if anyone is feeling anxiety and goodness knows, this
is going to be a long haul situation with Southern
(18:48):
California Mental Health. But it's it's a lot of things
as we see the planet and people. It's it's you know,
I live in New Orleans and miss the terrorist attack
by forty five minutes. I'm Bourbon and Canal and it
here the anxiety of a community. Charlotte, are you in
college now? Are still in high school?
Speaker 5 (19:08):
I am a senior in high school.
Speaker 2 (19:10):
And what's the name of your high school? Give it
a shout out.
Speaker 5 (19:14):
I go to the Nueva School. It's in Sanato, California.
Speaker 2 (19:19):
No, your principal and teachers and classmates must be really
proud of you.
Speaker 5 (19:25):
Thank you.
Speaker 2 (19:25):
What's your website for more information?
Speaker 5 (19:29):
My website for the community photo groups is just Community
photo Booth dot com and you can head over there
some more instaation.
Speaker 2 (19:38):
All right, just so our listeners know, I'm going to
leave a little time at the end to ask each
of these guests one last question, but we're going to
move on to the third of four Baron Prize winners
on the show today. Aria Gurumuki at age fifteen. I
think it's sache Texas, so correct me if I'm wrong.
(19:59):
Invented a novel catalysts to improve upon the bionic leaf technology,
a solar powered device that mimics photosynthesis to create a
highly efficient alcohol based fuel from water, sunlight, and bacteria.
She hopes her clean, sustainable energy source can reduce our
dependence on fossil fuels and reduce energy insecurity for people
(20:21):
in low income and remote communities around the world. Her
work was inspired. Well, I'm going to let her explain
why her work was inspired because it's a very great story. Aria.
Speaker 6 (20:30):
Welcome, Hi, Thank you so much for having me today.
Speaker 2 (20:34):
So what inspired you to focus on this bionic leaf
technology and the environment?
Speaker 6 (20:43):
Yeah, so, I think a couple of years ago, Texas
had a massive winter storm and within my family specifically,
we didn't have power for around two weeks. And I
remember the outcome of that winter storm being that dozens
of people lost their lives due to the lack of energy,
and it really got me thinking about how unstable our
current energy sources are. And so I remember doing some
(21:05):
research online and kind of figured out that current energy
sources like lithium, my own batteries, and fossil fuels are
not only extremely expensive, but they're also not environmentally sustainable,
and so I think I really got into starting to
do some research into developing a sustainable energy source that
could not only produce efficient energy, but would also be
(21:25):
cost effective. And so I think after reaching out to
labs and universities, I really started working on the bionic
leaf device and started just creating this idea and prototype.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
So when you say a device, I've interviewed a couple
of interesting people that are harnessing solar power to create
energy and also water, which I'm going to try to
find and introduce you to. Obviously, did you grow up
interested in science as when you were young?
Speaker 5 (21:54):
Yes, for sure.
Speaker 6 (21:55):
I remember when I was small, I'd always be doing
like little kitchen diy and I'd always be my garage
trying to break something apart. My mom didn't really appreciate that,
but I always making or creating new stuff.
Speaker 2 (22:09):
So how hard? What were some of the learning curve
takeaways from creating this device? What were some of your
challenges and the aha moment?
Speaker 6 (22:20):
Yeah, so I think there were definitely a lot of
challenges when I was making this prototype. I remember there
was a specific component of the catalysts that would just
not work, and I think I had to try like
around one hundred times before it could actually work. So
I think one of the biggest obstacles was just making
sure that the prototype was able to work, and it
required a lot of iterations. I think I made more
(22:41):
than a hundred. But I think it was through those
iterations and the constant retrying of me to making this
new prototype where I was I would get these aha
moments where I'd be like, oh, I should probably change
that to see if this works, And then when it
did finally work, the amount of relief I got was
also huge. So I think it was always those little
moments while I was prototype creating my prototype or developing
(23:04):
the idea where I was like, Okay, this could really
make this a better prototype.
Speaker 2 (23:09):
Now, if you read online journals, you emailed dozens of professors,
you worked late nights of a lab in the University
of Texas, and as you said, you had over one
hundred iterations to launch her prototype. Who were your team members,
how did you put together team to help you? And
who are some of your partners?
Speaker 5 (23:29):
Now?
