At a moment when the country is grappling with the civic consequences of rapidly advancing technology, Parv Mehta stands out as one of the most forward‑thinking young leaders of his generation. Recognized as one of the 500 Gen Zers named to the 2025 Carnegie Young Leaders for Civic Preparedness cohort, Mehta represents the kind of grounded, community‑rooted innovator the program was designed to elevate.
A high school student from Washington state, Parv has emerged as a leading youth voice on the dangers of artificial intelligence and deepfakes. He recognized early that his generation would inherit a world where misinformation spreads faster than truth—and where young people are often the most vulnerable targets. Motivated by years of computer science classes and a growing awareness of AI’s risks, he launched a project to educate students across Washington about deepfake technology, media literacy, and digital safety.
The Fulcrum spoke with Parv about his initiative, Nacer, which partners with nonprofits and schools to deliver workshops and curricula that help young people understand how AI‑generated misinformation works—and how to protect themselves and their communities from it. Parv and his team aim to reach every young person in Washington over the next five to six years, a goal that reflects both ambition and a deep sense of civic responsibility.
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The Carnegie initiative, launched by the Institute for Citizens & Scholars, honors 500 young changemakers from 27 states and Washington, D.C., each committed to strengthening civic life through hands‑on, community‑driven projects. Fellows receive a full year of wraparound support, including funding, mentorship, training, and access to a national network of peers and civic leaders. Within this national cohort, Mehta’s work stands out for its urgency and clarity of purpose.
The Carnegie fellowship amplifies this work, providing Parv and fellow cohorts with resources to expand participants' reach and connect with a national network of peers tackling similarly urgent challenges—from disaster recovery to youth caregiving to community health. The program’s mission is to cultivate civic preparedness, and Parv embodies that ethos: he not only teaches technical literacy but also strengthens the democratic foundations that depend on an informed public.
In an era defined by polarization, distrust, and the accelerating pace of technological change, Parv Mehta represents a different kind of leadership—one rooted in education, empowerment, and the belief that young people can shape a safer, more resilient civic future. His recognition as a 2025 Carnegie Young Leader is a testament to the impact he is already making and the promise of what he will build next.
Meet the 2025 Carnegie Young Leaders and their projects by clicking HERE. Please note that some fellows are not listed in order to respect their privacy.
About the Institute for Citizens & Scholars
The Institute for Citizens & Scholars cultivates talent, ideas, and networks that develop young people as effective, lifelong citizens. We unite the left, right, and center to develop breakthrough solutions that create stronger citizens in our country, and we bring these solutions to life by forming strategic partnerships with an intentionally diverse group of young people, scholars, and education leaders, and civic and business leaders—including the 27,000 world-leading Fellows in our network. Together, we're on a mission to ensure that Americans everywhere are civically well-informed, productively engaged, and committed to democracy.
About Carnegie Corporation of New York
Carnegie Corporation of New York was established by Andrew Carnegie in 1911 to promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding. Today, the foundation works to reduce political polarization through philanthropic support for the issues that Carnegie considered most important: education, democracy, and peace.
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