We were lucky to catch up with Hannah Testa recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hannah, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
My mother always taught me to treat others how I would want to be treated. That includes other people, animals, and our earth. From an early age, I realized that our daily actions have an impact on the environment. I started Hannah4Change when I was 10 years old with a Facebook page, so if I was doing a fundraiser or drive and collecting supplies and I wanted to spread the word, the people in my community could get involved. Then I got involved in my community and with other organizations. I joined their board or I would volunteer. Not only did I find an amazing tribe of people and have the best time with my new friends, my new family, but they also helped me create my organization, Hannah4Change, an organization focused on educating people on global issues and what individuals can do.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers
I am a 19-year-old student at Vanderbilt University and I am a sustainability advocate. Since the age of four, I have made it her mission to fight for the planet and its future. My passion is protecting people, animals, and the planet through education, awareness, and policy work. I am an international speaker, author, TEDx speaker, and founder of Hannah4Change, a non-profit dedicated to fighting issues that impact the planet.
How did you build your audience on social media?
A social media platform takes time and dedication to build, there isn’t a quick route to gaining a mass following. You have to earn credibility but staying consistent and sharing credible information. Social media algorithms favor accounts that are active, so don’t be afraid to like, comment, and share on different platforms. Create content that is easily shareable: instagram stories is a great tool for people to share out infographics or impactful posts to their audiences which may have not come across your page.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
In 2017, I spearheaded Plastic Pollution Awareness Day in the state of Georgia. This was the first event of its kind nationwide, and was an environmental event watched by interested parties across the world. Approximately 400 people attended in person, and over 75 environmental organizations supported the event. In addition, to attract public and media attention, Hannah partnered with 3 professional artists and several student artists to showcase their plastic pollution art. There were educational and artistic exhibits from these artists as well as mermaids made from plastic debris, a traveling pledge quilt, and a mini car/bike that round around the Capitol Building! The Weather Channel, CNN and several local media outlets followed the day’s events. Despite its success, I faced lots of opposition: many to which were related to the plastic lobby and their political power in the state to benefit themselves. A few weeks ahead of the day, I was notified that I would no longer be able to continue my initiative and all the hard work from the community wouldn’t come to fruition. After negotiations, we were able to continue with the initiative and declare the day: however, I had to give up the opportunity to speak on the senate floor. The following year, after organizing for the second Plastic Pollution Awareness Day, I got to speak on the senate floor in front of all 56 state senators.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.hannah4change.org
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/hannah4change
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/hannah4change
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hannah-testa-45a4a5125/
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/hannah4change