She’s Empowered: Young author offers support to siblings with “I’m a Big Sister Now, Lucky Me” book

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It’s common for children to experience different emotions – from jealousy and nervousness to excitement – when a new baby arrives. For 12-year-old Aubrey Holly, a big sister to three siblings, her experience was all of the above.

“Though some days are challenging, I love being a big sister and I love my sisters,” said the author and self-professed big sister expert. “They are my friends. As a big sister, the responsibility to be a good example, be the bigger person (all the time), and share literally almost everything can be overwhelming and sometimes feel like too much to deal with. That’s why I decided to share my story.”

When she was seven, Aubrey told her mother she wanted to start a business. At the time, Aubrey’s little sister was four years old. She knew she wanted to write and decided that becoming an author would be a way to make a difference. 

“Becoming a big sister was one of the biggest changes that she experienced in her life at the time,” said Aubrey’s mom, Queala Holly. She said I’m going to write on Tuesdays and she did – every Tuesday for a month.”

Aubrey turned those words into the book “I’m a Big Sister Now, Lucky Me,” available at www.aubreykam.com.

“She would write her thoughts down and I would review,” mom said. “She has three younger sisters now. And thinking about the impact big sisters have on the younger siblings, we’re working on developing a community for big sisters.” 

In addition to the big sister book, Aubrey has published the “Be Yourself___You’re Amazing Notebook” and the “Goal Writing and Productivity Planner.”

When Aubrey grows up, she would like to be an orthodontist. 

We know Aubrey will be successful in whatever she puts her mind to. She’s emPOWERed!

Connect with Aubrey:
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She’s EmPOWERed: Eight-year-old Savannah girl sends message of hope with “happy bags” for the homeless

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It is estimated that more than half a million people in the United States are experiencing homelessness. 

While riding along with her mom in their Savannah, Ga. neighborhood, five-year-old Bethany Moultry witnessed people in her community without a place to call home. 

“We were running errands when we pulled up to a stop sign and Bethany saw a man holding a sign asking for help,” said Bethany’s mom, Colleen Moultry. “She cried and asked me if she could break open her piggy bank and give him all of her money.”

That encounter three years ago triggered something in little Bethany that inspired her to move from empathy to action. As a result, she founded Bethany’s Happy Bags for the Homeless.

The “happy bags” are gallon-sized bags chock-full of necessities like personal hygiene items, food, water or juice, utensils and homemade first aid kits. Some may also include items such as hand warmers, gloves, hats, emergency blankets, sun screen, bug repellent and more, but all are packed with hope and a hand-written note of encouragement. 

“I want every person experiencing homelessness to know that I see you and I care,” said Bethany, now 8 years old.

Since launching, Bethany’s Happy Bags for the Homeless has assembled and distributed more than 4,700 bags! 

“From what we have been told by our neighbors experiencing homelessness as well as from our partner agencies, her Happy Bags have literally saved lives,” Colleen said. 

The bags are distributed in Savannah through various channels. Partners like the Savannah Police Dept, Chatham-Savannah Authority for the Homeless as well as several churches and shelters distribute the bags to some of the most vulnerable in the city. 

The work is expanding as the team has begun making bags to distribute in the Hudson Valley area of New York where some of Bethany’s extended family lives. 

In the future, Bethany plans to continue her mission to not only assist her neighbors who are experiencing homelessness, but her main goal to END homelessness. She would like to create an organization that assists with safe, long-term housing, offers mental health services and job training. 

With her passion, empathy and dedication, Bethany is definitely on the path to making this a reality. 

Learn more about Bethany’s Happy Bags for the Homeless at www.bethanyshappybags.com.

Connect with Bethany and her team via social media:

Facebook

Instagram

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She’s EmPOWERed: Maryland Teen Inspires Youth to Serve with Small Things Matter Organization

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For as long as she can remember, Lana Anderson has been involved in her community. As a preschooler, she would make crafts for children as part of the National Institute of Health’s Thoughtful Treasures program. And as a middle school student, she was an active member of her school’s Difference Makers service club.

Those experiences fueled her passion for giving back. And now at 18, she continues to serve and encourage others through her nonprofit, Small Things Matter (STM).

“I started Small Things Matter as a way to empower younger children to serve and create lifelong habits of giving back,” said Lana, who is currently studying biology at the University of Maryland. “Our motto is kid-powered kindness for those in need.”

Small Things Make a Big Difference

Small Things Matter hosts several events and initiatives under three programs: a food distribution program, a literacy program and a crafting for charity program.

Through its food distribution program, STM provides nutritious grocery items to over 1,000 local families each month, totaling about 1 million pounds of food each year. “These fresh produce, dairy and nonperishable items allow families to feed their children healthy, delicious, high-quality meals,” Lana noted.

The Books for Bedtime literacy program provides new books to underserved children and their families in an effort to build a strong educational foundation.

Crafting for Charity gives children of all ages and abilities the opportunity to share their talents with those in need at children’s hospitals, shelters, etc.

Through these projects, STM hopes to nourish children’s bodies, minds and spirits and motivate youth of all ages to give back.

Lana’s work with Small Things Matter has been recognized by numerous government agencies as well as national organizations and businesses.

Thank you, Lana, for all you do to help improve the quality of life for others while being a positive role model for youth!

To learn more about Small Things Matter, visit www.smallthingsmatter.org.

Follow Small Things Matter on Facebook.

