Meet Karina Koppikar

We were lucky to catch up with Karina Koppikar recently and have shared our conversation below.

Karina, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I find that in many of my passion projects, I am often the youngest person in the room. When connecting with other authors in the community, I am the only teen. When I spent the summer working at the D.C. lobbying firm, every other intern was an adult. I often find it necessary to get creative when finding ways to be heard because my voice is frequently overlooked in a room full of adults.

For this reason, I am especially grateful to be an Outstanding Phoenix Youth Leader of the Year, an award whose purpose is to amplify the voices of youth in the community. It was such a privilege to connect with others like-minded young people who share my passion for community service and social activism.

It can be difficult to remember that just because I am younger than those around me, I am no less worthy of sharing my opinions or my ideas. The best way to do this is to use every opportunity I can to learn from those around me. I strive to view the adults around me as role models. Each and every person I meet has something valuable to teach me, and this shift in my mindset has made me feel more at ease in circumstances where I am the youngest in the room.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My name is Karina Koppikar, and I am so honored to have been named the City of Phoenix’s Outstanding Youth Leader for 2025. After being lucky enough to be selected as one of 16 district winners and attending the beautiful OPYL luncheon as a representative for District 6, I was chosen as the City of Phoenix’s Overall Winner among the 16 finalists. I feel so blessed to be recognized alongside some of the city’s most motivated, intelligent youth, and I am incredibly grateful to Mayor Kate Gallego and the Phoenix Rotary Club for this incredible honor.

I’m passionate about using the power of literacy to advocate for social change. I love working with kids of all different backgrounds, serving as an ambassador for global nonprofit Loving Library, a volunteer tutor for Ukrainian refugees at ENGin, a founder of My Tasty Table to battle food insecurity, and youth mentor for the Swift Youth Foundation.

I published my first fiction book, Six-Point Star in December 2024 to advocate for religious tolerance. I observed how the students at my school, who were already very culturally divisive, began to use religious differences as a means to discriminate against each other. I wrote Six-Point Star with the aspiration of opening up conversations about religion. I hope that, one day, religion will no longer be used as a source of isolation and that religious differences can be celebrated, not feared.

As a Bollywood dancer, professional commercial actress, and theatre performer, I am also heavily involved in the arts and strive to implement the performing arts into my advocacy work wherever I can.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I believe the three skills that have been the most helpful in my journey so far are public speaking, self-determination, and perseverance.

As an avid musical theatre performer, I have always been passionate about the power of storytelling. A director once told me, “you can be the smartest person in the room, but if you can’t tell a story, no one will listen to you.” I have taken those words to heart and strive to improve my public speaking abilities every day. Bringing my passion for performing into my advocacy and volunteer work has been instrumental in helping me achieve my goals. As president of my school’s mock trial team and a member of the speech and debate team, I have the opportunity to enhance my ability to speak confidently in both interview and presentation settings.

Through self-determination and perseverance, I have developed my sense of independence and problem-solving skills. I try my best to figure things out on my own to the best of my ability before seeking help. When I wrote my fiction novel, Six-Point Star, I had very little guidance and it was easy to become frustrated or overwhelmed by my lack of experience. Often, something as simple as formatting the cover would feel impossible because I didn’t have anyone to help me. However, I persevered, and my book is now published. I am grateful I pushed through the initial stages of difficulty and can now call myself and published author.

Okay, so before we go, is there anyone you’d like to shoutout for the role they’ve played in helping you develop the essential skills or overcome challenges along the way?

There are so many people I wish to thank. I believe everyone is a product of the things that happen to them and the role models that they have, and I have been blessed with some of the best role models there are.

Through companies like Arizona Broadway, Desert Stages, and my own high school theatre program, I’ve met some incredible mentors who helped my develop the confidence and sense of self I needed to push myself beyond my own perceived limits.

I’d also like to thank my teachers at Chaparral High School, specifically Mrs. Anderson, Mrs. Marsh, Mr. Dicus, Ms. Board, and Ms. Bird for not only challenging me in the classroom, but trusting me to serve as a leader on campus.

Finally, I would like to thank my family for teaching my the value of hard work and dedication, and for always being there to cheer me on. I would not be where I am without them.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sixpointstarnovel.com
• Instagram: @karina_koppikar
• Linkedin: Karina Koppikar
• Other: Press Kit: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1XjprQX15CiPg5I73xyCNxDpN_RBarOMG?usp=sharing