2025 YF Block Party Zine by Young Futures

PLAYBOOK

MADE POSSIBLE BY

THIS ZINE BELONGS TO

THEIR FAVORITE COLOR IS

ST WELCOMETO THE EVER YF BLOCK PARTY, We’re so glad you’re here. Look around — everyone in this room cares deeply about young people and is bold enough to imagine something better for them. That’s not an accident. So many of you have been at this for years. We saw the ingredients of a thriving ecosystem and have been privileged to help bring it together. Today, we get to celebrate what that community has made possible. We’re here to lift up the Young Futures Innovators: youth leaders and the adults who work with and for young people — all doing the daily work of helping preteens and teens thrive in a tech-filled world. Their work is hard, and they lead with creativity, clarity, and heart. Today is their moment. This gathering is also yours. A chance to connect across organizations, generations, and lived experiences. To have the kinds of conversations that remind us we’re building something bigger than any one project or institution. We’re grateful to Pivotal, Hopelab, and Pinterest for helping make this day possible, and most of all, we’re grateful you’re here.

CEO, YOUNG FUTURES

ARRIVAL&BREAKFAST

WELCOME TO THE YF BLOCK PARTY Hosted by

KATYA HANCOCK

DR.KRISTINE GLORIA

10 :25 THE STATE OF DIGITAL TENSION Panelists include

MADDIE FREEMAN

ABBY BINDER

ARIELLE GEISMAR Moderated by TREY LEVEQUE

11 :10 WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW Panelists include

LARZ MAY

JAKE STIKA

CHARLOTTE DUNGAN

Moderated by TRISHA PRABHU

11: 55 LUNCH & NETWORKING

01:20 AIASDESIGN, NOTDESTINY Panelists include

TESIA ZIENTEK

NEHA SHUKLA

LAURENBUITTA Moderated by KELSEY NOONAN

01:55 COHORT EXPLORATION 20 ASKLISA LIVE! 01::45 03 Panelists include

DR.LISA DAMOUR

DYLAN KEITH HUMPHREY

M 04:25 THE REALYOUNG PRODIGYS PERFOR

04:45 YFAWARDSCEREMONY 05:30 THE FAMILYTABLE: DINNER 07: 00 LINE DANCING

W TO O H

MAKE THE MOST O

F T DAY O

Leave your to-do list at the door Put your phone in your pocket (unless you’re posting — we love that)

Say hi to someone you’ve never met Ask the person next to you what brought them here Let a conversation go somewhere unexpected

The most valuable thing that happens today might not be on the agenda. It might be the connection you make over lunch, the idea that surfaces while you’re lounging in the sun, laughing together as you trip over your feet line dancing, or the reminder that you’re not doing this work alone. Be here. That’s enough.

SOCIAL SHARING GUIDE

rty2026 Tag @YoungFuturesOrg and use #YFBlockPa day. so we can share your favorite moments from the

POSTING PROMPTS y2026 is… One idea I’m taking with me from #YFBlockPart

rt name], Check out this amazing work YF Innovator, [Inse from [Insert org] is doing on [Insert topic] ... ecosystem This is what it looks like when people across the people. g come together to build a better future for youn

HASHTAGS #YFBLOCKPARTY2026

TAG US @YOUNGFUTURESORG

Tag speakers, partners, and featured YFIs.

CONTENT IDEAS

SPEAKER MOMENT you Share a quote, reflection, or big idea that stopped add and in your tracks. Tag the speaker when you can, one sentence on why it mattered to you.

YFI SPOTLIGHT

Highlight a Young Futures Innovator, organization, or idea you want more people to know about. Tell your audience what they are building and why it deserves attention.

BLOCK PARTY RECAP

CAPTION

Post the moments that made the day feel like a Block Party: the conversations, the coffee, the awards, the performances, the line dancing, and the in-between magic. End with one takeaway you are carrying forward.

s, new At #YFBlockParty2026, I’m leaving with fresh idea possible connections, and a deeper belief in what becomes people. when we build across the ecosystem for young a more Grateful to be in the room with leaders imagining connected, joyful, and youth-centered future.

