Kayla's Journey: 2025 Global Changemakers Virtual Exchange

Kayla on L2L's Orientation Day—kickstarting her Global Changemakers Virtual Exchange journey.

Who am I?

Hello, my name is Kayla.

I’m 15 years old, and the first time I heard about Learn2Link (L2L) was through my school’s volunteer club. I have always loved helping the community, but what got me interested in this program was its connection to Vietnam. Since L2L operates both here in Richmond and across the ocean in Vietnam, I saw this as a great opportunity to learn more about the country and the people living there. I am part Vietnamese myself, so being able to explore my heritage while helping others seemed like a great opportunity for me.

Kayla connects with other Changemakers and Abby, L2L's Co-Founder and Facilitator.

Why did I link?

What sparked my involvement even more was the chance to develop my own project: the Bright Bite Initiative (BBI). After pitching my project idea to the group, I was both honored and surprised when everyone voted to move forward with it. From that moment, I stepped into the role of project leader.

The idea behind the project was simple: bring food to families in need. The whole point of the project was to support people facing food insecurity by providing something small but meaningful, like snack packs, food, and a reminder that someone cares. Beyond offering support, we also hoped to raise awareness about the hunger issues affecting our own communities. It can be easy to overlook how many families, right in our own community, struggle with food insecurity every day. Through this project, we hoped to show others how hunger is not just a distant issue, but rather, it is happening all around us.

Kayla leads the BBI at the Chesterfield County Farmer's Market in the U.S.

What did I learn?

Leading the project was definitely a lot of work. With everyone juggling different schedules, I found myself managing many of the tasks. It was a lot to handle alongside my summer class, but I stayed committed to bringing this project to life. Even with my busy schedule, I never felt like giving up. Once I commit to something, I always follow through, no matter how busy I get. Knowing the positive impact we were going to have on the children made every hour I spent working on this project meaningful. It was definitely worth it, especially after seeing how happy the kids were.

Kayla successfully distributes healthy snack-packs to children in her community.

How have I grown?

Before L2L, I never really thought of myself as being able to be a leader. I have always preferred to help from the sidelines, letting others lead. However, this experience helped me rethink that mindset. Being responsible for the Richmond side of the BBI showed me that I can lead. Some of the skills this experience helped to enhance were my decision-making and stress management skills. But most importantly, I discovered a sense of confidence I did not know I had. With this project coming to an end, I now feel more prepared for whatever future leadership roles come my way.