Tiana Day is committed to making impactful dreams come true. As the founder of the nonprofit Youth Advocates For Change, the USC Iovine and Young freshman uplifts and empowers students who are making the world a better place through the convergence of art and social justice. Since her organization’s inception in 2020, Day has boosted the voices of young changemakers through photoshoot campaigns, fundraisers, protests, and community service, but her reach isn’t limited to USC’s campus or her homebase in the Bay Area. She recently got the opportunity to bring her dynamic inspiration to Paris Fashion Week, sponsoring 14-year-old (yes, you read that right!) Ashlyn So, a fashion designer and activist whose work aims to combat Asian hate.
The heart of Youth Advocates For Change’s mission is “to amplify youth voices through intersectional social justice issues and creative arts.” The organization’s model works off the concept that students pitch ideas to Day that constitute these pillars, and So’s ambitions exemplify the types of projects Day is wholeheartedly devoted to supporting. Day found So when the then-thirteen-year-old was interviewed for Youth Advocates For Change’s student-run Amplify For Advocacy Podcast. She instantly connected with her story.
“Anywhere that bridges that gap between art and activism is where I want to come in and provide students with opportunities, resources, and connections to make their dream projects come to life,” Day says of her ultimate goal.