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"17-year-old" and "Young Woman of the Year"

"17-year-old" and "Young Woman of the Year" are two phrases we never expected to put together! Lara Hammoud and I are incredibly honored to be named the Young Women of the Year by the Women Changing the World of the Americas, an initiative created by the Duchess of York.

This April, we are humbled to announce we will be attending the Women Changing the World Summit in Paris to meet and learn from other incredible leaders globally.

For those who missed the ceremony, we wanted to share the full transcript of what we had the privilege of saying on stage. We hope this message inspires you:


A Transcript of Our Acceptance Speech


[Maya]: Standing here at 17, I think back to where this began. Before the organization, there were just two kids making a secret pact: help a friend with autism feel safe. We started small, building one quiet, sensory-friendly room out of care.

[Lara]: That small act started a ripple. We heard “no” often, but every “no” became fuel. When resources were limited, we got creative, designing cost-effective models. Our persistence became our power.

[Maya]: That single promise grew into the largest youth-led movement for neurodiversity and inclusion, now reaching over 480,000 people across 25+ countries. The true reward is seeing the people—the kids who feel peace, the parents who can now attend events with their children.

[Lara]: Change begins quietly—with one act of care. To every person watching: don’t wait for permission. Your compassion is your credential. Your voice is your power. You are already enough to change the world.

[Maya & Lara]: If two kids could start a movement, imagine what all of us can build together.

Thank you to all who have supported the Perception Foundation and our mission to inspire the next generation of changemakers!


 
 
 
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