Speaker 6 (23:30):
Yeah, so I think I'll obviously could have never done
this alone. So I remember reaching out to a lot
of universities and professors asking them for advice at first
on what they thought could benefit for my prototype or
what they think I should change, And I remember reaching
out to one particular professor who was not only really
interested in the work I was doing, but was also
(23:50):
conducting similar energy storage research, and so I started meeting
up with him more frequently, and then we really got
together and collaborated on creating.
Speaker 5 (23:58):
This new prototype as whole.
Speaker 6 (24:00):
And I think it's been an incredible opportunity, not only
because of the resources I'm able to get with the
University in Love I'm working with, but also just the
wide connection of networks I'm able to get because of
the various science departments that are there. I would also
say that my teachers have been a huge help when
it comes to this process. Specifically, my teacher, Miss Baker
at my school has constantly been able to give me
(24:24):
advice on my presentation or just kind of know the
nitpicks around the prototype as well, So she's always been
there by support and yeah.
Speaker 2 (24:32):
Miss Baker, we love you. What's the name of your school,
And because you're still in high school, what's the name
of it?
Speaker 6 (24:37):
Yeah, the name of my school is Plano Senior High School?
Speaker 2 (24:42):
And where is pronounced your hometown so may and mispronounced it.
Where is it in Texas with the great State of Texas.
Speaker 6 (24:48):
It's Saxy, Texas, so it's in the Dallas region.
Speaker 2 (24:52):
Okay, I remember those horrible storms, you know, Texas. You know,
let's just talk about the environment Texas. I'm in Louisiana, Texas.
This gets like all the really bad weather before it
gets Louisiana, and I watch Texas carefully because it's just
like the storms are worse and worse everywhere we're going.
And I remember that storm and it must have been
(25:13):
terrible to be so cold and seeing people who were,
you know, suffering from that. So kudos to you, Aria
for coming up with this concept. Now, will you be
taking this when you apply for colleges? What will you
be doing with this?
Speaker 6 (25:27):
Yeah? So, I definitely want to continue my research on
the bionic leaf in the future, and I want to
work towards getting a patent on some sort of the
bionic leaf.
Speaker 4 (25:36):
But I'm also interested in.
Speaker 6 (25:37):
Just material science and genetic engineering as well, so maybe
that's also another pathway I take when I do go
to college. But right now I'm one hundred percent going
to continue my research on the bionic lea.
Speaker 2 (25:49):
And do you have a website for more information?
Speaker 4 (25:51):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (25:52):
So the website is www dot the BIONICLEAF dot com.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
The BIONICLEAF dot com. Remember the Bionic Man probably were
born in the Bionic Man was on the first time,
Alart what bionic was? All right, We're going to continue
on and like I said, I'm going to circle back
and ask h U some more questions and we do
the wrap. But our fourth Baron Prize winner is from Juno, Alaska.
(26:18):
She's actually joined us from Hawaii, so really early there, Aloha.
Her name is Elizabeth dajah Lee. At eighteen, she has
dedicated her work to helping protect Alaska's ecosystems and way
of life by conducting research to help conserve Pacific salmon.
She leads the student arm of the Alaska Science and
(26:41):
Engineering Fair ASEF, a statewide nonprofit that supports STEM education
for youth, and she's also helped raise money to help
send get more students involved in the ASEF. Elizabeth, tell
(27:02):
us how you were inspired to become involved?
Speaker 4 (27:06):
Yeah, so I always grew up.
Speaker 7 (27:08):
I was born and raised in Juno, Molasna, so I
always grew up around the water, around salmon and wildlife,
and actually one of my learning account activities, I guess
when I was about four, maybe two or three, four
something like that, was going to the glacier near my
house and there was always this there's this bridge that
ran over a salmon river run that we had, so
(27:29):
I would like count the fish there, and especially soccat
Salmon was something I always grew up around eating or
just like seeing in the water. So when I grow
on to high school, I knew I wanted to do
something to do with environmental research, and so I talked
to the local NOAH so that's the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, and I asked about what projects they had
(27:50):
going on, and they had a ton of projects going on,
everything from aquaculture to other environmental conservation, growing and help
and things like that. And the DNA was something that
really struckts my interest just because of how fascinating it
sounds sounded. I remember when the scientist was saying that
environmental DNA was something that was very cutting edge they
were working on. So I asked if I could join
(28:12):
the team, and they kind of connecting me to the
head of the genetics department, and I started working on
a project with them.
