With election day coming up next week, we need every young person to get engaged in our civic discourse, to care about our collective future and to share their talents and skills to make a difference. My guest today, Kayla P. from Illinois, started the Civic Success Project, an organization dedicated to transforming how young people connect with and participate in civic life - centering youth priorities and helping young people to realize their influence and make meaningful change in their communities. This is an incredibly powerful conversation for this particular moment in our democracy.

Follow and learn more @thecivicsuccessproject and www.civic-success.org

Title IX is federal legislation that prohibits discrimination based on general in any programs receiving federal funding. My guest today is a young woman who cares deeply about ensuring that everyone in her community understands their legal rights under title IX. Rachel, from Orange County, started the Title IX Advocacy Initiative and speaks passionately about the ways that young people who care about justice and fairness can make a difference in their communities.

To learn more, follow at @TitleIXAdvocacyInitiative

There's a common phrase used in mentorship and educational equity circles: You need to SEE it to BE it. My guest today understands the representation matters, and that young people need to see and hear from role models whose lived experiences mirror their own. Munveer S. from Menlo Park, California, started Off the Stage to connect young people to speakers, mentors and role models from diverse backgrounds.

Learn more on the Off the Stage website: www.offthestage.org

Sophie Szew is an incredible mental health advocate, writer and speaker. As an eating disorder survivor and proud Jewish Latina, Sophie combines their own experiences with injustice brought about by mental healthcare inequity with her passion for writing, advocacy, and leadership to uplift the voices of those with lived experiences and fight for the systemic destigmatization of marginalized bodies.

Her writing, under the banner Truth from Today's Youth, can be found at www.behavioralhealthnews.org. Connect with Sophie on LinkedIn.

Pages4Progress is a youth-led organization that is empowering incarcerated voices through literacy and learning. Founders Ranya and Marisa, along with co-founder Matthew, demonstrated incredible patience and perseverance in setting up this incredible effort. Pages4Porgress is helping to end recidivism and improve literacy among incarcerated people in New Jersey.

Follow and learn more at @pages4progress_ and www.pages4progressnj.com

TW: This episode talks about eating disorders

High School seniors from Maryland, Anya and Kendyll, are dancers whose lives have been affected by eating disorders. They bonded over their shared experiences, and joined forces to launch Dancers Beyond Labels, a nonprofit organization which works to address the youth dancer mental health crisis by: engaging with dance company directors, instructors, and aspiring dancers; providing nutrition education; promoting best practices around body-neutral dancer training and performance; and supporting dancers struggling with eating disorders and other mental health issues.

Learn more at https://www.dancers-beyond-labels.org/ and follow @dancers.beyond.labels

Intergenerational volunteerism is probably one of the most meaningful types of service. It is literally a win-win. Teens can learn so much from older adults and seniors get a tremendous emotional boost from spending time with young people. My guests today - Lauren and Proksha started ForgetMeNot International, a nonprofit that works to prevent cognitive decline in the elderly through conversation, music and art, while bridging the gap between generations through a pen pal companionship program.

Learn more at www.forgetmenotintl.net and follow @forgetmenotintl

My guest today, Hunter G. from Virginia, is a one-person food rescue warrior. He noticed that food at his local fast food restaurants and cafes was being thrown away, and asked if he could collect the food and get it to a local shelter where it would feed hungry neighbors. His commitment to food rescue - picking up after early morning swim practices - is inspiring, and a perfect example of how one person, committing to one simple act of kindness, can make a big difference. Hunter started a Taste of Home, Inc. has been honored by ReFED, an organization working across the food system to reduce food waste and hunger.

Learn more about ReFED at www.refed.org and connect with Hunter on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/hunterguthrie