Meet Vandana Ramanathan and Aadya Pandey

 

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Vandana Ramanathan and Aadya Pandey a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Vandana and Aadya, 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.

Growing up, I constantly noticed the lack of discussion and vulnerability surrounding mental health. Ultimately, alongside my own experiences with mental health, I noticed the toll this societal stigmatization took on my fellow peers. From these experiences, me and my co-founder, Aadya Pandey, came together to unite under our shared experiences, to fight for more awareness about these issues that go drastically unaddressed. As I navigated my own mental health journey, I couldn’t ignore how these shared experiences illuminated a broader, systemic problem. It became clear that the discomfort and lack of understanding surrounding mental health were not isolated phenomena but part of a larger, more pervasive issue. It was this realization that motivated me and my co-founder to seek true, lasting change.

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?

The Youth Equity Project is a national, youth led nonprofit dedicated to eradicating the harmful stigma surrounding mental health within educational institutions. Our work surrounds conducting policy initiatives to improve the state of mental health resources in schools, sponsoring historic legislation on a local, state, and national level, and working on research publications to open people’s eyes to the facts surrounding mental health disparities. Our work surrounds supporting policy initiatives, conducting research, and spreading awareness about mental health on social media. Additionally, we also have had the opportunity to present at high profile events hosted by schools, universities, and national organizations.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

I think first and foremost, the most important quality in the development of YEP is staying true to our values. Above all else, our passion is simple, to ensure that everyone regardless of who they are can feel like they belong and can access the treatment they need. Staying true to our initial values have enabled us to stay focused on our constant push for progress within the status quo. Another quality is staying determined. At the beginning, we faced many difficulties with our nonprofit, whether it was finding resources, or the negative responses from our peers. However, our determination to provide individuals with a better life has pushed us on our path to improve the lives of thousands of youth all over the country. Another skill that has proved to be incredibly valuable in our nonprofit was our communication skills. Having the skills to public speak, negotiate, and display our vision has been crucial in elevating our advocacy based nonprofit to new heights. For anyone who is scared about starting their journey, I would say this: it will be hard in the beginning, but it will become easier. It always takes time to find a groove, and it can be incredibly challenging to go on. However, staying persistent can truly make all the difference.

How can folks who want to work with you connect?

We always love looking for new collaborations! We offer a wide variety of services and collaborate with many different kinds of organizations, whether they are focused on mental health advocacy, policy centered organizations, youth empowerment, volunteer opportunities, or research. We are always seeking new opportunities to connect with other like minded organizations, specifically ones who focus on youth mental health, cultural empowerment, or LGBTQ+ advocacy. If you are interested in collaborating with us, feel free to contact us at [email protected] or fill out our contact form on our website, youthequityproject.org!

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