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In celebration of International Youth Day (Aug 12), we’re spotlighting our Program Assistants, Nia Clement and Aahiri Hoskote. Their passion, leadership and lived experiences fuel their commitment to social impact through sport, while inspiring us!
At Beyond Sport, we believe young people aren’t just the leaders of tomorrow — they’re already leading today. From using sport to challenge inequality and spark inclusion to creating space for community and culture, Nia and Aahiri fully embody what we stand for. Read on to hear about their social impact journeys and how they’re creating change in their communities.
NIA CLEMENT – New York
What does youth leadership mean to you?
To me, youth leadership is about creating positive change in ways that feel meaningful and authentic to you. Leadership isn’t always about being in the spotlight. It can be as simple as helping the person next to you, offering a shoulder to lean on or bringing positive energy into every space you enter. It’s about showing up, using your voice and recognizing that even small actions can have a lasting impact.
What moment or event made you realize you wanted to make a difference?
Giving back to the community was a core part of my upbringing and my parents made service a priority. We walked in breast cancer awareness events, volunteered at local functions and stayed engaged in community efforts. One experience that truly stayed with me was visiting the Queen Elizabeth Home for Children in Grenada.
We brought school supplies, books and toys and spent the day reading and playing with the children. Seeing their pure joy and smiles left a lasting impression on me. In that moment, I realized that making a direct, positive impact in the lives of others wasn’t just something I wanted to do, but something that needed to be part of my future.
As I progressed through high school, I continued to stay involved by joining the Key Club and volunteering at various local events. I also spoke on a panel discussing the Black Lives Matter movement and the relationship between police and community members. Additionally, I served as a Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) youth representative, bringing the students’ perspective to important conversations and decision-making. These experiences deepened my understanding of social impact and solidified my commitment to creating change wherever I can.
Can you tell us about a project you’ve been a part of that’s had a big impact on you?
One meaningful experience has been my participation in the Macaulay Diversity Initiative, which focuses on increasing outreach to students of Black and Latinx backgrounds while celebrating the diverse cultures within Macaulay Honors College in the City University of New York (CUNY) system. I joined the group as a freshman and quickly became involved, serving as Vice President of Outreach. By my sophomore year, I stepped into the role of President, leading efforts to bring together students from eight CUNY campuses and foster a stronger sense of community.
Working closely with key stakeholders at the college, we organized events like the Diversity Reception, which welcomed first-year students and introduced them to the initiative and the Supporting Excellence Conference, which focused on topics such as personal, professional and academic wellbeing. These events were designed to support student growth and foster a safe, inclusive and empowering space. This initiative has had a significant impact on me because it brought together meaningful conversations, personal development and student support. Personally and professionally, it has been incredibly rewarding to collaborate with dedicated students and staff who share a commitment to student success, equity and community.
How do you think young people are changing the world right now?
Young people are changing the world by boldly using their voices across a variety of platforms. Whether through social media, student-led initiatives or local organizations, we’ve connected, mobilized and advocated for meaningful change. This generation is not afraid to speak up, challenge systems and fight for a more equitable future for us and future generations.
What’s one change you’d love to see in the world and how do you think we’ll get there?
One change I’d love to see in the world is more kindness and empathy toward one another. In a time when the world often feels divided, it’s essential to lead with openness and give each other grace. When we take the time to listen and understand different perspectives truly, we create space for deeper conversations, stronger connections and meaningful progress. We’ll get there by choosing empathy daily, in small and big ways. It starts with how we show up for each other, how we communicate and how we hold space for differences. A more empathetic world is a more united one.
Can you share a short letter to your future self and future young changemakers?
What are three words your friends would use to describe you and why?
Three words my friends would use to describe me are: passionate, thoughtful and reliable.
- Passionate – I’m deeply driven by curiosity and a genuine desire to grow, learn and make a meaningful difference. Whether it’s exploring new ideas or tackling challenges, I bring energy and purpose to everything I do.
- Thoughtful – I take time to listen, reflect and show up for others. Whether it’s offering support, a kind word, or simply being present, I care about making people feel seen and valued.
- Reliable – To me, reliability is about being consistent, dependable and someone others can count on. I take pride in being there when it matters and following through on my personal and professional commitments.
What’s next in your social impact journey?
I’ll graduate in Spring 2026 with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a minor in Digital Media and Journalism. As I move forward, I am committed to continuing my work in social impact, particularly within the sports and entertainment industry. These spaces can reach broad and diverse audiences, influence culture and tell powerful stories that spark conversation, drive progress and inspire the future. I’m excited to be part of that change and use these platforms to create meaningful impact.
Get to know Nia!
