Ignite the Fire of Wisdom Within
“Peace is something that we all have to commit to building with whatever resources, networks, ideas and creativity we have — day after day, year after year.”
“We need to tell stories about the climate crisis that are not frightening but empowering–solutionary stories that remind us of our shared responsibility to one another and to the planet.”
“If we are not content with the stories we inherit, then we can write our own brave narratives of becoming.”
Dr. Maya Soetoro-Ng is a peace educator, author, and global citizenship advocate whose life and work embody the thoughtful bridge-building at the heart of the Arete Youth Academy’s mission.
She is a Faculty Specialist in the College of Social Sciences at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. She also serves as the University’s liaison to the Obama Foundation and works with the Foundation’s Leaders program and Global Girls Alliance on initiatives in Hawaiʻi and the Asia-Pacific region.
Previously, she was the Director of the Matsunaga Institute for Peace at the University of Hawaiʻi, where, in addition to leading outreach and development initiatives, she also taught Leadership for Social Change, Peace Movements, Peace Education, and Conflict Management. For many years, she worked at the University’s College of Education, where she taught Multicultural Education, Social Studies Methods, and Peace Education at both the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Dr. Soetoro-Ng sits on several voluntary boards and is the Co-Founder of the non-profits Ceeds of Peace, The Peace Studio, and The Institute for Climate and Peace.
Her multicultural upbringing in Jakarta and Hawaiʻi, paired with her academic and community leadership, uniquely positions her to speak to issues of identity, conflict resolution, and interconnection across global communities. A longtime advocate for youth engagement, Maya has taught in public schools and alternative education settings in New York and Hawaiʻi, and remains deeply involved in initiatives that nurture youth-led civic action, cultural empathy, and resilience.
In addition to her educational work, Maya is a published author. Her children’s book Ladder to the Moon was inspired by her mother and daughter, weaving themes of heritage, healing, and intergenerational connection. In 2023, she co-authored The First Day of Peace, a picture book that speaks to climate justice, compassion, and community action. She is also working on a forthcoming young adult novel, Yellowwood, which explores the themes of war, peacebuilding, and healing.
Books
The First Day of Peace (2023), co-authored with Todd Shuster, is a children’s story about compassion, environmental responsibility, and shared humanity.
Ladder to the Moon (2011) – inspired by Maya’s mother and daughter, this poetic picture book explores intergenerational wisdom and hope.
Mixed: Portraits of Multiracial Kids (2010) – Maya contributed the foreword to this celebrated collection exploring identity and multiracial belonging.
Yellowwood (Forthcoming) – a young adult novel in development, centered on identity, justice, and healing across cultural boundaries.
Other Appearances & Features
Artists as Catalyst Miami 2025 Cohort – meet the Peace Studio’s incredible storytellers and artists
Ka‘a I Ka Wiwo‘ole: Brave Enough from the Frontlines of Our Climate‑Resilient Futures – a 2024 ICP video showcasing BIPOC girls and women in Hawaiʻi building community resilience and climate justice through Indigenous knowledge, mentorship, and collective action.
Washington Post Interview (2023) – discussing The First Day of Peace and the deeper mission behind peace education.
PBS’s The Open Mind – interview on peacebuilding, storytelling, and the moral imagination.
100 Offerings of Peace – a global storytelling initiative launched through The Peace Studio in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Obama Foundation: Leaders Asia-Pacific Program – Maya helped design and facilitate leadership training for emerging young changemakers across the region.
Ceeds of Peace: Youth Talk Back – a community engagement program amplifying youth voices and civic action in Hawaiʻi.
Institute for Climate and Peace – Maya’s climate justice nonprofit integrating environmental stewardship with peace education.
Learn More
Support the Arete Youth Academy through your donor-advised fund or by including us in your will or estate plan.
To recommend a grant through your DAF (e.g., Fidelity, Schwab, Vanguard), direct it to:
Agora Productions, Inc.
EIN: 20-8516833
Please note “Arete Youth Academy” in the designation.
To make a planned gift, you can help ensure that future generations benefit from an education grounded in peace, dialogue, and global citizenship.
We’re happy to work with you and your advisor to make the process simple and meaningful.
Contact: AreteGiving@AgoraProductions.org
Many employers match donations made to Agora Productions, Inc.—the nonprofit home of Arete Youth Academy. It’s a simple way to amplify your impact and support transformative education for emerging global leaders. Just enter your company name in the popup window to the right and follow the steps to submit your match request.
If your company or institution is interested in supporting AYA in other ways, such as partnerships, grants, visibility opportunities, co-branded materials, or speaking engagements with our founders or advisors, we’d love to hear from you. Please contact us at AreteGiving@AgoraProductions.org to explore meaningful collaboration.
We welcome donations by check, bank transfer (ACH), wire, or appreciated securities.
To donate by check:
Please make checks payable to:
Agora Productions, Inc.
Memo: Arete Youth Academy (or “Bill Taylor Scholarship Fund” if applicable)
Mail to:
Arete Youth Academy
c/o Agora Productions, Inc.
P.O. Box 452688
Los Angeles, CA 90045
To donate by bank transfer (ACH):
For larger or recurring donations, ACH is a secure and cost-effective option.
Simply select “Bank” as your payment method on our donation page and follow the step-by-step process.
To donate by stock, wire, or securities transfer:
We gladly accept gifts of appreciated assets.
Please contact us directly for transfer instructions:
AreteGiving@AgoraProductions.org
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Bill Taylor was the visionary founder of the original Arete West program, which ran from 1979 to 2017. Over the course of 40 years, he personally led students on 20 transformative journeys across the globe, inspiring hundreds of young people to pursue wisdom, leadership, and compassionate service. His encouragement helped spark the creation of the Arete Youth Academy, which carries forward his mission to empower youth through education. This scholarship fund ensures his legacy continues to shape future generations.
To designate your gift:
1. Visit our donation page.
2. Enter your donation amount and choose the “Give in honor or in memory of someone” option.
3. In the “Honoree’s Name” field, type “Bill Taylor Scholarship Fund”
Gifts to the Bill Taylor Scholarship Fund will be used to provide tuition support for one or more participants in each cohort—extending Bill’s spirit of mentorship and service to future generations.
We’ll send a personalized message to your honoree or their family, letting them know how their influence continues to empower youth through Arete.
In Greece, students will walk in the footsteps of the world’s first philosophers—tracing the origins of inquiry, democracy, and the examined life. Standing in the Agora, where Socrates engaged young Athenians in fearless dialogue about virtue and truth, participants will reflect on how authentic conversation remains the heartbeat of human progress. Visits to the Parthenon, the Acropolis Museum, and the ruins of Aristotle’s Lyceum will anchor discussions on the birth of reason and the moral responsibilities of free thought. Key readings will include selections from Plato’s Apology and Republic, Pericles’ Funeral Oration, and Constantine Cavafy’s timeless poem Ithaka, urging travelers to cherish the inner journey as much as the destination. Students will also explore Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics, reflecting on his vision of “eudaimonia”—a flourishing life achieved through virtue and self-mastery—and its relevance to modern global citizenship.