Speaker 2 (28:19):
How you know, environmental DNA sounds really heavy and serious.
What exactly for the people who don't quite understand what
that is? What does that mean?
Speaker 7 (28:30):
Yeah, So it's actually a much simpler concept than you'd think.
It basically stands for any DNA that an organism sheds
in its habitat. So think about skin cells, or the
fury or golden retriever leaves on the couch, or just anything.
Speaker 4 (28:43):
That they really leave in the environment.
Speaker 7 (28:44):
And you can collect this and it's basically the organism's
environmental DNA, and then you can take it to the lab,
you can sequence it, and after you sequence it, match
it to a database of basically this huge database that
has millions of barcodes in them for all the different
species that we've sequenced so far, and from that you
can tell basically what species are in the area without
(29:07):
having to actually see the species. So this has huge
implications just for wildlife conservation and saving costs and making
it more efficient to count almost count once the technology
is better to actually not just be able to know
what's there, but also how much is there in terms
of the species.
Speaker 2 (29:24):
Now we know that salmon. The salmon has a long journey.
They do an annual pilgrimage south and they make the
pilgrimger north to spawn and then they die after this.
There's a whole story there about the lifeline of the
specific salmon and they are challenged. And what are the
(29:44):
challenges now environmentally to the lifeline of the Pacific salmon
because they have to make this journey they come all
the way up. We're dealing with a lot of environmental
factors now that are impacting Pacific ocean waters and warming areas.
What are some examples of the challenges I kind of
(30:05):
alluded to them, be more specific and how is what
you're doing addressing them to protect them?
Speaker 5 (30:14):
Right?
Speaker 7 (30:14):
So with the warming climate, that's really impacting, oh, just
overall their natural habitat the and it can also impact
their the cycle of the water temperature that kind of
tells them when to migrate. It's also just makes it
harder for them to survive in warming conditions and can
make it harder for the young salmon to survive. And
overall that also just impacts I think it's also to
(30:37):
do with fishing, so maybe not necessarily, particularly the climate,
but also the fishing policy has caused the collapse of
certain salmon species, especially off the coast of California. Alaska,
maybe less so just because the water temperature is still
pretty conducive.
Speaker 4 (30:52):
To salmon right now.
Speaker 7 (30:53):
But overall, my research is about quantifying the species because
the first step to any conservation is to be able
to quantify what species are there, so you can tell
population over time and you can really quantify what impact
different variables are having on the species. And this is
the really interesting thing about DNA is that it's not
just apticable to salmon, because obviously climate change is a
(31:15):
global issue. It's affecting almost every single species on the planet.
So DNA can help be used to quantify any species
that has DNA, So don't just think about salmon, think
about you can even quantify plant species, other water species,
terrestrian species, and even airborne species.
Speaker 4 (31:35):
So you can think about micro organisms.
Speaker 7 (31:37):
And in some studies, DNA has actually been used in
a hospital setting to measure like pathogen spread in different
areas in the hospital. So basically the potential is pretty
boundless limitless with DNA. It just depends on refining the
technology and refining its ability to quantify species overall.
Speaker 2 (31:57):
Really interesting. Are you going to find artificial intelligence? This
is going to be helping you as we get into
this good question. Everybody's talking about artificial intelligence, So I'm
just curious in this area if you think there's any
potential with it.
Speaker 7 (32:16):
Yeah, I think especially with AI, AI has applications and
so many different factors of DNA. I think they can
be used to streamline the database, maybe streamline the matching process.
Speaker 4 (32:26):
Maybe even this might be far fetched, but maybe even.
Speaker 7 (32:29):
Projects sequences of new because we haven't sequenced all the species.
So if artificial intelligence can maybe do more to match
the existing barcodes with what we are what we sample
from the environment.
Speaker 2 (32:44):
So very interesting. So you also created the students Spokesperson's
Board for a se F again, which is the Alaska
Science and Engineering Fair, and raised over sixteen thousand dollars
to send more students to the fair because you saw
that there were a lot of them couldn't afford it,
they were underfunding. What other initiatives are you doing beyond
(33:07):
the conservation in school? How are you working with schools?
Speaker 7 (33:13):
Yeah, so with schools as through the Alaska Science and
Engineering Fair, we reached out to I believe about one
hundred and sixty to one hundred and seventy Alaskan school
So we really wanted to not just to raise money
to have the fair, but also just expand the participation
we have.
