Lucia Xiao

Lucia Xiao is a senior at the Brearley School for girls in New York City and the founder of BridGEN, a youth-led volunteer program dedicated to bridging the generational divide between seniors and young people. Inspired by her grandmother’s challenges with smartphone technology and her experiences in TechGirls, a U.S. Department of State global leadership program, Lucia recognized the power of intergenerational and cross-cultural collaboration to address shared challenges like the digital divide. She launched BridGEN at the Older Adult Center at Lenox Hill Neighborhood House, where her grandmother frequently visits, and has actively volunteered there since her freshman year. Through BridGEN, Lucia empowers seniors with digital skills while fostering meaningful connections across generations. She has represented BridGEN at UN Youth Summits and the Aspen Institute Rising Generations Summit, and she hopes to expand the initiative’s impact in partnership with ASU. In her free time, Lucia enjoys baking, reading Russian literature, binge-watching new anime, and swimming—she has been a competitive swimmer for nine years!