AAHIRI HOSKOTE – London
What does youth leadership mean to you?
To me, youth leadership is about active learning and unlearning and finding the drive to make a difference, even if it seems minuscule to others. It’s also important to be critical of how things have happened in the past and open to new ways of creating change, even if they are unconventional.
Was there a particular moment or event that made you realize you wanted to make a difference?
There wasn’t one defining moment, but more a collection of lived experiences that, over time, reshaped my understanding of the world. Being born in India and returning regularly showed me the contrast between opportunity and inequality, which was hard to unsee. I realized these gaps weren’t random or unlucky as I got older. They’re built into systems, reinforced over time and often accepted as just the way things are. That realization pushed me to ask bigger questions about fairness, privilege and what it means to make change.
I was always drawn to subjects focused on people, society and development in school. That led me to study Global Development at university, where I gained a deeper understanding of these systems of inequality and the historical forces and structures that shape them. I also developed a critical lens for thinking about change. Like most families, watching sports was always a huge part of our household. I grew up loving it, but I didn’t realize the impact of not seeing myself represented in elite sports until I was in my mid-teens, when I realized that I could make a difference in this space and change narratives.
Can you tell us about a project or cause you’ve been a part of that’s had a big impact on you?
Co-founding the University of York Kabaddi Club has been one of my proudest achievements, as it perfectly showcased the impact that representation and opportunity can have on a community. It wasn’t just about starting a club, but also about creating a space that hadn’t existed in our university sports space before and celebrating culture through sport.
I had the privilege of working alongside passionate, talented athletes who weren’t just interested in playing a game but invested in amplifying Kabaddi’s presence and visibility and actively pushing for a more diverse and inclusive sports culture on campus. Together, we challenged norms and opened doors for future students who might not have seen themselves reflected in traditional sports spaces. Two years on, the club continues to thrive. It’s grown beyond its South Asian roots, welcoming players from all backgrounds and nurturing national talent. Watching it evolve has only deepened my belief in the transformative power of sport as a tool for community, visibility and long-term impact.
How do you think young people are changing the world right now?
Young people are reshaping the conversation, not just by talking, but by doing. They’re asking the hard questions, staying informed and bringing fresh energy into movements that desperately need it. There’s this deep hunger to not just understand the issues, but to do something about them.
Secondly, young people are becoming more vocal about these issues and engaging other young people to care about their futures and change comes with collective action and responsibility.
Finally, I believe that young people are utilizing the power of social media to broaden the reach and amplify these issues. There’s still a long way to go, but this generation is showing that we won’t sit back and wait our turn. We’re already pulling chairs to the table and sometimes even building our own.
What’s one change you’d love to see in the world and how do you think we’ll get there?
One change I’d love to see in the world is for people to live with a spirit of wanting to learn about each other. If we lived with curiosity and openness, we’d build more understanding, respect and harmony. Making learning a lifelong, shared journey helps break down walls between cultures, communities and perspectives. It reminds us that no one has all the answers and that everyone’s story matters. Living to learn means choosing connection over division, empathy over judgement and cooperation over conflict.
Getting there won’t happen overnight, but it starts with listening more, being open to new ideas and valuing the voices different from our own. When we commit to learning together, we create space for unity and hope and take real steps toward a more peaceful and connected world.
Can you share a short letter to your future self and future young changemakers?
What are three words your friends would use to describe you and why?
- Sincere – I lead with my heart, in friendships and professional spaces. My friends often say they can count on me to show up with intention, to truly listen and to speak with honesty and care.
- Driven – People close to me often notice how focused I can be when I care about something. I’ve been told that once I set my mind on a goal, I commit to it, whether it’s a personal passion or a community project. I’ve also learned over time that I can only be ambitious about things I genuinely believe in, which has kept my motivation to do better grounded in purpose.
- Bubbly – I’ve also been told that I naturally bring warmth and energy into a room. Whether through conversation, humor, or enthusiasm, I try to create a sense of connection and make people feel comfortable.
What’s next in your social impact journey?
I would love to stay in this intersection of sports and social change, as I have seen how transformative and powerful it can be. There is still so much potential to develop this space and challenge outdated narratives to keep growing and learning with one another. I want to be part of that evolution across multiple levels, from grassroots to international, helping to shape a sports culture that’s not only more diverse but also more reflective of all communities.
At the same time, I’m eager to get closer to the ground, gaining real-world experiences to inform and develop theories and strategies. I want to learn directly from the people working daily – the athletes, organizers and communities. Being part of that lived reality, listening and contributing with authenticity, is something I know will deepen my understanding and make me a better advocate for change.
Get to know Aahiri!
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