Named as one of TIME Magazine’s most influential teenagers at just sixteen years old and one of the United Nations Young Champions of the Earth, inventor and scientist Kiara Nirghin has continued on a trajectory of evolution and experimentation ever since. Her defining, award-winning breakthrough was sparked by a drought in her home country of South Africa in 2013 – the country’s worst in 30 years. Witnessing the devastation, Nirghin took it upon herself to proactively find a solution, developing a unique polymer that keeps crops hydrated during dry spells using organic materials including food waste. Now twenty-three years old and studying STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) at America’s prestigious Stanford University, Nirghin is paving the way for a generation of young scientists rising through the ranks. Friend and fellow student of science Zaya Wade is equally rewriting and reassessing the system. Having come out as trans at the age of twelve, Wade has since used her platform to passionately advocate for trans rights and promote an inclusive, progressive Gen Z revolution.

Kiara Nirghin: The first time I met you was at an event in Malibu and then we met again at a Miu Miu dinner, do you remember that? That’s when I knew I inherently had this connection with you. Since then, I have just been your biggest fan on Instagram, if anything comes up I‘ll always be commenting, I love it. I feel like it‘s my job to keep hyping you up. [laughs]

Zaya Wade: I love all of it.
KN: Did you say recently you were touring colleges?

ZW: Yeah, I’m a junior now so I’ve been touring.
KN: And I know you really want to do astronomy. So, now we’ve covered how we met and why we inherently love each other, being part of Gen Z, do you see a shift in mindset as our generation is growing up? Compared to previous generations, when we want to engage with brands or companies, we demand a whole lot more from what that organisation is doing. It’s not just us buying a product or being one-sided in what we’re doing with that organisation, we want to feel part of a community. In this new generational mindset, what we’re expecting is interesting as opposed to the previous generation.

ZW: I agree, that’s what I like about the brands that I work with. Gen Z has a very different view of what the world should look like for them compared to how it was previously seen – we want it to feel more friendly. Times are changing, technology is rapidly growing.
KN: What do you think scares you the most about this change we’re living through?

ZW: All I know is, Gen Z is either going to make or break the planet. [both laugh]
KN: That is so true.

ZW: I’m worried we’re going to be the end but I think we have a surprisingly abundant amount of power, even just in social media.
KN: I completely agree. I have this interesting take…

ZW: A hot take?
KN: Dare I say yes, Gen Z is indeed vocal on social media, which is remarkable in many ways, but some-
times our loudness may not translate into substantial action. Our generation is particularly vocal about issues
like plastic straws, which, while important, are just the tip of the iceberg. There are far larger industries significantly contributing to carbon emissions, industries that often operate behind the scenes, their impact less visible but more profound. To truly push the needle on climate change, it’s essential to tackle these larger forces. This means advocating for change, which is the tougher part of the work – engaging in dialogue with industry leaders, encouraging them to reconsider their manufacturing processes and overall business strategies. This is where real transformation lies. Gen Z thrives on the immediate gratification of social media interactions – the quick dopamine hits from likes and shares. This is our digital upbringing. However, the kind of impactful changes we aspire to see, especially in environmental policies and industrial practices, are processes that take time. Our generation’s impatience is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it propels us forward, driving momentum for change. But on the other, it can lead to frustration when faced with the slow pace of significant systemic shifts. Rome, indeed, wasn’t built in a day. This dichotomy is something I often ponder about when considering our generation’s role in shaping the future.

ZW: I agree, a lot of Gen Z is just a bunch of screaming people trying to go from point A to point Z within a matter of seconds, but it doesn’t happen like that. We talk about a lot of things as a generation but climate change is still a big problem and sure, there have been things to help climate change or reduce carbon emissions but not a lot that I would say Gen Z particularly contributed to, though we are very vocal.
KN: The focus on COP28, the climate change conference that happened in Dubai, is fascinating. It underscores a kind of superpower we possess in directing global attention to critical issues. This is where I find your work particularly intriguing. The intersection of culture and fashion has a profound influence on how people perceive and engage with issues like climate change. It’s not just about the clothes produced but also about the technology and methodologies employed in their creation. For instance, participation in a fashion show might not directly impact sustainability or climate change, but the platform it provides for advocacy and raising awareness is both interesting and impactful. It’s this blend of visibility and influence that excites me the most about having a voice in this space. How you use this stage to champion sustainable practices and inspire change, especially among our generation, is both a responsibility and an opportunity. It’s about leveraging our visibility not just to highlight issues but to be part of the solution, to be the driving force behind tangible, positive changes in the industry. What excites you the most about having this voice?

ZW: I would say my biggest drive is getting more people inspired to do whatever they want to do, especially people within my community, to work together to change something for the better. A lot of the time Gen Z will stay stuff and either they can’t do anything about it, or some people don’t want to do the hard work. On social media, it feels like you can do hard work without actually doing it. Where I am right now, I know I want to continue the STEM track and go to college. Or the STEAM track, I’ll add the A in there.
KN: I love that you added that because science, technology, engineering, art and math is all-encom-
passing. Delving into the realm of machine learning, I’ve come to see the creation of these models as an art form. There’s a beautiful interplay between technical prowess and creative vision, much like in traditional arts. I once came across a thought-provoking idea about the concept of work-life balance. It suggested that this term inherently creates a dichotomy where work is viewed as a chore, and life as the enjoyable part. But what if your work is something you deeply enjoy? Should there even be a balance to strike? If you’re passionate about what you do, the lines between work and life blur, merging into a fulfilling continuum.

