We recently connected with Pranali Vora and have shared our conversation below.

Pranali, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Is there a heartwarming story from your career that you look back on?

One of our most impactful events was hosting a toy drive at Children’s Health Hospital in the Dallas metroplex. Initially, we were uncertain about the turnout and the extent to which our efforts would benefit the hospital. However, we were pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming support from our community. It was heartwarming to witness so many people come together to brighten the lives of children facing health challenges. This event reinforced our belief in our mission and showed us that our community stands united in supporting these children.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Youth 4 Neuro is a fiscally sponsored 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering young minds through engaging podcasts, webinars, interactive workshops, and community outreach. We offer volunteer opportunities in our community and are involved in hosting toy and supply drives to donate to our local hospitals and nursing homes. Our mission is to ignite a passion for neuroscience among youth, encouraging them to explore its vast potential, advocate for mental well-being, and contribute to advancements in neurological research.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Some courses and literature that influenced Youth4Neuro and contributed to our appreciation of neuroscience include various materials. The AP Psychology course is a rudimentary introduction to psychology. Some books and podcasts we recommend are the ‘Hidden Brain’ podcasts, the novel Incognito, and the International Youth Neuroscience Association’s International journal as well as their research. Online research publications such as Science and Psychology Today provoke compelling discussions about developments in mental health. By pulling information from various sources from marginalized communities with diverse backgrounds, our content can cover a wide range of perspectives. Our strategy towards policy seeks to foster inclusivity, which cannot be achieved without it.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

Although Youth4Neuro is a global organization, we are based in Frisco, Texas, meaning that our founders attend public schooling in the United States. There are many mental health discrepancies and examples of rooted injustices prevalent in these schooling systems, so in addition to assembling care packages/deliverables to hospitals on a global scale and establishing chapters to spread awareness, we engage in advocacy. Advocacy work demands resilience and it is very challenging to move forward with advocacy initiatives because students need to mobilize for common goals and lobby through collective action. Despite setbacks and pushback from a few board members, we testified before the Frisco School Board to advocate for improved mental wellness legislation. We outlined specific goals and backed our research with multiple sources. Our reach grew so expansive that content teams from different states began collaborating, which was major progress compared to the initial difficulties we faced in getting an audience with these prominent government officials.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://youth4neuro.wixsite.com/youth-4-neuro
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/youth4neuro/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/youth-4-neuro/mycompany/