Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Brain Waves for Change. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Brain Waves for Change, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
In today’s society, where terms like “schizo” are casually thrown around as insults and mental illness is still viewed as a weakness in academic-driven environments, there remains an undeniable gap in brain health education. This stigma isn’t confined to Westchester, NY. Communities around the globe continue to struggle with misinformation, silence, and shame surrounding these conditions. Educational systems rarely accommodate mental health education, nor do they teach about the vast spectrum of neurological disorders that affect 43% of the world’s population (American Brain Foundation, 2021). Where the curriculum fell silent, I sought to bring brain health education to the forefront of our community.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Brain Waves for Change (BWC) is a fiscally sponsored, student-led 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2024 and based in Westchester, NY. We work with youth located locally and across 5 continents to implement community-based programs that make brain health education more accessible. In turn, we hope to decrease the stigma that surrounds both neurological illness and mental illness. At the heart of our approach is art, a powerful tool that both encourages creativity among participants and makes complex topics feel more approachable.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Our organization’s three pillars have been central to shaping our work throughout our journey.
Education: We’ve partnered with 6 local libraries to lead arts & crafts workshops for children. These lessons focus on neurological health, brain injury prevention, and mental well-being through crafts like play-doh brains or pipe-cleaner neurons. In the past few months, we’ve done a concussion response & design-your-own-helmet event, author storytime & compassion bracelet-making, and various other brain-science “free play” hours.
Community: Our programs focus on connection and service, whether that means art projects at memory care facilities or inclusive programming for children with developmental disabilities. A notable project included donating brain-shaped cards for neurology patients at our local hospital, in honor of Brain Awareness Week.
Collaboration: Working with like-minded youth across the globe is central to our mission to transform the way the world perceives neurological illness. Our team includes Global Engagement Leads from Romania, Nigeria, Brazil, and Pakistan, along with program directors across 12+ countries. It’s inspiring to connect with such bright, like-minded youth, and together, we seek to transform brain health education with unprecedented compassion and creativity
Our advice: Embrace humanity. Listen deeply. Never be afraid to get creative.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
Over the past 12 months, Brain Waves for Change has grown most in its ability to transform ideas into action. We started as a group of 8 students located in Westchester, NY, with a passion for health and a knack for creating societal change. Almost a year later, we stand with over 50 team members located in 14 different countries. From the underserved communities of India to the rural villages of Nigeria and the school systems of Romania, BWC has been steadily building a global network of hands-on community impact. Needless to say, our greatest improvement has been developing the structure, team, and momentum needed to sustain long-term societal change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.brainwavesforchange.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brainwavesforchange/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/brain-waves-for-change
- Other: Contact: [email protected]
Image Credits
Brain Waves for Change 501(c)(3)
