Profession: Student
Education: Bachelors of Arts in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, University of Pennsylvania (expected completion 2021)
Current Residence: Philadelphia, Penn.
A natural leader
She started as a Girl Scout. Now, at 20 years old, Marymount alumna Ayanna Neal '17 is a non-profit founder and the recipient of the Presidential Environmental Youth Award (PEYA).
Ayanna received the PEYA Award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the President of the United States in September for her founding of the Friends of the LAX Dunes (FOLD), a non-profit that partners with community organizations, corporations, and volunteers to protect and restore the LAX Dunes (also known as the El Segundo Dunes).
A natural wildlife preserve, the Dunes stretch over 30 acres west of the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) and are home to over 900 species, including the federally-protected, endangered El Segundo Blue Butterfly.
From Girl Scouts to grants
Growing up in Los Angeles, Calif., Ayanna began her work with the Dunes in 2014 after being introduced to the project by her mom and her Girl Scout mentor, Peggy Nguyen. This project became her Girl Scout Gold Award Project and focused on removing non-native plants and restoring the Dunes’ native habitat.
Recognizing the need for community engagement and organizational leadership, Ayanna founded FOLD in 2015 in hopes of organizing volunteer days to engage the public in restoration efforts.
In three years, Ayanna’s efforts have grown exponentially: FOLD now hosts weekly events that attract more than 1,000 volunteers, who contribute over 4,000 volunteer hours per year extracting invasive species from the Dunes.
FOLD partners with The Bay Foundation and Loyola Marymount University’s Coastal Research Institute and has also been recognized by the Los Angeles City Council, the North American Council of Airports, and the Environmental Protection Agency – all of which contributes to buzz that has garnered the organization over $150,000 in grants.
The power of a Marymount education
“Starting FOLD gave me an amazing leadership opportunity to make a measurable impact in my community,” said Ayanna, who credits her Marymount education as inspiration to organize and act. “I genuinely believe that I would not have had the resources or motivation to do even a fraction of the work I have done thus far if it weren’t for my teachers and advisors at Marymount who pushed me to challenge myself and my limits.”
Now a Sophomore at the University of Pennsylvania, Ayanna cites her Marymount education as the foundation of the confidence she carries to college. Away from the California coast she loves, Ayanna continues to work on passion projects, including with Penn’s Civic House, a Philadelphia-based hub for social justice and civic engagement work.
“The educational environment at Marymount taught me to be confident in the classroom and be bold in sharing my thoughts,” Ayanna said. “I’ve learned how to think before I speak, but not overthink to the point that I invalidate my opinions, and that is a confidence that I carry with me in college.”
Advice for Marymount students
Ayanna encourages her younger Marymount cohorts to find their truth and speak it, noting that the loudest voice in the crowd doesn’t always translate to the biggest action. Instead, she said, passion, drive, and commitment are qualities mandatory for leadership and change.
“My motivation and dedication to the ideas and work I care about have always been consistent, and I try to let kindness and good lead my actions,” Ayanna said. “Take pride in your ability to address situations head on and stand firmly in your truth.
“Marymount taught me the value of giving back, and that is something I carry with me every day.”
In addition to winning the Presidential Environmental Youth Award in 2018, Ayanna is a Robeson Cooper Scholar, a 2017 Milken Scholar, a Coca-Cola Pay It Forward Scholar, a Girl Scout Emerging Leader and Gold Award winner, and was recognized by Los Angeles City Council for her work with FOLD.
Editor’s note: A version of this article was originally published in the Winter 2019 issue of “M,” The Marymount Magazine.