CONGR ES UTH O S S ROLL ST

eopletiques, p u o b , ts aracter Boo main-ch d , n a , g n SoCo watchin alk dow w a e t k le Ta ps, and energy. few sho a to in t. s pop o the re Austin d

T S O G DO T HIN JO’S + MURAL MOMENT Coffee first, photo second. Swing by Jo’s and snap one of Austin’s most iconic mural moments while you’re there.

LADY BIRD LAKE RESET Need a breather? Take a walk along Lady Bird Lake for skyline views, fresh air, and a quick mental refresh between plans.

CAPITOL STOP

For a quick hit of history and a very solid photo op, head to the Texas State Capitol and wander the grounds like a local.

U S A TIN IN

BATS AT SU NS E

It does no t get more Austin than this. Catch the Congress Avenue B ridge bats at dusk fo r one of the city ’s most ico nic nighttime moments .

Met someone from the Call Me Maybe Cohort

Posted on social media using

#YFBlockParty2026

Heard a line that made me pause

Added something at the zine station

Met someone from the Under Pressure Cohort

Met a 2026 YF Awardee

Met someone from The Lonely Hearts Club Cohort

Connected with a potential partner on LinkedIn

Took a pic at the Pinterest & YF Cafe

Had a conversation I want to keep going

Sent a Wish You Were Here! postcard

Met someone from the Here Comes the Fun Cohort

Wrote down a future idea

Chatted with somebody on the YF Team

Met someone from the Oops!...AI Did It Again! Cohort

Line danced

HEAD TO THE

ZINE

STATION COLLAGE

DOODLE

ANSWER PROMPTS & MAKEYOUR OWN MINI PAGE FROM THE DAY! AT THE

CAFE

BUILD YOUR BOARD

What’s on your Block Party board today?

THIS PAGE IS FOR NOTES, SKETCHES, AND

BIG IDEAS!

BOOT, SCOOT, AND MAKE IT YOURS

Color it in, add the details, and deck out these cowboy boots and hat with whatever flair feels most like you.

THIS PAGE IS FOR NOTES, SKETCHES, AND

BIG IDEAS!

SAVED FOR LATER

What from today are you saving for later?

THIS PAGE IS FOR NOTES, SKETCHES, AND

BIG IDEAS!

FUTURE YOU PINNED THIS

It’s one year from now. What would future-you want to remember from today? I’m glad I started...

I stopped shrinking when...

The room changed me by...

I want to stay in touch with...

I’m bringing this home with me...

THIS PAGE IS FOR NOTES, SKETCHES, AND

BIG IDEAS!

WHO’S AT YOUR DREAM TABLE?

Write the names of the people, orgs, or collaborators you’d invite into your next big idea.

THIS PAGE IS FOR NOTES, SKETCHES, AND

BIG IDEAS!

INTERNET WE DESERVE

Create a mini mood board for the internet young people deserve.

THIS PAGE IS FOR NOTES, SKETCHES, AND

BIG IDEAS!

THE WHAT’S-NEXT PINBOARD Make a pinboard for what’s next. Words, doodles, symbols, colors, quotes, names—anything that feels like the future you want to help build.

THIS PAGE IS FOR NOTES, SKETCHES, AND

BIG IDEAS!

Wish you were here! Inside your playbook, you’ll find a Wish You Were Here postcard from the Block Party, powered by Pinterest. Stop by the zine station to decorate your postcard, write a note to someone you wish was here and drop it in the mailbox for us to send. It’s a fun way to share a little piece of the Block Party with someone beyond Austin.

ET THE E M

INNOVATORS

Meet the YF Innovators from across our five cohorts: The Lonely Hearts Club, Under Pressure, Call Me Maybe, Here Comes the Fun, and Oops!... AI Did It Again. During the cohort exploration time, take the opportunity to meet as many YF Innovators as you can and learn more about the work they’re doing to support teen wellbeing. After you connect with someone, grab a sticker and place it on the right side next to their name. The first 10 people to collect 7 stickers and bring their playbook to the check-in table will receive a special surprise from Young Futures.

LARISSA

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#HALFTHESTORY

Larissa May founded #HalfTheStory to help young people build healthier relationships with technology through education, advocacy, and screen-free connection.

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SESAME3G

Lewis Bernstein leads Sesame 3G, an intergenerational model that brings preschoolers, teens, and older adults together to build empathy, belonging, and real-world connection.