Speaker 4 (33:29):
In the fair, and especially for me, was something that was.
Speaker 7 (33:31):
Interesting about the Alaska Science Fair is how geographically diverse
it is. Because Alaska, it's not like you can drive
from one town to the other.
Speaker 4 (33:38):
Everything's very spread out to a huge state. So what
I always.
Speaker 7 (33:41):
Participated virtually actually in the Science Fair, which is unconventional
in terms of science for participation, but I thought that
was a really important factor in expanding access to students
basically in very rural areas. So we wanted to make
sure that students of ural areas, students from backgrounds could
really participate in there, and that was part of our
(34:03):
outreach program through ASF and outside of ASEF. I also
worked on a podcast I'm kind of similar to this,
but it was a future of a podcast where a
few of my friends and I basically in the community
in various fields, published the spot the podcast to Spotify,
and last I checked, we had to reach of listeners
(34:25):
in over in about ten countries, so that was really
fulfilling for us, and it's that my younger friends are
still carrying on right now. And then I also the
first thing I guess I ever started in terms of
STEM was founding just like starting small, but like founding
a math club in my city.
Speaker 4 (34:39):
So that was something that you know, you think.
Speaker 7 (34:41):
Every school would have already, but my city didn't have
a math club at the time, and I was into
competition math going into high school, so I wanted to
take the American Mathematics competitions. There wasn't a way to
do that in Juno, Alaska without flying to Seattle or something.
So my teacher, my amazing math teacher. Actually she's really amazing,
So she and I started the club for that. So
(35:02):
I guess those are my three main STEM organizations.
Speaker 2 (35:05):
That's who was the name of your teacher? Give her
a shout out.
Speaker 7 (35:09):
Yeah, Carol May So she's awesome. She's still teaching in
Juno Douglas High School.
Speaker 3 (35:13):
Right.
Speaker 2 (35:13):
We love teachers. Now, Elizabeth, are you in college now
or going to college or are you a senior in
high school? Where are you now in your education?
Speaker 4 (35:21):
Yes, I'm a yeah, I'm a freshman at Harvard College.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
Right, now, okay, so we've got a Harvard student. Anything
else fantastic? And do you have a website that you
can share at.
Speaker 4 (35:33):
The we were trying to meet up at the Harvard.
Speaker 2 (35:38):
Do you have a website we can share?
Speaker 4 (35:42):
I think she's just internet can out again.
Speaker 7 (35:44):
But yeah, but search of the Future Women of STEM
podcast on Spotify?
Speaker 2 (35:50):
And what's the name of it? The podcast.
Speaker 4 (35:56):
The Future Women of STEM podcast and it's on Spotify?
Speaker 2 (35:59):
Okay, And do you have a website on the website
for that? Okay, okay, thank you. So we have a
little bit of time left, so I'm going to ask
each of you two questions. Pity the first person because
I'm gonna give you a little bit of time to
think about it. But the first one is, you know,
(36:20):
you're all still young, so I want to I want
you to tell.
Speaker 3 (36:24):
Me what.
Speaker 2 (36:27):
You would love to see happen in the future with
your life. Obviously, life changes, so you can have many
iterations of it. I want you just to briefly think
about that. And also what it means to be honored
you each of one receive ten thousand dollars to support
your work or higher education. And lastly, who is the
(36:48):
one person you admire that you would love to meet
and why. Okay, so mole that over. While you're mowing
that over, I'm just going to reiterate that we've been
talking with the four of the winners of the Baron
Pies barn Is BA ro N Prize, so Barrenprize dot org.
If you have or know someone who should apply who's
(37:11):
doing some amazing things these This prize honors annually twenty
five outstanding young leaders who've made a significant positive impact
on their communities or environment. So I'm going to ask
Clei a pougetide a Hands Together to Feed to Chicago,
what would you like to see happen in the future
(37:31):
with your goals and dreams and who is the person
you inspire that you'd like most to meet and why?
