We recently connected with Rizwan Khan and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Rizwan , thanks for joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
Recently, our political and social environment has become increasingly polarized, as each side of the aisle inch towards extremes. In an effort to combat this bifurcation, we at Politics For Teens has taken it upon ourselves to redefine the political climate towards one of hope and unity, rather than strife and argumentation. We have achieved this by creating High School chapters all around the world, with 70+ and counting, that host discussion meetings about salient issues of our time. Instead of debating both sides, we focus on civil discourse and empathy, fostering a sense of understanding about our differing perspectives. At the end of the day, we believe the greatest forms of change and progress stem from the amalgamation of diverse ideas and experiences, channeling the American spirit into advancement for our society.
Rizwan , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
We are most proud of our High School chapters that we have established around the world with over 70+ chapters and 15000+ students incorporated in countries like Botswana, India, Israel, and more. In these chapters, students are tasked with discussing politics in an open and informative format, overlooking preconceived polarization and repudiation of the other side of the aisle. The key to this dialogue is remaining open-minded to new ideas that may provide a more holistic outlook on an issue. Beyond this, we also host political forums and leadership panels with elected officials who provided critical insight into what it means to represent American citizens and how they deal with the growing partisanship in office.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I believe our reputation has been rooted in the key concept of impact and ambition as we have always aimed for new heights, rather than falter in times of hardship. We knew that our mission would generate critics and doubters, but instead of letting the noise get to us, we stuck together and kept working on our craft and goal. By working together and being active, we managed to gradually establish an image of change in our political system. Our success is all about being proactive and sticking together through tempests.
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
This question can be answered through the core tenet of respect and reverence for each other as humans, understanding that everyone has a role to play, not just the “CEO” or “Executive Director”. I have had the blessing with Politics For Teens in learning that it’s not my job as a leader to impose my authority to procure the best results. In reality, it’s showing to each team member that they matter, and their voices are heard in the decision-making process. Our team- Maxwell Stephen, Aaditya Dhar, Aryan Chilakamarthi, Katie Chou, and Khosraw Azizi- all come together to hash out our plateaus in an effort to keep innovating. By including everyone in this process, I have learned crucial strategies and critical thinking skills, while also boosting morale and team bonding. Politics For Teens would not have the success we have without the hard work of my driven and ambitious team, and I am so honored to have been able to lead them in our effort to redefine politics for the next generation of leaders.
Contact Info:
- Website: politicsforteens.com
- Instagram: @politics_forteens
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/politics-for-teens/?viewAsMember=true
Image Credits
Rizwan Khan Ahan Mukherjee