ONELY THE L B TS CLU HEAR E LENG CHAL AGAPI.TEENS

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Niobe Way is co-creating Agapi.Teens, an AI-driven tool designed with youth to strengthen relational intelligence and deepen human connection.

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DIANA TU

Diana Turner leads Be Loud Studios, where radio and storytelling help young people build confidence, creativity, and voice.

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JOSH TH O

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BELOUDSTUDIOS

CIVICS UNPLUGGED

Josh Thompson leads Civics Unplugged, an intergenerational community that gives young people the training, funding, and support to become civic innovators.

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HIP HOP N2 LEARNING (HHN2L)

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NYREE C L

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NyRee Clayton-Taylor leads Hip Hop N2 Learning, using the lived experience and creativity of Black youth to spark self-awareness, expression, and positive change.

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LUKE WA L

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ONLY7SECONDS

Luke Wall leads Only7Seconds, an organization working to end youth loneliness through awareness, education, and everyday acts of connection.

TRISHA P

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RETHINKCITIZENS

Trisha Prabhu leads Rethink Citizens, a youth-centered movement equipping young people to confront cyberbullying and build safer digital communities.

WEAREFAMILY

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RUGGE O RI

DOMENI C

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Domenico Ruggerio leads We Are Family, a nonprofit creating life-affirming community and support for LGBTQ+ young people in South Carolina.

TONY WE A

WEIRD ENOUGH PRODUCTIONS Tony Weaver, Jr. leads Weird Enough Productions, using diverse storytelling to help young people feel seen, understood, and supported.

NDER THE U RE U PRESS GE LEN CHAL

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ANAHITA

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AGENTS OF INFLUENCE

Anahita Dalmia is the producer behind Agents of Influence, a spy-themed media literacy game that helps teens understand misinformation, online influence, and digital identity.

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CALIFORNIA PARTNERS PROJECT Carolyn Gan leads California Partners Project, advancing child wellbeing and equipping caregivers with tools to help young people navigate techfilled lives with more balance and confidence.

ARIELLE G

Arielle Geismar, former co-chair of Design It For Us, led a youth coalition giving young people real agency in shaping safer and more supportive online platforms.

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JULIANA

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DESIGN IT FOR US

ZANO O L

DESPIERTA

Juliana Lozano founded Despierta to empower Latinas through culturally responsive mental health support, education, and leadership development.

GIVETHX

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SMAR I E

Mike Fauteux co-founded GiveThx, which uses gratitude science to reduce stress and strengthen school communities through care, belonging, and connection.

VALERIE G SAMIN B H

GIVE US THE FLOOR

Valerie Grison-Alsop founded Give Us The Floor to create a safe, research-driven space where 2SLGBTQIA+ teens can speak honestly, support one another, and heal.

NDER THE U RE U PRESS GE LEN CHAL

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LOOKUPP

Samin Bhan co-founded Lookupp, a mobile app that uses behavioral science to encourage more in-person connection by rewarding young people for putting down their phones.

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MADDIE F

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EMAN E R

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SON-A RI

NOSO CONNECTION COLLECTIVE Maddie Freeman founded NoSo Connection Collective to help young people build healthier relationships with technology through digital wellness education, mindfulness tools, and peer-led programs.

REGISHA

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PAUSE 4 PEACE FOUNDATION Reggie Rijkaard leads Pause 4 Peace Foundation, a global initiative helping youth and caregivers build mindfulness, digital citizenship, and emotional resilience.

MICHELL

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THE RITHM PROJECT

Michelle Culver founded The Rithm Project to help young people strengthen meaningful relationships and social-emotional wellbeing in the age of AI.

CHALLENGE SUCCESS

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BE E MAY M L L CA E LENG CHAL

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AI CA TS

ELL KW W

KIMBER LY

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LV CU ER

Kimberly Tsai Cawkwell leads Challenge Success’s student-centered work to help schools co-create phone policies that support wellbeing, engagement, and belonging.

MARCUS

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COLORADO EDUCATION INITIATIVE Marcus Bratton is helping student leaders across 13 Colorado districts design and implement phone-use solutions that are shaped by the people most affected by them.

