The 197 Initiative
Our Mission
The 197 Initiative is a global youth-led movement documenting how business and economic systems shape real lives—in real voices. While corporations and policymakers dominate the narrative about "growth" and "progress," we center those who experience these forces daily. Our network of Youth Ambassadors conducts 5-minute interviews in their communities, asking one pivotal question: How does business affect your life and neighborhood? These stories—from street vendors in Casablanca to entrepreneurs in Kyiv—create a living archive of unfiltered economic truth.
We reject the idea that economics belongs in boardrooms or spreadsheets. By equipping young people with recording tools and amplifying their findings, we challenge top-down narratives with grassroots testimony. Our open archive serves as a tool for researchers, journalists, and advocates who believe data should include human voices. This is economic justice, one interview at a time.
Welcome!
My name is Ella Dang, and I am a current senior at Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii. Beyond being just a student, I love to travel and document my life, so it comes as no surprise that The 197 Initiative was a product of my passions! Thank you so much for stopping by and supporting us!
If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at the197initiative@gmail.com!
Ella Dang
Founder & Executive Director
The Youth Ambassadors & Writers
The backbone of our mission, these young changemakers capture unfiltered economic truths through 5-minute interviews or policy articles about their communities. Selected for their curiosity and commitment, they're building the world's most authentic archive of how business really affects people.
No economics degree required – just a smartphone and the courage to ask, "How does this system touch your life?"