Daily Inspiration: Meet Saniya Dwivedi

Today we’d like to introduce you to Saniya Dwivedi.

Hi Saniya, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started Health In Movement because I saw firsthand how much physical activity can transform a person’s mental and physical well-being including my own. As a student athlete, movement has always grounded me, but I realized not everyone has the same access or support. During the pandemic and through conversations with peers, I noticed how many teens were struggling with motivation, mental health, and screen overuse. I wanted to do something tangible to help.

Health In Movement began as a small idea: creating fun, inclusive spaces where young people could move, connect, and feel supported. That vision has grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that hosts exercise workshops, mental-health-focused events, and community programs for youth, including visually impaired students and underprivileged K–12 communities. We’ve partnered with organizations like the Foundation for Blind Children, collaborated with local legislators on youth health issues, and I’m currently conducting research with the Arizona Obesity Organization to better understand and address risk factors in young people.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. Hosting events and getting in touch with the right people can be challenging, especially in the beginning. A lot of my work involved cold emailing organizations, schools, and community partners and most of the time, I didn’t get responses. It took persistence to find the right connections.

Being under 18 also added an extra layer of difficulty. Some organizations were hesitant to collaborate because of my age or certain liability issues. But these challenges taught me a lot: how to advocate for myself, communicate professionally, and stay resilient even when things didn’t happen right away.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
Through Health In Movement, I focus on helping young people build healthier habits by making exercise more fun and accessible. I love creating spaces where students feel supported and can move in ways that work for them. I’m especially proud of the workshops we’ve done with visually impaired students.

A big part of what shapes my work is my own background. I’ve danced Bharatanatyam for years, it’s a classical Indian dance form that blends expression, storytelling, and athletic movement, and I play basketball at Xavier, so movement has always been a huge part of my life. Those experiences taught me discipline, creativity, and how powerful staying active can be for your mental health.

What sets me apart is that I’m still a junior in high school doing this work from a teen perspective. I understand what other students are dealing with, and that helps me create programs that actually feel relatable and supportive.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I think the youth health space is going to keep growing over the next decade, especially as more teens deal with stress, screen time, and mental health challenges. There’s a big shift toward combining physical and mental wellness, and I see that becoming even more important.

For Health In Movement, I hope to expand as I gain more experience and education. I want it to grow into a long-term organization with youth chapters or student-led teams in different schools and communities. My goal is for it to become a space where young people are the ones leading the conversation about their own health and creating programs that support each other.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://healthinmovementt.wixsite.com/health-in-movement
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/health.in.movement/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@HealthInMovement.100
• Other: https://healthinmovement.wordpress.com/