Youngest Speakers @Aspen Ideas

From a childhood passion project to one of the world's most influential stages for ideas, Maya and Lara Hammoud's journey reached an extraordinary milestone this week at the Aspen Ideas Festival.

As two of the festival's youngest invited guests and Maya as one of the youngest speakers, the twin sisters had the honor of joining a distinguished community of leaders, innovators, and changemakers representing organizations such as BlackRock, Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), TIME, Mount Sinai, and many others. Held annually in Aspen, Colorado, the Aspen Ideas Festival convenes global experts to address some of the world's most pressing challenges through dialogue, innovation, and collaboration.

Maya was especially honored to have her session chaired by Dr. Francis Collins, former Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and one of the world's foremost leaders in biomedical research.

During the discussion, Maya shared her research on novel diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for autism and other neurodevelopmental disorders, while also highlighting the transformative role that youth-led organizations can play in advancing scientific research, advocacy, and accessibility. She discussed how The Perception Foundation, the world's largest youth-led nonprofit dedicated to neurodevelopmental disabilities and mental health, is working to drive these efforts on a global scale by empowering young people to create lasting, community-centered change.

Speaking at the Aspen Ideas Festival marked a full-circle moment for the sister: a reminder that an initiative that began as children with the simple goal of making the world more inclusive can grow into a global movement capable of shaping conversations at the highest levels.

Maya and Lara extend their sincere gratitude to the Aspen Ideas Festival team for the opportunity and for an unforgettable week of learning, collaboration, and meaningful dialogue.

Click here to watch the full recording of the session