Serene - United States of America

Compelled to give back to her community after interning for the United States Senate during a time when suicide rates increased in at-risk women populations, Serene founded The Serenity Project. This nonprofit is aimed at empowering at-risk and struggling women with skills to persevere through and fight against domestic abuse, discrimination, trauma, and severe body dysmorphia. Her efforts to strengthen women and marginalized communities extends into other areas of life as well. Serene is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of her university Student Government where she protects justice, liberty, and freedom for all students and student groups. Her work on the Court has transformed and broken countless records in the institution’s long history - including having the most amount of female justices at once on a sitting court. As a proud Sikh American, Serene is the President of the Sikh Student Association as well as the Founder and Captain of the Bhangra Team (Punjabi folk dance) - efforts that aim to challenge negative stereotypes of Sikhs and promote religious freedom. Her passion for First Amendment rights has also inspired her honors thesis which studies the underlying roots of discrimination in North America and how injustices can be challenged through policy and activism. A former Miss Colorado Teen and the current America’s Junior Miss, Serene enjoys promoting sisterhood through volunteerism and feminism. Serene’s many off-campus activities include being her state’s youngest Speech and Debate Coach for low-income students, working with immigrant communities to pursue higher education through Opportunity Nation, and creating videos, artwork, and photographs that promote women leadership. She has been recognized with various awards including Inclusive Advocate of the Year, Equity and Excellence Undergraduate of the Year, and is a distinguished honoree for her state’s Women’s Hall of Fame. One of Serene’s favorite recognitions is winning Miss Congeniality for teens in the United States because this honor captures her compassionate, inclusive, and energetic personality and way of leading others. A recent Truman Foundation Scholarship recipient and Dalai Lama Fellowship winner, Serene hopes to further her passion for public service to one day serve on the United States Supreme Court.