We had the good fortune of connecting with Ariana Singh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ariana, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?
Short answer: there is never a time where you have to give up. There is a way to work around even the biggest barriers, sometimes just requires thinking outside the box. In my personal experience, engaging in voting work before an election was risky business due to a plethora of rules and regulations which discouraged helping people vote. In every scenario I faced, I didn’t let the laws prevent me, instead found ways to work with them.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
The biggest feature which makes me stand out is the fact that I am 17 years old. I was 10 years old when I started my first non-profit entrepreneurial pursuit, a slime stand in my local park where all of the proceeds went to an animal shelter. Particularly in the voting realm, my age has always made me stand out due to the obvious fact that I myself am not able to vote. While I initially saw this as a flaw, and noticed that I was taken less seriously, I still pursued my goals of enabling high school students to vote, and instead focused on helping other high school students host events at their schools instead of trying to work directly with the administration. When I eventually began working with administrations, I realized that above any age or experience, people appreciate results, and as soon as I brought that I was taken as seriously as any other adult in the room.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
The best way to start the day is with a bagel from Shugs. Whether the french toast bagel with blueberry cream cheese (a must have) or the Spicy Shug (to die for) every day would begin there. I would take them to the gardens at SMU, an underrated spot to view all kinds of flowers and plants while enjoying the peace. I would then take them to the Dallas Aquarium, one of my favorite spots especially during the summer. For lunch there are a few options: Toulouse, sweetgreen, or Eatzis. Another favorite location of mine is Katy Trail, and if it isn’t too hot out then Northhaven Trail.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The entire Gen-Z Votes team, made up of high school aged chapter leaders from across the country, deserves the hugest shout out. The work which was done before the presidential election, such as registering high school students and teaching people how to vote, could not have been done without the effort which they put in daily.

Website: https://www.gen-z-votes.org

Instagram: @generationzvotes

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutDFW is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.