Conversations with a Youth Leader with Kenisha Arora, EP #117

I got a chance to talk with an amazing youth leader who is changing the future of how the next generation can access education. She is the youngest guest I’ve had on the show and I loved hearing her fresh perspective and passion about this issue.

Kenisha Arora is an incredibly ambitious youth advocate and humanitarian from Toronto, Canada. She’s an undergraduate student at Western University studying medical science. She is determined to transform the future of education and serve as a senator at her university. She was a former school board member trustee and is a member of UNESCO’s Youth Network to work on SDG4.

Her experience in the education institution has allowed her to dismantle systematic inequities by leveraging academic policy. Kenisha’s philanthropic passions have led her to study nonprofit organization with her sister. The Hope Sisters are on a mission to spread hope and have helped champion over 5,000 hope spreaders. Kenisha and her sister recently won the Princess Diana award for their social impact.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

  • How starting with a lemonade stand taught her to bring joy in her entrepreneurship (1:24)

  • Why the need for menstrual hygiene education and awareness is necessary (7:21)

  • Why it’s important to keep a balance for your mental and physical health (15:32)

  • How Kenisha and her sister advocate for change through The Hope Sisters (21:06)

  • How she outshines the stereotypes of her generation (26:37)

What inspired Kenisha to become an advocate for philanthropy

As a young girl, Kenisha started her first lemonade stand to fundraise for a girl she met receiving treatment at a hospital. The experience of doing this for someone in need revealed to her the passion and purpose for her life — how she can make more people smile. Later in her teenage years, Kenisha realized that girls her age didn’t have access and education about menstrual products, and that led her to advocate for a change in her school. She realized that silence around access to menstrual care was a bigger issue than most people understood, especially after her friend dropped out of school from not having the access she needed. She gathered her courage and went to the mostly male school board to bring the issue to light. After being told that it was being handled, and nothing happening, Kenisha took action on her own. New policies were passed as a result of her efforts and Kenisha saw the power of her own advocacy.

Whose responsibility it is to change big issues

As Kenisha pointed out to me, education is the foundation for change. Throughout her advocacy, she has only been able to make significant changes after educating the people in power. She understands that the social cultures we have built, especially in our homes, play a big part in people not speaking up for change because of long-standing stigmas. Kenisha grew up in a Southeastern Asian family and the lack of discussion around menstruation that was normal in her family is common in many families as well. Just by starting conversations in your own home, Kenisha says, is a big step towards changing the issues you see.

How depression can hide in generational cycles

Sometimes we might not even realize we have depression, especially if your family or your close circle all feel the same way. The comparison trap of assuming that whatever around you is normal can become a toxic cycle. The solution is to start shifting our internal environment and start promoting balance. It’s so important to understand how to manage your wellbeing overall and how to find happiness within. While these conversations are lacking in the education system right now, Kenisha hopes that future generations will learn how to be human beings in school and not just academic students.

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