We had the good fortune of connecting with Naimisha Chakravadhanula, Sruti Peddi, Praneetha Tangalpalli and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Naimisha, Sruti, Praneetha, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
CivicAtion was created to introduce fellow high schoolers to the world of politics through enhanced civic education and unbiased information. Whether it’s through our webinars, our journal, or even our posts, everything CivicAtion does serves one of two purposes: inform and involve. We have been able to reach students across the country and the rest of the world through our webinars, and our social media posts provide non-biased information in a format digestible to today’s younger demographic. As it is a primary aim of ours, other students can get involved by sharing their honest thoughts and ideas in our journal on our website. This open and honest sharing of information has led to constructive discussion between students within an area not known for constructive and open dialogue.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
CivicAtion is different from many other advocacy organizations in that we are run by students who want to create change on not just a national or worldwide scale, but also on a local scale. We want to spread knowledge to those around us and aid the political development of our peers, and we are excited to connect with more people and have an even greater impact on how those around us experience the world of politics.

The process to start our nonprofit started a little over a year ago. In our AP U.S. Government class, we learned that the voter turnout for presidential elections was under 70% for most years, and hearing that, I think we all had a collective “spark” of inspiration. Being interested in politics, we couldn’t stand seeing such little civic involvement by the youth— our generation— and we wanted to change that. Reading “Profiles of Courage” by the late President Kennedy just made that desire stronger.

Getting the organization off the ground was difficult, as many students and parents are skeptical of politics and civic education in general, but we started small, just creating posts and trying to provide information in the face of a chaotic time. We were then able to start a club in our school, and I think that’s where it really took off, as we were able to get attention in our school. The key, for us at least, was perseverance and patience, because if not for those virtues, we wouldn’t have made it this far. Over time, we learned that although students are often not the ones in power, we have the potential to act as vehicles of change. Our organization aims to allow everyone’s perspective and grievances, and I think that’s a really important and beautiful thing to see. CivicAtion understands that the world is not a monolith in any sense, and we aim to convey some of that through our actions.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
In Phoenix, when the weather permits, hiking is definitely a must-do! Camelback Mountain and Piestewa Peak are great for mountain trails, and we would recommend going during sunrise or sunset. The view is the best, and it’s nice and cool!

If you are interested in the arts, every Thanksgiving Weekend, the Sonoran Arts League hosts the Hidden in the Hills Art exhibit in Cave Creek, which features many youth and adult artists selling their work for everyone to take home! Old Town Scottsdale also has a lot of great art gallery and a very charming, old-timey feeling to it with some great restaurants,

For kids, going to the Arizona Science Center is key. There are many fun demonstrations and exhibits that can capture even the least scientifically minded people.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
As an organization, we would love to shoutout “Profiles of Courage”. It’s a phenomenal book by the inimitable John F. Kennedy recording the actions and good deeds of eight U.S. Senators. This novel gave even more significance to our cause, enabling our desire to serve those other than us. Hearing about low voter turnout in our civics classes was definitely a source of inspiration, but this novel truly moved us to make a positive impact in the world of politics.

Website: https://www.civicationaz.com/

Instagram: @civication

Other: Email: civicationaz@gmail.com

Image Credits
Alesha Bush

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