Yasmin Butt, 18, would've called herself shy before she attended the Sadie Nash Leadership Project's Summer Institute as a high school sophomore.
"I was in this group of young women and I had never felt so powerful," said Butt of the free program.
Designed to encourage and equip young ladies with the tools to make a difference, Sadie Nash gave Butt the foundation she needed.
Later, she found a "cause" to act upon at home.
"I got very sick and she [saw] me in the hospital very sick, and she got scared," said Yasmin's mother Elena Santiago.
Yasmin says that experience also opened her eyes to health gaps. Disparities in access to resources because of certain circumstances.
"If she put her health first that meant that her work would come second and at the time that wasn't an option," Butt said of the financial struggle they faced if their mom took time off to address her health issues.
However, Butt says health gaps don't just impact a person's access to health care but to all things like more nutritious food.
"I think, especially on the North Shore people don’t have access to fresh foods," Butt said.
Butt wants to change that and while she only has ideas at this point, she has some suggestions that could remedy the issue.
"A better idea would be having schools open after school hours and having the markets come to the schools to sell their fruits there," Butt suggested.
Butt already has the attention of someone who might be able to help.
Staten Island's Borough Director of Health and Wellness, Dr. Ginny Mantello, contacted the teen after she organized her own health fair.
"We wanted to make sure that young girls knew that health gaps were there. So that they could share it with their friends," Butt recalled of the June event.
This fall, Butt won't take her talents far away from Staten Island.
She plans to hold similar health fairs while attending Columbia University on a full scholarship.