E MAYB E M L CAL E LENG CHAL

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ATALI N

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ALEX LE E

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HEALTH CONNECTED Alex LeeNatali leads Health Connected’s effort to pair teen co-designed phone policies with a neuroscience-based digital literacy curriculum in

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BE E MAY M L L CA E LENG CHAL

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LMANL I

KHEAD AN B

VALERIE T

Bay Area schools.

HOLMES COUNTY CONSOLIDATED SCHOOLDISTRICT Holmes County Consolidated School District is launching a student-led approach to phone use that combines Yondr pouches, digital literacy, l and peer mentorship to support more intentiona school-day habits.

DR. JENN I

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THE SOURCE SCHOOL Dr. Jennifer Chace is using student-led citizens’ assemblies to help students, parents, and educators collaboratively design a school phone policy rooted in dialogue, trust, and shared

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SCHOOL DISTRICT OF PHILADELPHIA OFFICE OF SCHOOL CLIMATE AND CULTURE Daniel Merin is helping the School District of Philadelphia build restorative, student-centered phone policies across five schools through ambassador programs and youth voice.

BE E MAY M L L CA E LENG CHAL

THE POLICY PROJECT

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ownership.

Lindsay Butrum is leading The Policy Project’s work to help Utah schools implement strong, student-informed classroom phone policies with practical tools and training.

ERIN J.K .

SKYSCRAPER GAMES Erin Truesdell co-leads Skyscraper Games, where young people build computational thinking and programming skills by designing games for a massive architectural display.

S COME HERE UN THE F E LENG CHAL

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ALISE DI X

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BOYS&GIRLSCLUBSOF GREATERDETROIT Alise Dixon leads GameSafe, a youth-led initiative helping young people create safer, more inclusive gaming communities through peer leadership and positive norms.

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S COME HERE UN THE F E LENG CHAL

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AMANDA

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LEARNING ECONOMY FOUNDATION Amanda Slavin is building responsible AI tools that help children and the adults around them turn play into shared learning and deeper connection.

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PLAY2PREVENT LAB Dr. Lynn Fiellin leads play2PREVENT Lab, where teens and families co-create evidence-based digital games that support mental health and healthier online experiences.

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TECH UNLIMITED

Beth Rosenberg leads Tech Unlimited, where neurodiverse teens use video storytelling and play to build confidence, identity, and stronger family understanding.

S COME HERE UN THE F E LENG CHAL NEXTGENMEN

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JAKE ST I

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BERG EN

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DR. LYNN

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ELLIN I F

Jake Stika co-founded Next Gen Men and is building a youth-led digital community where masculine-identifying young people can connect, play, and form healthier friendships.

JEN CHIO

Jen Chiou co-created Quest Craft, a collaborative digital role-playing game that helps young people build imagination, connection, and life skills through play.

S COME HERE UN THE F E LENG CHAL

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UNGB O Y

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CODESPEAKLABS

OD LO

DEBRISTRACKERJUNIOR

Kathryn Youngblood leads Debris Tracker Junior, a mission-based app game that makes environmental action feel playful, creative, and social for teens.

ID !...AI D OOPS IN IT AGA E LENG CHAL AISES

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TESIA ZI E

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S COME HERE UN THE F E LENG CHAL

Tesia Zientek leads AISES’s AUNTIE Tech Collective, helping Indigenous girls and nonbinary youth build AI skills through culturally grounded programming rooted in digital sovereignty.

JACQUE S

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UIS O L

CENTERFORPARENTANDTEEN COMMUNICATIONATCHOP Jacques Louis is helping CPTC at CHOP create an educational toolkit that turns parents and caring adults into confident guides for teens

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CODE GIRLS UNITED

Marianne Smith is building Code Girls United’s AI Academy to help rural and tribal girls move from tech users to future AI builders and founders.

ID !...AI D OOPS IN IT AGA E LENG CHAL

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DAWN LA

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navigating AI.

CONNECTICUTSTATELIBRARY Dawn La Valle is scaling an AI-powered creative studio across Connecticut libraries where young people turn their ideas into books, posters, and trading cards while building digital skills.

TAZIN KH

CYBER COLLECTIVE

Tazin Khan leads Cyber Collective’s work to train educators in age-appropriate, trauma-informed digital safety so more young people can become confident digital citizens.

