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What we see online is only #HalfTheStory
So, we are putting teens at the table to write a new story. As part of our Clinton Global Initiative Commitment to Action, we are mobilizing 10 million people in the next five years to ensure that teens shape the future of AI.
Right now, AI is being built without teens; technology is moving faster than humanity. Teens will spend roughly 30 years of their life on screens, yet they have no seat at the table when it comes to the decisions shaping what those screens might become.
We believe in a world where teens are empowered by algorithms, not consumed by them. One where digital wellbeing is a fundamental human right.
See our teens in action
For more than ten years, teens have been the backbone of #HalfTheStory. They inspire and guide us daily. We partner with states, schools, organizations, and teens themselves to build digital agency and leadership skills through our Teen Tech Council, Teen Advisory Board, and our award-winning Social Media U Curriculum. See how they’re sharing their side of the story.
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Founder memo
Dear Believers,
When there is darkness, you find the light—and you hold it.
Ten years ago, as a teen myself, I believed stories could change the world. It all began with one story and a $250 grant. I saw social media not just as a threat—but as a tool, a sword, a spark.
I founded #HalfTheStory out of curiosity and a deep desire to bridge humanity and technology through storytelling. I was tired of adults talking about teens instead of with them. Tired of solutions built in boardrooms instead of bedrooms. Tired of hearing that technology was ruining my generation—when I knew we were capable of so much more.
My mission today is to pass the torch—to raise up a new generation of leaders at a time when humanity and technology are converging, where artificial intelligence collides with infinite awareness and the imagination muscle.
What started with one vulnerable moment became a movement. Because we did something revolutionary: We listened. We centered teen voices. We believed in their power—not just to consume content, but to create change.
We’re changing the narrative, one teen at a time. Teenwork makes the dream work—and you make this work possible. Let’s write the next chapter together.
The future is bright with less blue light.
Larz
Larissa May
Founder & Executive Director
Our founder
Larissa May (Larz) is a digital wellness entrepreneur and the founder of #HalfTheStory, a non-profit dedicated to improving the next generation’s relationship with technology. Larissa founded #HalfTheStory after facing her own struggles with social media, and has spent the past 10 years driving the rapidly growing global movement towards digital wellness. As the first youth-led non-profit of its kind, #HalfTheStory is focused on progressing education and advocacy work surrounding social media and tech use. Through #HalfTheStory's evidence-based education program, Social Media U, young people across schools in the US and UK are taught the skills needed to have a healthy relationship with their screens and are empowered to understand and advocate for their digital health. Prior to #HalfTheStory, Larissa helped build some of today’s buzziest D2C brands, including Kin Euphorics and Otherland, winning the Business Insider Brand Marketing Rising Stars Award for her work. Larissa has been featured in the WSJ, TIME, Forbes, Vanity Fair, Refinery29, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and CBS This Morning.
Larissa May has expanded [their] focus to educational programming and is adding a more aggressive approach: marshaling social media’s main users—teens themselves—to fight for change.
1M
students reached in all 50 states through our partnership with Discovery Edu
100,000+
students engaged through our digital wellness curriculum, Social Media U
>200
youth leaders trained with #HalfTheStory in 2025-2026
23%
of youth participants saw significant gains in digital flourishing
97%
of participants say they improved their relationship with technology
87%
of participants plan to engage in local advocacy
We are #HalfTheStory
We started with a story and a big dream in a dorm room.
The difference is, we made it happen.
We leave our egos at the door and bring our souls to the table.
We prioritize people over profit; and purpose over pleasure.
We don't sleep on our daydreams; we make them happen.
Teenwork makes the dream work.
Young people are the drumbeat of our organization—the heart of everything we do.
Working hard means nothing; working smart means everything.
Don't partner with meanies, period.
We show, don't tell.
We move hearts first, minds second.
We take big swings and fall with grace.
We listen more than we speak.
We share stories through data and let it speak louder than words.
We move mountains that others fly over.
We don't shape the world; we mold it.
We believe digital wellness is possible and we convinced the world to do so.
We're ten years in and we're just getting started.
Buckle up.
Let's fly.
Oprah Winfrey Show: Digital Wellness
Larissa May and Oprah Winfrey talk about digital wellness.
Wall Street Journal: The Woman Rallying Teens to Change Social Media
Larissa May goes to schools ... ‘We can’t wait for big tech.’
CBS: Kid’s Relationship with Social Media
Larissa May, ... teaches kids about digital wellness and fostering a healthier relationship with social media.
