Tomas Green

Activist, Artist, Christian, Entrepreneur, Photographer, Student

It wasn't until my senior year that I realized the magnificent potential to use leadership to impact true change in our communities and our world. Serving as the student body president, I gave myself to matters far more important than I had ever known before. I had served on the student council for the preceding three years, but I didn't know the possibilities that went unrealized. One ordinary day, a substitute came to class and inspired me to add a entire new level of meaning to my presidency. Long story short, I organized an Oxfam Hunger Banquet, bringing in speakers from all around the world, and raising money to combat global hunger. It was the culmination to our school's "Care Week", and I presented on the whole process to my peers at my school and at a regional leadership conference, and at a state-wide leadership camp. Seeing my passion and dedication come together to unite people and to help others was truly indescribable. I now hope to do all I can to further my global citizenship, love for people, and inspiration of others. In college, I have become actively involved in Engineers Without Borders, and traveled with them to Bolivia to work on our projects with the indigenous communities there.

Global education and empowerment of women; Solving local, national and global poverty and hunger; Inspiring youth to enact change

There are great instances of oppression and marginalization of women across society and across nations. Men need to take a stand in ending the violence, the abuse, and the domination that seems commonplace in the modern, normalized notion of masculinity. That is why I have become actively involved in the social justice community. I have been given great privilege in my lifetime, and it is my duty as a human to recognize that, and to support and empower those who have not received the same advantages that I have. I believe that just a little bit of consciousness, self-awareness, and critical thought can make a dynamic difference in the reduction of hegemony.