TTA I U

ID !...AI D OOPS IN IT AGA E LENG CHAL

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LAUREN B

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GIRLSECURITY

Lauren Buitta founded Girl Security to help girls and gender minorities build the AI literacy, confidence, and critical thinking skills needed to shape a safer digital future.

INNOVATIONFOREVERYONE

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NEHA SH U

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Neha Shukla is scaling youth-led AI education that helps students navigate disinformation, deepfakes, and algorithmic bias with more confidence and care.

DEMETR I

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JOY EDUCATION

Demetrius Lancaster leads Joy Education, where generative AI strengthens literacy while inviting teens to critically evaluate and reshape the tools they use.

MICHELL

ID !...AI D OOPS IN IT AGA E LENG CHAL

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KQED

Michelle Parker is leading KQED’s co-created AI literacy curriculum that helps educators and teens think critically about how AI shapes media, identity, and creativity.

LETTERSTOSTRANGERS

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Diana Chao is integrating AI into Letters to Strangers to help young people find peer stories that reflect their experiences and build emotional resilience.

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DIANA C H

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ANC A SL U

CHARLO T

Charlotte Dungan is expanding hands-on AI education into rural communities so more young people can see themselves as creators of responsible technology.

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MARIEL E

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MARK CUBAN FOUNDATION

ANUEL M

NOSO CONNECTION COLLECTIVE Mariel Emanuel leads NoSo’s expansion into AI agency, helping teens engage AI not just as users but as advocates, builders, and critical thinkers.

ID !...AI D OOPS IN IT AGA E LENG CHAL

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LEAH CL A

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DUNG E T

PBS NEWS STUDENT REPORTING LABS Leah Clapman is leading Unprompted, a youthled video series exploring how AI is reshaping friendship, dating, and social life from a teen perspective.

TRACY F O

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SCREEN SANITY

Tracy Foster is integrating practical AI guidance into Screen Sanity’s trainings so parents, pediatricians, and social workers can better support young people.

ASTRID V I

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TELEVISA FOUNDATION

Astrid Viveros is expanding Technolochic@s, where university students mentor Latino youth in AI creation, critical thinking, and agency.

URBAN INITIATIVES

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ID !...AI D OOPS IN IT AGA E LENG CHAL

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VICH PE O L

ONTE RC

JULIECH E

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ER T S

Julie Chelovich Perconte leads Plugged In, a sport- and play-based model that brings AI literacy to middle schoolers and helps turn older youth into peer educators.

THE YOUNG FUTURES AWARDS POWERED BY

Celebrate extraordinary leaders helping young people thrive in a tech-filled world through innovation, research, storytelling, activism, and entrepreneurship.

GOODACTORSWITHIN TECH&INNOVATION

MARGARET GARCIA

RAMEEN SAJJAD

Margaret Garcia makes mental health research more accessible for BIPOC young people through Latina Psychology and Llama a La Latina, turning complex information into culturally grounded resources.

Rameen Sajjad brings together data science, diplomacy, and human rights to shape digital policy that centers young people, from Amnesty International to the United Nations.

APUROOPA KAVIKONDALA

RAMIRO HERNANDEZ

Apuroopa Kavikondala helps peers build healthier relationships with AI through mental health storytelling, youth advocacy, and AI literacy that turns students into leaders.

Ramiro Hernandez designs publicinterest technology rooted in ethics, transparency, and community voice, ensuring systems shaping education and opportunity are built with young people.

ARIANA SOTO

Ariana Soto built Coding It Forward into a powerful pipeline for mission-driven technologists, helping young leaders strengthen public systems and public trust.

RESEARCH &ACADEMIA

OLIVER HUANG

OLEKSANDR SHARLAI

Oliver Huang translates adolescent screen use research into public conversation and advocacy, helping young people move from being studied to becoming informed participants in change.

Oleksandr Sharlai uses research to challenge simplistic narratives about mental health misinformation online, bringing nuance and policy relevance to issues affecting underserved young people.

NORA SUN

DAN-MIRCEA MIREA

Nora Sun combines rigorous scholarship with practical care tools, building multilingual mental health resources and opening research pathways for historically marginalized students.

Dan-Mircea Mirea studies how social media and AI shape mental health while creating public-facing tools and content that bring research to broad audiences.

