Local Spotlight: Getting to Know Satya Pinney “Bring On the Hope!” Inspiration From a Tweenager with a Bright Vision
By Jordan Pease – January 2023 Issue of LocalsGuide Magazine – Ashland, Oregon
Today’s kids are having a tough go of it. The disruptions of the pandemic are causing serious impacts on youngsters, and teens are faced with looming concerns about socio-political turmoil, climate change, and other big challenges. This causes worry for us all, and our future needs good people with optimistic values.
Meet 12-year-old Satya Pinney of Generation Alpha (people born 2010-2024). Here’s an intelligent, confident young woman, a Pisces, wise beyond her years, whose appetite for knowledge and personal growth opportunities inspires optimism when considering how this next generation is equipped to negotiate the unprecedented challenges ahead for humanity.
Thank you for sharing about yourself here, Satya, please tell your “how I got to Ashland story.”
The first time we came to Oregon we were passing through on a cross country adventure after visiting family. We immediately fell in love with the Oregon mountains and towns. A couple of years later we decided to move to Oregon. At first, we lived in a small house, we moved house to house for a while, but my favorite was definitely the one on Mount Ashland in the Colestin Valley.
What are the BEST and WORST parts of living in Ashland?
A great part of living in Ashland is that you are surrounded by wildlife and yet you’re close to everything. A hard part about living in Ashland is the pedestrians.
If you had 10 million dollars to spend to help the world, what would you do with it?
If I had 10 million dollars, I would put it into a bank account. Then, use my own money to travel around the world researching people, organizations, and animals that might need help. Instead of immediately just using that money as a donation, I would invest that money in ways that could help them in the long term.
What’s a thing people would never guess about you?
I grew up on a bus, traveling the country.
What is it that young people most need support with in their lives right now?
That’s a very hard question to answer. All of the kids right now have many problems and none of them are the same. Some are dealing with depression, some are dealing with health challenges, some are dealing with stuff at home or at school. So to say all youth need the same support would be wrong. I would say, just being there and not trying to fix our problems, but really listening and hearing us is a good start in my opinion.
Do you have a story about a paranormal experience?
I don’t know for sure if this was paranormal or not, but it was definitely a magical experience. When I was around six years old [approximately 2016], my brother, my mom, one of our dear friends and I went on a trip to Lake Cancow, CA. We had a lot of fun, and toward the end of our trip, my brother’s friend, my brother and I went down to the lake. That entire morning flashed by with weird experiences happening throughout it.
Long story short: my brother, his friend and I all saw what we like to call “The Lady of the Lake.” It was a strange experience, and we have no idea what it actually could be. We saw her, and she was there, and the next moment, she wasn’t. She was on the far side of the lake, just walking on the tops of the trees. I know it sounds strange, but it’s what we saw.
Another time, in the summer of 2020, we were at a friend’s house for a party. It was probably towards 10 pm, when bursting out of the sky, a string of lights started performing. They made crazy shapes and stayed for several minutes. It was a small experience, but one I won’t forget.
Do you think there’s an afterlife?
To say there is just one afterlife is hard. Although I do not believe in God or Gods, I do believe it’s a possibility that there is a being out there doing who knows what. I prefer to believe that we get reincarnated, as an animal, or human, or whatever.
What thing or things most inspires you?
Living off the land, the idea that I can do better, surfing, horseback riding, the redwoods, music, and art of all kinds.
What is a quality of friendship that’s important to you?
Respect, because respect can be given and received in so many different ways.
Do you have a story about a life-changing incident? Or what has been the most interesting day of your life?
I enjoy life changing experiences or even small things that I can do at home that still feel like a wild adventure, like snow camping. I enjoy snow camping a lot, though one of my favorite parts is sleeping in a “quinzee.” A quinzee is a big mound of compacted snow dug out for people to be inside.
When I did this with my father, we laid out tarps, blankets, then sleeping bags. We put on lots of layers and prepared ourselves for the cold night. But by the time we were both ready for bed, I was in a short sleeve and leggings with bare feet. It really goes to show you, any place can feel like home.
What is your “superpower?”
To see the bigger picture and look at all points of view.
If you were marooned on a desert island, which of these four things would you wish to have? In other words, what is your most favorite FOOD, BOOK, MUSIC, and MOVIE, please?
How big is the island? Are there animals on the island? Are there edible plants on the island? FOOD: If it doesn’t have to be useful, beignets [a French pastry]. If it does have to be useful, venison. BOOK: If it doesn’t have to be useful, “My Side of the Mountain.” If it does have to be useful, a big book that I could use for fire kindling. MUSIC: “American Pie” by Don McLean. Movie: “JoJo Rabbit.”
Ready for a speed round now? Please answer these ones quickly, without thinking too much: Winter or summer?
Winter.
Kittens or puppies?
Oh! skip!
Emigrant Lake or Lithia Park?
Lithia Park.
Ocean or river?
Ocean.
Bicycle or skateboard?
Bicycle.
What are five words to describe the rest of your life, please?
Content, respect, happiness, freedom, and adventure!
