Unapologetically Young: A Global Voices Reflection

By Elannah Young, 2025 AgriFutures Australia World Food Forum Fellow.

In my early 20s, I kept my age a secret.

I could feel the instant judgement when meeting someone new, often delivered through casual questions about what year I graduated. My age felt like a quiet calculation - an unspoken way of deciding whether I could be underestimated. I laughed along to jokes about avocados being the millennial downfall to affording a down payment, and my complete lack of understanding of how a cassette works. I had a serious case of imposter syndrome.

The impact was subtle but pervasive. I second-guessed my work. My impact. My abilities. I started to look forward to nearing my 30s, imagining that one day I would unlock a sense of sage wisdom and enough experience to validate my views. (Spoiler alert: that day is yet to arrive).

I felt like I needed to justify my seat at the table - yet I was the only one asking if I belonged there.

More importantly, underestimating myself stopped me from advocating for change. I delayed starting projects because I doubted whether I was the right person, whether it was the right time, or whether I was doing it the “right” way. Self-doubt became a convenient excuse for inaction.

Global Voices changed this.

Not only does the program provide young people with a seat at the table, but it also forges a culture where youth are trusted to exist in consequential spaces. Over the past six months, my remaining years of youth have been reframed as an opportunity not to be wasted, rather than something to be compensated for. Attending the World Food Forum where almost 10,000 young people came together to advocate for global agrifood system reform was a powerful showcase of youth action at its best.

I now have a supportive network of like-minded individuals, who feel strongly about the importance of youth voices. Not once did I doubt my peers for their age in the way I had doubted myself. I feel so privileged to learn from them. Collectively, they reminded me that I hold far more capacity to influence change than I ever realised.

As I finalise my policy proposal and daydream about all the tiramisu we ate in Rome, the learning I will hold most dear is this: youth is an incredible advantage. It comes with passion, honesty, fresh perspectives, a belief that things can be better, and the time to build a legacy of change. Listening to youth perspectives is essential but ensuring young people are empowered to act is where the real work begins.

In the spirit of action and accountability, these are the ways I commit to showing up post-fellowship:

Office: I commit to applying for development opportunities even when I don’t feel fully ready—whether that is an extracurricular sustainability program, an extension project, or a new experience. Wherever I show up, I aim to bring my values with me, asking how environmental and human considerations can be considered in every task. Maybe I can reduce emissions or make something more accessible within a business-as-usual project. This is not only about retrofitting impact in existing projects, but also taking on new ventures and identifying the networks needed to bring ideas to life. Working within the frame of your company, council or government is essential to scale impact. 

In the Community: While we often hear about starting locally and scaling up, our communities are no longer bound by geography alone. I commit to seeking out people doing work I care about, both in person and online, finding accountability partners, sharing networks, and creating space to think and act together. Finding structure in community is one of the best ways to remain committed to influencing change. Join the Australian Chapter of the World Food Forum if you are looking for a place to start!

In how I show up day to day: I once believed that creating change required inventing something entirely new and executing it independently. While innovation is vital, not everyone needs to be a founder. Movements need connectors, doers, supporters, sponsors, adopters, and advocates. I have learned to value the role I play in the in-between—helping align ideas, people, and momentum. I commit to finding ways to play this role for the causes I am passionate about; I aim to champion the incredible work people across Australia undertake every single day to transform our food systems, whether this is farmers, policy writers, actors across the value chain and everyone in between.  

To readers who may no longer count themselves as youth: please stop saying that young people are tomorrow’s leaders. That framing suggests action can wait. If we are serious about transforming Australia’s agrifood systems, we must empower young people to lead now, with urgency and trust.

And to youth: stop waiting for permission. Starting is the hardest part. Find your community, share your ideas boldly, and back yourself. One of the greatest limitations we face is not a lack of opportunity, but the doubts we place on ourselves - so grab opportunities with both hands and you never know, you may end up at the World Food Forum in Rome! 

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The views and opinions expressed by Global Voices Fellows do not necessarily reflect those of the organisation or its staff.