You may have heard of Martin High School senior Vivian Nguyen before. She started a clothing line, , a few years ago to celebrate youth creativity and support the community.
Her success led to her becoming the youngest panelist at GenZ Girl Con, an online conference promoting women鈥檚 empowerment to hundreds of students and professionals around the world. After speaking, Nguyen received an influx of messages from conference attendees.
What started out as simple questions from curious teenagers led to the formation of The Formula Project. The nonprofit organization is a mentorship program for low-income minority underclassmen to receive support and help develop interpersonal and professional skills.
If those accomplishments weren鈥檛 enough, Nguyen recently landed another one. A huge one.
The standout is listed in Forbes Magazine as one of .
Forbes Magazine
鈥淚t鈥檚 super motivational and inspiring to make it to Forbes, especially because we鈥檙e all so young,鈥 said Nguyen. 鈥淚t鈥檚 empowering to see other teenagers being involved in activism or entrepreneurship to spark change using their own platforms as launching pads.鈥
The six teens have already started a group chat to learn about the initiatives and how they can help each other. Nguyen is particularly passionate about providing support to underrepresented communities.
鈥淕rowing up as an Asian American, I didn鈥檛 see many female people of color represented or in leadership positions,鈥 said Nguyen. 鈥淚 noticed there was a lack of role models and support in the community, so I wanted to be the solution to that problem. Eighth grade is an impressionable time in young students鈥 lives, and I think it鈥檚 important that they have role models, especially to guide them through the transition going into high school.
鈥淚 know there are a lot of issues in the community, but through The Formula Project, I know that we can take the initiative to make some type of difference.鈥
Leaving a legacy
Although she鈥檚 only 17, Nguyen knows she will leave a legacy.
鈥淲ith Dyenosaur Apparel and The Formula Project, the overarching mission is to alleviate the burden from underprivileged communities,鈥 said Nguyen. 鈥淲hether it鈥檚 through social entrepreneurship or philanthropy, my goal is to create lasting positive changes in the community. By helping others, I鈥檝e learned what it truly means to be selfless, and I have a greater understanding of who I am. I know this is bigger than me.鈥
The Formula Project recently gave out free AP books and microscope kits to students in need. Every month, workshops are held, often inviting guest speakers to discuss their area of expertise. Meetings usually include developing professional skills like public speaking, networking and even STEM-related activities.
But the fun doesn鈥檛 stop there. The organization also hosts social events like bowling and volunteering with mentors.
Although the organization is in its early stages, the level of impact has already been felt by mentees, peers and staff surrounding Nguyen.
鈥淪he always sees the bigger picture,鈥 said Jason Forsythe, Martin STEM Academy coordinator. 鈥淲e have people in our lives or community that can always see the problem and that鈥檚 the farthest they鈥檒l go. She sees the problem and comes up with solutions, then puts them in action. She鈥檚 extraordinary.鈥
For more information on The Formula Project and ways to get involved, visit .