Speaker 3 (37:38):
Yeah, of course. So in the future, I'd really like
to work with biotech companies, helping them to obtain financing
so that life saving medical innovations can reach the market,
which initially sounds pretty unrelated to Hands Together to Feed
Chicago and cooking in general, but it's actually something I've
grown increasingly interested in over my time working in Chicago
(38:00):
and three Hands Together to fea Chicago. So I mentioned
this a little bit earlier on but over the summers
I worked at Rush Hospital, the Illinois Institute of Technology,
as well as Northwestern University, and I studied a variety
of things, but by far what interested me the most,
and I think kind of a common threat that titled
my research together was the way that our environments, so
(38:21):
our diet, our neighborhood, etc. Can actually shape our health
care outcomes in a way that is really surprising. And
then working directly in Chicago's impoverished neighborhoods, you know a
lot of them food deserts. A lot of these people
didn't have regular access to nutritious food. Threw hands together
to Chicago gave me a real life glimpse at how
our environment can really shape our long term health and
(38:42):
direct changes that we can make as community members. And
so now, because of both my interest in science as
well as the work I've done in Chicago, I'd like
to work with firms in the genetics and healthcare space
in the future to ensure more accessible healthcare treatments, especially
preventive healthcare treatments, and better outcomes for all.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
Wonderful, It's very good. Thank you, Charlotte, Rosario, a founder
of Community Photo Booth, same question to you, what do
you want to see happen in the future with what
you're doing? And you didn't. Clearly you didn't tell me
who you'd like to meet. We may not let me
wait for that. Let's get through this part and see
if we have the time. Charlotte, what would you like
to see happen in the future with what you're doing?
Speaker 5 (39:24):
First things first, I'd love to see the Community Photo
expand keep growing nationally and hopefully someday globally, empowering young
people all around the world to take cobbies that they have,
whether it's photography or filmmaking or even things or into sports, music,
(39:46):
and find ways they can use it as a force
for good, for fundraising and to really put their efforts
back into serving their communities. So we'd love to really
expand expand our efforts going forward, and on a more
personal level, you know, going into college next year, I
(40:07):
really love to keep finding ways I can leverage kind
of unconventional ways to work on humanitarian issues. My dream
is to someday launch and lead a social innovation lab
that works on bridging emerging technology and creative mediums like
(40:28):
art or photography really specifically to create solutions, especially for
issues like the mental health crisis.
Speaker 2 (40:36):
Fantastic. Where will you be going to college right now?
Speaker 5 (40:40):
I'm currently leaning towards Stanford, but I'm going to finalize
my decision in the spring.
Speaker 2 (40:47):
Okay, good luck, Ariah, go to Mookie. Talk to me
about what you're going forward, what you'd like to see
happen with your initiative.
Speaker 6 (40:58):
Yeah, so I think in the future, definitely, I'd love
to see the bionically if expanded internationally to where low
income communities, but just communities all across the world are
using the bionical leaf in place of current existing energy
source mechanisms like fossil fuels and lithium ion batteries. But
I also think for in the future when it comes
to my personal plans, I really want to continue research
(41:19):
on energy storage methods in general, So whether that be
developing another prototype or continuing to work on the bionic Leaf,
I really want to do something in research where I'm
developing and innovating something new. But I also think if
there was one person I would want to meet, it
would be Greta Thunberg, just because of her passion for
(41:40):
environmental activism, but also because of the fact that despite
criticism that she receives, she continues on to not only
become passionate about environmental actimism, but she continues to support
the one thing that she truly does love, and that's
a really admirable quality.
Speaker 2 (41:55):
She sticks to her guns. Thank you so much, Elizabeth
doaja a Lee. Do you know Alaska? What do you
want to see happen in your environmental efforts to help
the Alaska fishing fishermen and the seafood industry.
Speaker 8 (42:14):
Yeah, so I'd like to see EDNA more implemented in
our places, like you, Noah, in terms of fisheries quantification
and just fisheries monitoring overall.
Speaker 4 (42:25):
So I think DNA really needs to be developed further.
Speaker 7 (42:28):
So if i, Noah obviously puts quite a bit of
funding towards projects like this, so I think that's a
great step towards developing it to make it ready for implementation.
Speaker 4 (42:36):
But I'd really like.
Speaker 7 (42:37):
To see it also applied to you know, other species
and other applications, to hospitals, to airborne species and everything
like that. So I just think it has super huge
potential and a variety of spaces outside of fisheries too,
So that's really where i'd like to see you go.
Speaker 2 (42:53):
Is there anyone you want to specifically meet that you
that inspires you.
Speaker 4 (42:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (42:59):
I think I wanted to meet Jane Goodall actually because
when I was really young, I read an article about,
you know, her whole expedition with.
Speaker 4 (43:08):
Just her whole expedition into.
Speaker 7 (43:09):
The into the woods and with her work with.