ZW: That does make sense, I don’t know how I would categorise what’s work and what’s life, to me school is everything.
KN: I think that whole work-life balance thing is saying one is exciting and one isn’t that fun. Based on what we just talked about, who are some people we both admire? There is often this thought that young people don’t necessarily look up to other individuals who are older than us and I completely disagree. I find so many people incredibly inspiring who I look up to.

“Our generation’s impatience is a double-edged sword. On one hand, it propels us forward, driving momentum for change. But on the other, it can lead to frustration when faced with the slow pace of significant systemic shifts.”

ZW: I look up to my parents so much and I get so much from them – an incalculable amount of support, inspiration and energy. I strive to find inspiration from people who are in my life. My parents are my biggest source of inspiration, they’re the closest people to me. My dad was a basketball player [Dwyane Wade] and I saw him making all these brand deals, making Wade Cellars, co-owning the Utah Jazz team and seeing all of this work that he put in to reinvent himself after basketball. I’m going into a different field than him but in general, that concept of turning something like a business into this world people can connect with, instead of
some kind of lifeless corporation. I think that’s the goal for a lot of Gen Z kids now, I think we all want to make this big thing because we’re looking for unity, we want everyone to stand up and do their thing and I definitely aspire to do the same.
KN: I love that. At the start we spoke about the things that scare us about Gen Z and what we’re demanding from brands or companies, and what your dad has been able to do has that multidimensional aspect. You can also see it in terms of how he’s a cultural influence on ourselves, because seeing that makes us demand more from the companies we support or the things we engage with. You said your parents are really big inspirations but have you had a moment where you were at something and you fangirled from meeting somebody in person?

ZW: How could I not?! There are so many people I’ve met and I try not to freak out about them because I don’t want to seem like that kind of person. I went to a fitting [for Miu Miu] and at the end I was in the bathroom changing and I heard someone else walking in and the voice was pretty recognisable but I couldn’t put a name to it. I walk out and there’s Halle [Bailey], it was such an amazing experience. All the press for The Little Mermaid was coming out at the time and I’m a die-hard fan of Grown-ish, and she’s made such big cultural waves, so meeting her was such a fangirl moment and I tried my absolute hardest not to freak out. Then the entire night I was like, “Oh my god, she’s doing the fitting the same day I am so she’s probably going to be there,” I was anticipating seeing her. In the least creepy way possible I kind of stalk Halle now, I’m always on her page seeing what she’s posted. [laughs]
KN: The person I fangirled about would be Pat McGrath.

ZW: Oh my god, how could you not fangirl over Pat McGrath?!
KN: She just has a presence about her that I was in absolute awe of, she commands this incredible space and I’ve always looked up to her because she’s in an industry that is difficult to do well in.

ZW: And she’s doing more than well.
KN: Right?! I’ve always loved her products and what she’s doing, then I met her and I was just in absolute awe. She’s an incredible inspiration because it’s really difficult to be a female entrepreneur in that world, and a female entrepreneur in general. When I met her I was like, “Oh my god, I’m going to die.”

ZW: I agree, I first met her at a show I walked in and there was a lot of commotion over who was going to do my glam and once I was in the line-up, ten minutes before the actual show she came over to me and I was so nervous.
KN: You’re like, “I’m walking in this show and now Pat is here!”

ZW: She was so kind and so wonderful and the good kind of overwhelming. The kind that made me feel super happy and excited to be near her and exist with her. She gave me a retouch on my makeup which was just as amazing as doing it.
KN: Oh my god, so we’ll just say she did your glam.

ZW: The entire show I was replaying that moment in my head while walking and I was like, “What just happened? I just met an icon!” When I was leaving I was in the car and so many good things had happened. I was already hyped then I got my chemistry test grade back which I was scared about because I’m more of a bio girl.
KN: Chemistry can kill a person.

ZW: It could end someone’s life. [both laugh] I got 100, so I was like, “Oh my god!”
KN: You got 100?!

ZW: I got a 100. Shout out to my chem teacher.
KN: That makes me so happy, I love it when girls are crushing it in science and technology. There are so
many young women our age throughout the world who can’t get access to science. So, the fact you’re able to do that, do really well at it and do it alongside so many other things makes me so happy. You’re an inspiration
to other young women.

ZW: I appreciate so many different organisations that help women across the planet of all ages to get into that field, because it’s so inaccessible to women. I feel like I’m being backed up by female society to continue through in STEM and excel in it. I’m smiling really hard right now, but that’s how I feel about anything related to science.
KN: I love that. That is what I love and why I work to provide bigger access with organisations like UN
Women because hopefully when we talk about it and talk about our love for it, it inspires other young girls to
put their hands up in science class or participate and change the future.

Feature originally published in Heroine 20. 

hair KELLY PEACH using ORIBE;
make-up ZAHEER SUKHNANDAN;
photography assistant PATRICK KIM;
fashion assistant GABRIELLE RAM