: STORYTELLERS LUENCERS

JOURNALISTS,ARTISTS,&INF

ALEXIS WILLIAMS

ALYSSA GOLDBERG

Alexis Williams uses civic storytelling, design, and wearable tech to turn education into action and expand who sees themselves as a creator of culture.

Alyssa Goldberg reports on AI harms, deepfakes, and women’s health in ways that elevate lived experience and push public conversation toward accountability and care.

ALICE LASSMAN

DAVIDA PADI

Alice Lassman brings Gen Z perspectives into conversations about AI, intimacy, gender, and economic life, making cultural and technological shifts more understandable and urgent.

Davida Padi creates films, platforms, and offline storytelling spaces that help young people reconnect with creativity, expression, and one another beyond algorithmic pressure.

ACTIVISTS PRATIKA KATIYAR

AVA SMITHING

Pratika Katiyar shapes national conversations on youth privacy, surveillance, and AI governance by translating fast-moving tech policy into protections for young people.

Ava Smithing is building youth power at scale, helping drive online safety legislation and a national movement that centers young people in digital policy decisions.

LENNON TORRES

JOON BAEK

Lennon Torres transforms personal experience into public advocacy, pushing for child safety and survivor -centered accountability while ensuring LGBTQ+ voices are not erased or exploited.

Joon Baek expands access to digital rights education across borders, helping thousands of young people understand privacy, cybersecurity, and tech ethics.

ANIKA DUGAL

Anika Dugal mobilizes a youth-led movement for gender equity in AI, advancing protections against deepfake harm and creating pathways for girls to shape technology.

ENTREPRENEURS TARA MANDREKAR

JAY’SHUN MATTHEWS

Tara Mandrekar helps community college students shape conversations about AI and career readiness through programs that turn lived experience into institutional insight.

Jay’Shun Matthews built a fast-growing national network of young Black leaders, creating spaces for mentorship, service, and collective power.

ARIELLE GALINSKY

MADDOX GUERILLA

Arielle Galinsky scales intergenerational connection through storytelling, helping young people and older adults build meaningful relationships that combat loneliness and deepen purpose.

Maddox Guerilla is building national infrastructure for healing through Hidden Healers, directing resources to grassroots mental health work and making space for youth leadership.

ALEX EDGAR

Alex Edgar is reimagining civic participation by creating paid advisory roles for young adults and proving institutions are stronger when Gen Z has real influence.

ADULTSCHAMPIONING YOUTH&THEIRFAMILIES

BECKTENCH

JENNIFER SIEBEL NEWSOM

Beck Tench helps grow the field of digital thriving by partnering with teens on research and translating that learning into open-source resources adults can use.

Jennifer Siebel Newsom uses storytelling, policy, and public leadership to bring families, young people, and tech leaders into conversation about digital wellbeing.

DR. CLAUDIA-SANTI FERNANDES Dr. Claudia-Santi Fernandes advances a research and evaluation model that treats young people as co-creators, embedding youth voice into mental health work from the start.

SARAH GARDNER

KATHERINE MYERS

Sarah Gardner drives corporate accountability efforts that push tech companies to better protect children from online harm and take responsibility for digital environments.

Katherine Myers builds youth-led digital wellbeing programming that helps young people lead conversations about healthy tech use while expanding culturally grounded community support.

ANDREW BRENNEN

DR. ALFIEE BRELAND-NOBLE

Andrew Brennen has built durable infrastructure for youth power, from litigation to participatory funding, helping move young people from consultation to decisionmaking authority.

Dr. Alfiee Breland-Noble has spent decades advancing culturally responsive mental health care for young people of color, proving equity is foundational, not optional.

What story deserves more room?

NOTES

What kind of leadership do I want to practice?

BIG IDEAS! THIS PAGE IS FOR NOTES, SKETCHES, AND

What role do adults need to play differently?

What kind of digital future feels worth fighting for?

What challenged me?

NOTES

What does agency look like for young people in practice?

BIG IDEAS! THIS PAGE IS FOR NOTES, SKETCHES, AND

What collaboration could happen next?

What does belonging feel like in this ecosystem?

What idea stuck with me?

THANK YOU

FOR BEING A PART OF THIS ECOSYSTEM! YOUNGFUTURES.ORG

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YOUNGFUTURES.SUBSTACK.COM YOUNG FUTURES ORG

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