What kind of world do you want to live in? What kind of world are we leaving the next generation?
One Wish for the Future is a series of podcasts where students come together to discuss their wishes for the future and what we can do to achieve those dreams. Co-hosted by Johns Hopkins student Yujin Lee and The Creative Process founder Mia Funk, One Wish takes a practical approach of listening to students and learning from our notable interviewees across the arts and sciences. The goal is that together, one generation inspiring another, we can collectively explore ways to work towards a better tomorrow.

Hi everyone! I’m Yujin Lee, a rising sophomore at Johns Hopkins University and One wish for the Future Podcaster at The Creative Process.

Do you have any one wish for the future? Is there a world that you want future generations to live in? If you said “Yes” to any of these questions, I invite you to become part of “One Wish for the Future” panel and podcast!

The Creative Process is looking for students to share any one wish for the future on “One Wish for the Future” panel and podcast. Please apply through the link below to get involved in this inspirational and amazing opportunity!

Application link: https://www.creativeprocess.info/wish

I consider arts/creativity to be the foundation of every human action, innovation, and communication. Since arts/creativity doesn’t entail any language or cultural barrier, it’s a distinctive form of expression that links people worldwide, even in abnormal and tragic circumstances such as the contemporary COVID-19 crisis. Through my collaboration with The Creative Process, I’m passionate about enhancing the communication between globally recognized artists and institutions with my fluency in English and Korean and basic knowledge of Chinese. Also, since art exhibitions have always fascinated me with their expression of emotions and historical events through various mediums, I wish to witness how artworks are selected and displayed to convey the theme of the exhibition most effectively. The Creative Process is an unparalleled opportunity for me to connect with and learn from remarkable professionals from diverse fields - artists, curators, ambassadors, translators, journal editors, etc. I’m eager to utilize my writing skills and understanding of STEM to spread the significance of art to a greater scope of the audience through publications, interviews, and in any way needed.

–YUJIN LEE

The world now is definitely a work in progress as each generation encounters their own set of challenges. In our generation, we have the privilege of accessing knowledge that previous generations could not have easily achieved. I believe our job is to put this vast amount of knowledge to not only sustain but improve the world. There are scientific facts demonstrating the urgency to put climate change under the spotlight. More people need to recognize that the Earth, our only home, is in fact in danger and needs immediate rejuvenation. We are also engaged in the current social movements involving human rights, equality and equity that is long overdue for attention, but still call for a lot more actions to overthrow current toxic mindsets, structures and institutions. Changes are already happening regarding challenges of our environment and society, but the difficulty lies in continuing such movements. It is our duty to keep the conversation progressing and preventing it from dying like a short-lived fashion trend. Change for the better requires constant education towards the right direction. We have powerful tools like the social media to achieve great accomplishments for the movements so we should utilize the tools for the better. We can use art, science, protests, technology and even our individual privilege to promote positive social changes. The world is shared among all of us, so I hope for all to strive to make the world a more habitable place for all.

–HELEN CHANG
Psychology, Art (Photomedia) Major
University of Washington

My wish for the future is for society to operate outside the binary; the binaries quite specifically in gender and expression, but also the black & white world that has been shoved down our throats. I wish for the future to be a place where there are no constrictions on identity and existence, that the colonial-capitalistic structures and institutions were too weak to survive in a world so much more powerful and complex than that. I hope for a child of the future to be born without any misconceptions on their head like a bounty, that they live a life free of walls and limits. Right now, at this moment, structures are crumbling and the people are regaining their rightful power in ways we never thought imaginable. With this podcast, we will be able to bring yet another voice into the sea of voices to bring even more attention and conjure hope in the masses of the movement.

–GABRIELA GARCIA-ASTOLFI
Communications Major
American University, Washington, D.C.

I wish that we let go of whatever constraints we have bound to the act of creation. I purposely say creation, not creativity because it's too easy for us to return to the dogma where creativity is a skill, something we can apparently measure and monetize. We are so stuck with this idea that some people are creative, some people are not, and this saddens and frustrates me to no end. But I truly believe the act of creation — the spirit of intent and action— is what's brilliant. We are boundless when we make for the sake of it. I wish people would make things more (whatever these things are), and I wish people would be happy because of it.

–YU YOUNG LEE
English Major
Georgetown University

I wish I knew how to grow my own food. There’s been so much uncertainty in 2020, but the only way to survive uncertainty is to control what you can. While there is both corporate and individual responsibility to heal the earth and environment, corporations are capable of making monumental changes. Capitalism ensures that they don’t make those changes. Individuals are much better off educating themselves for a time when the environment is unhealable. As environmental disasters continue to grow I want to recommit myself to sustainable living solutions. I would love to interview Black farmers and spread information about growing food from home and building sustainable living communities.

