Hi, I’m Heream, and I’m pumped to be a contributor for Novel Hand!
I’m a rising senior at Vanderbilt University, where I study Human and Organizational Development and Spanish. I just came back from a semester abroad in Montreal, Canada, where I learned how to ski (but not how to stop), ate lots of poutine, and made the most incredible friends from all over the world! While my college career has been an unpredictable hodgepodge of eclectic experiences, from acting classes to hospital volunteering, my passion for writing and professional development have remained consistent throughout.
As a huge people-person with a LinkedIn addiction, I’ve leveraged my position as a writer for The Vanderbilt Hustler to meet amazing alumni empowering their communities- from Alexis, who co-founded Unlocked, a jewelry startup that employs women transitioning out of homelessness, to Reese, who launched Reezos, a shoe line that gives back 20% of every purchase. Being able to share these stories of social entrepreneurship has been an incredible highlight of my writing career, and I hope to share more of these stories through Novel Hand.
As a college student gearing up for the “adult” world, I am interested in equipping students and young professionals with the knowledge to leverage their talents for the greater good of their communities. You don’t have to work at a nonprofit to make a humanitarian impact- whether it’s through making intentional lifestyle choices, volunteering, becoming an ally, advocating for a cause, or contributing through a donation to an important organization, there are millions of ways to engage with your community, and I hope to share some of them with you.
I recently encountered an amazing quote: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” While I still can’t figure out if this quote is actually from Pablo Picasso or a random social media personality, through my journey here at Novel Hand, I hope to encourage and empower you to unlock your gift to unleash to the world. I’ll be writing about topics like effective altruism, social entrepreneurship, and human-centered design to explore the ways people are impacting their communities. I’m always on the lookout for inspiring people, funny stories, and new friends, so if you’d like to chat, please feel free shoot me an email at heream.yang@vanderbilt.edu!
- Carbon Farming: The Future of American Agriculture and Carbon Trading - May 26, 2021
- LEED: Greenwashing or Good for the Planet? - March 8, 2021
- Who Invented Zero Waste? Acknowledging Indigenous Wisdom in Modern Environmental Practices - February 9, 2021