NGN (Next Generation Nation) Marches is an organization that aims to provide a platform for youth to stand up to adversity and global issues such as gender inequality, domestic abuse, poverty, and world hunger. It holds a march every six months on a different topic to raise awareness and to possibly fundraise as well. The organization’s chairs, the top three leaders, elect board members for various departments like marketing and finance to form the NGN Marches Youth Board that will work on organizing the next march. It was founded by me and Disha Ravindra, seniors at Washington High School, as well as Naveli Garg, a current freshman at UC Davis.
Ravindra was asked what ledher to co-found this youth organization. “From a very young age, I have been surrounded by amazing people who fought for the betterment of this world,” she said. “Through them and other personal experiences, I learned that the youth really do have the power to change the world. After winning second place at the NGN Global Challenges Competition for my work on gender equality in employment, I realized that my true passion was fighting for the betterment of the world, and so I dedicated myself to it. I wanted to encourage the youth to step up, have those difficult conversations, and strive to help the world.”
Recently, they hosted a Women’s March to address the topic of domestic violence. The Women’s March was held on September 15 at the Fremont Town Fair Plaza, during which the Vice Mayor of Milpitas, Karina Dominguez, was invited to deliver the keynote address. A journalist from the Milpitas Beat attended the event and students from San Jose State University interviewed the NGN Marches board. In the end, the march lasted for roughly two hours, culminating with a speech on the future goals that the organization wishes to accomplish. Regarding the importance of speaking about this issue, Disha said, “This is a topic that most people tend to shy away from. Victims of domestic abuse often do not talk about their experience, for the obvious reasons of trauma. For that reason, we as a society need to ensure that we provide a safe environment so they can easily talk.”
Milana Gorobchenko, a board member for the Women’s March, said she joined NGN Marches, “because I love its purpose of solving the world’s twenty one greatest issues. I also felt that it was a great opportunity to make a difference and get involved in my community.” She is now serving as a chair along with Disha and me for the next march, which will be focused on climate change. Specifically it will ask city governments to take action on placing regulations and planting trees. To fulfill this goal, Disha and I are talking with the UNA Berkeley chapter to receive support from the UN and possibly Fridays for Change.
This reporter graduated in 2020.
Lavanya Jain is a senior at Washington High School. She grew up in Fremont, CA for most of her life after moving from Delhi, India. As a first year in the WHS Hatchet, she has written multiple articles for opinions, health, and news. In her free time, she loves to paint, workout, and spend time with her family. After high school, she will be majoring in both business and bioengineering as part of the Management Entrepreneurship Technology (MET) program at UC Berkeley.