She’s EmPOWERed: Third Grader’s Passion for the Planet Inspires Environmental Justice-Themed Book

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Around the world, governments are trying to figure out how to solve the most pressing environmental issues – from air and water pollution to global warming and sea level rise. 

So, what on earth can we do to fix these problems? It may seem overwhelming but the first thing to do is something! 

Meet Aahna Rangnath – an eight year old from California deeply committed to environmental justice. She is an elementary school student who is doing something! Aahna is on a mission to motivate kids to help transform the environment. 

The aspiring author is working on publishing her first book entitled Green Girls.

The book follows a group of three friends who find a magic portal in Hawaii and travel around the world to save the planet.

Aahna, who is of Asian Indian descent, wanted to make sure that the characters in her book reflect the girls in her community. “There are not that many books about girls with brown skin so I made sure all my characters had brown skin, she said. “I want people to know that young girls can be powerful.”

Girls are indeed powerful and have the potential to create world-wide change. 

According to a report from the National Democratic Institute, gender equality is a vital component of climate justice. “Women and girls are, and will continue to be, more vulnerable to the effects of climate change and environmental degradation,” the report stated. 

More women and girls are needed to hold leadership positions and be at the center of environmental activism and governance. 

Aahna is well on her way. When she grows up, she wants to be a scientist. “I want to be a dog scientist because I love my dog and I love science. I do a lot of science projects and I really enjoy them,” she explained.“ I also like doing science projects about water conservation.”

Good luck Aahna. We can’t wait to get our copy of Green Girls. 

She’s EmPOWERed: Meet the 15-year-old political journalist challenging bias in the media

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For many people, finding your passion and purpose can take several years or even several decades. But not for Cassidy Conley. At only 15 years old, she is already making her mark as a political journalist. 

From copywriting in the government and advocacy sectors to curating content for her blog “Let’s Talk Politics,” Cassidy has a wealth of experience . . . and she’s just getting started.

“I found my passion in politics because I wanted to be part of the movement our nation is going through today. I didn’t want to sit idly by complaining about what our nation is doing wrong,” Cassidy said. “I combined my two passions and effectively used my voice for the better of people, especially women, like me; young and resilient.”

In addition to being young and resilient, Cassidy describes herself as funny, intriguing, fierce, bold, bright, joyful and helpful – all of which would make her a great candidate for political office someday. 

After high school, she plans to attend the University of Michigan, major in Public Policy and intern for her state representative’s staff team.

“My service is for the community. It is centered around the community. The whole purpose of my service is to give citizens the best resources and representation,” she said. “Our news resources are very biased, and it is not fair to the upcoming generation to take the brunt of the biased media.”

Finding Balance

Cassidy may be laser focused on her career, but she finds balance in other passions. 

“I love to impact people and help them in any way which is also a huge reason why I am stuck in politics, but other than that, I am a competitive figure skater.”

We are so proud of Cassidy and wish her much success in her life and career.

If you know a girl who is making an impact, tell us about her. We’re continually accepting submissions for She’s EmPOWERed. Learn more here. 

She’s EmPOWERed: Community Service is a Family Affair for Virginia Sisters and NEST4US Founders

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Service to the community is a strong value in the Venkat family household. So it’s no surprise that sisters Shreyaa and Esha are championing causes and inspiring others to do the same.

“Our mom would bring us along to volunteer at school and community events even back in elementary school,” said eldest sister, Shreyaa, 18. “That was when we were first introduced to the world of community service. The giving spirit has always been in our family for generations.”

The award-winning sisters believe it’s our responsibility as humans to give back to the people who need it the most. There are millions of people in the world that don’t have access to basic necessities like food and some don’t even have families or loved ones.

PURPOSE & PASSION

“This is proof that the world needs people to spark change and build a better future. So, we thought, why couldn’t that be us?” said younger sister, Esha, 15. That’s the inspiration behind why they formed NEST4US, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing volunteer solutions to the community to make the world better through kindness.

The sisters have made such an impact in their community and across the country that they have been honored with dozens of awards, including the George H.W. Bush Points of Light Award. This year, Shreyaa was selected for the Clinton Global Initiative University 2021 Cohort by the Clinton Foundation. Additionally, the girls were among the L’Oreal Paris Women of Worth honorees and selected for the Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey.

It’s hard to imagine Shreyaa and Esha having time for anything else with all their NEST4US initiatives. But they do! These fierce founders are both travel soccer players, Kathak dancers, 3rd degree black belts, certified soccer referees and assistant martial arts instructors.

“Many people wonder, how do we manage to balance academics, extracurriculars and still keep time open in our schedules to give back consistently? Well, for us, we believe that you don’t need to have time, you should make the time to help others,” the sisters agreed.

ASPIRATIONS

Currently, Shreyaa is balancing her time as a freshman at Georgetown University majoring in Global Health studies. She aspires to enter the medical field and delve into healthcare management, through which she’ll continue providing aid to marginalized populations who lack equitable access to vital healthcare resources and treatments.

Esha, who is a high school student, is interested in studying neuroscience and/or computer science/animation when she goes to college. “Personally, I want to work in the neuroscience and technology field when I grow up, because I am interested in the brain and all things STEM,” she said.

You can keep up to date with all of the NEST4US initiatives and activities at www.nest4us.org.

Follow them at:

Facebook- @nest4us
Instagram- @joinnest
Twitter- @joinnest4