–UA HAYES

Senior Africana Studies Major

Howard University

If I had one wish for 2020, I would want the field of science to be universally accessible and accepted. In the past few years, and especially the last six months, science has become more vital than ever in regards to how to better our environment, our health, and secure a healthy future for our loved ones. However, there is still widespread resistance to science-based information and the overall ignorance of scientists who are crying out solutions for issues such as climate change and COVID-19. I believe that we are in the midst of moving towards this goal as we speak. With global leaders such as Greta Thunberg creating movements such as climate strikes and the March for Science, we are moving towards a world in which we are lead by science. In order to continue this, we must continue to educate our peers through easily accessible platforms such as social media, take responsibility for ourselves as individual activists, and advocate for scientists.

–Aliza Schuler

School of Communications, Film and Media Arts Major, Creative Writing Minor
American University, Washington, D.C.

Regardless of where life takes us throughout the remainder of this year, I really want to push myself to stay in tune with my creative passions. I want to keep both my long term and short term goals of being a social media manager/content creator and ultimately creative director in my near-sight. I want to work on staying consistent with some kind of creative outlet, whether an internship, a class, or various personal projects. By the time I graduate in December, I want to look back and say that I wasn't pulled away from my creative passions for any reason.

–Gracyn Smith
University of Texas at Austin Graduation Spring 2021 B.A., Human Dimensions of Organizations Minor in Media and Entertainment Industries

My wish for the future is to truly inquire about humanity as a whole. Due to different innovation, such as social media, people have let idolization and materialistic venture strip human beings from seeing people as just people. Fandom and entitlement have soared, which has caused individuals to pursue expectations that are beyond reach. I think that if we are to truly attach problems such as racism, sexism, and the other dangerous social epidemics of our time, we must look to people as just human beings to spark the honest conversation needed.

–Bianca Simons
Global Studies Major
University of Chicago

This year has had its fair share of chaos and I'm sure I'd be hard-pressed to find someone unaffected by the series of events that have occurred. My wish is ideologically related to one of the artistic projects I have started, Duende Art. Duende is a Spanish word that brings me a tremendous amount of joy. It refers to the indescribable quality of a work that inspires passion and inspiration, allowing the viewer to establish a profound connection with said work. If I could have one wish for the future (excluding the obvious wishes for world stability, lessened global hardship, etc.), it would be that I keep the light of Duende alive in myself and find ways to help others cultivate it within their homes and communities as well. This doesn't have to be limited to art; in a world where social distancing can create feelings of isolation, finding the Duende in the everyday is what has kept me going. In this way, The Creative Process is well aligned with this goal. In highlighting creative work, archiving important conversations, and nurturing connections, this organization is creating space for the content that truly sustains us, especially in such turbulent times.

–Irene Ross
Department of African American Studies
Princeton University '20

As our society is beginning to come to terms with the anger of feeling unheard, I would want to see many of the voices behind these movements continue to be given a platform to be heard.

–Bret Q. Young
Fordham University

Aside from my more immediate wishes (regarding a COVID-19 treatment and a socially just society), I have broader hopes for the future as well.

In the future, I hope that high-quality education becomes accessible to all and that the United States becomes full of creative critical thinkers. Right now, so many American students are left to fend for themselves without adequate educational resources. I firmly believe that having a well-educated population that values learning would solve many of society’s most pressing issues. I hope the next generation grows up in a world in which students are encouraged to develop intellectual curiosity and acquire the skills necessary to become creative and self-motivated individuals.

Of course, this issue is a matter of societal values and public policy. But I hope that my generation – one that has been exposed to society’s various ills from a young age – will collectively develop an understanding of the importance of education that is not entirely test-based. Instead, we need a system that forces students to step out of their comfort zones, allows them to focus on what they love, and provides them with mentors.

–Elana Klein
Tulane

The current situation has made me, as well as many others, reflect on the ways in which our society has been built to advantage and disadvantage various groups of people. While there are many things I hope to see in the future, I think one of my main wishes is that the current events with both the COVID-19 pandemic and the increased awareness of Black Lives Matter and related movements will not exist in isolation. This period has revealed many faults in our society and policies and I hope that the emotion, passion, and curiosity people are expressing now will result in tangible change that we can see in the near future. Making this a reality will not come from just wishing, but will only come from active efforts taken by individuals to unlearn misconceptions and prejudices and educate themselves on histories scarcely taught in schools, and it is encouraging to me to see more people realizing this and enacting change in the ways that they are able.

–Breana Lee
Barnard College

Empathy. If I were to have one wish for the future, it would be that we all become even a little more empathetic to those around us. Kindness is so much more important than a lot of people realize, and I think the most effective way to demonstrate this is to keep telling our stories. Now is not the time to whisper — empathy is born out of inspiration, and no inspiration can be sparked without the life-changing creative thinkers that it comes from. We must raise our voices to tell our stories, and we must raise them with kindness.

Cici Guidry
Class of 2023
Princeton University

If I had one wish for the future it would be for everyone to act with more compassion and empathy towards one another. I think that the COVID-19 outbreak and the Black Lives Matter movement have shown the selfishness and lack of compassion some people possess and I hope that this will change! To move towards achieving this goal everyone needs to be open to educating themselves and listening to the stories of others. It will take a lot of effort and dedication but I am hopeful that one day we will unlearn the hate and selfishness we have been taught in the past.

–Sarah Hujber
Fordham