Speaker 5 (43:12):
The gorillas and everything.
Speaker 4 (43:14):
So I just I really want to talk to her
about that. And I love field work.
Speaker 5 (43:17):
I love field work.
Speaker 4 (43:19):
So I actually went on a glacier expedition.
Speaker 7 (43:21):
There were no other there were no gorillas or anything
like that there, but it was a different kind of expedition.
But I really just appreciated her work getting out her
hands dirty, getting out into the environment, and she had
some interesting takes about how environmental her environmental story was
kind of portrayed in the media.
Speaker 4 (43:36):
So I just want to ask her.
Speaker 7 (43:37):
About kind of the nuances between the actual experience and
like how it was portrayed in popular media.
Speaker 2 (43:42):
I'd like to meet her too. Charlotte Rosario, briefly, is
there who who do you inspire that you'd like to
meet and why?
Speaker 5 (43:51):
Back in tenth grade, I had the privilege of listening
to Amanda Nuin speak at a conference in San Antuiniosh
he used to be an activist at Harvard, who has
basically a bill in Congress for sexual assault survivors. And
the crazy part about it is that now just a
(44:11):
few years later, she's pursuing her next dream, which is
to become an astronaut. So she works at Blue Origin
training to go to the moon or yeah, oginally just
go to space someday. So I really am inspired by
how she's taken such a non linear career path and
find that incredible.
Speaker 2 (44:32):
That is incredible, And I just want to say it's
okay to take linear career path. Sometimes you just want
to jump ship and do something different, and it's perfectly okay.
Lilia Poujeide, who would you like to meet and why?
Speaker 4 (44:47):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (44:47):
So I would probably say Candice Nelson, who's the founder
of Sprinkle's Cupcakes, which is like they have like a
cupcake atm in Chicago. It's like a big cupcake company.
Because initially she worked in tech, I think, and then
she quit her job and went to pastry school when
she discovered a passion for baking. And I just also
want to grow up to be someone who stays in
touch with their passions, whether that be cooking or something else,
(45:10):
and has the courage to pursue them even when it
feels scary and new.
Speaker 2 (45:14):
Well, I don't know Cannice, but I know Bobby Lloyd,
the founder of Magnolia Bakery, who's done very very well
and has Magnolia Bakery is all around the world now
and she followed her passion after working in restaurants. So again,
it's I think a couple of takeaways here. All of
you have focused and done a lot of trial and era.
(45:37):
Some of you, most of you were inspired by seeing
something terrible or experiencing something terrible and making something beautiful
over it. Or you're seeing what the environment is happening
in the environment or to people, and you want to
help improve the environment in humanity. You're not afraid to
take risks. You know how to ask for help. That
(45:57):
is a very important takeaway that you've got to create.
As it says, it takes a village. You've got to
go out and ask for help and not be fearful
of being judged because of your age, or your background
or your identity. You stick to your guns and have
a focus, and I think that all of you've done
some amazing things and I'm excited for your future and
(46:20):
we are taking it and I hope everyone listening feels
the same way. I mean, we need to support all
young people in helping them pursue purposeful initiatives and dreams,
and particularly, of course, I have a soft spot for
doing this for women because it's hard. You know, we
tend to be put in our place and we're not.
We need to create our own space and our own
(46:42):
place for the future. So Pulia Pougetid, Charlotte Rosario, Aria
Aria Guramuki, and Elizabeth de Jali thank you for joining
me on Fearless Fabulous. You you embody what my final
message is to everyone out there, and that is, at
any age, in any stage of your life, you have
(47:04):
the choice to make on how you want to live
your life. People may want to put you in your
place and tell you what you should be doing or
must be doing, but you need to follow your soul
and your gut and the voice inside of you, and
you may make different changes along the way, and that's
perfectly okay. The key is to choose life on your
(47:25):
terms and always choose fearless and fabulous. I'm Melanie Young.
You can follow me at Melanie Fabulous. You can check
out my work at Melanieong dot com, my sub stack,
Melanie Fabulous, my other show, The Connected Table Live Theconnected
Table dot Com. I too, have had many iterations and
the stages of my life. It is perfectly okay to
(47:48):
do that. Follow your dream, follow your gut and that
inner voice, and get out there and do something to
make an impact. Thank you for joining me, ladies, and
good luck to you in the future.
Speaker 5 (48:01):
Stand
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