Bria (University at Albany, MA Africana Studies ‘19; Purchase College, BA Liberal Studies ‘10) is a scholar, environmental collaborator, and doctoral candidate in Sociology at Mississippi State University. Her research explores the transformative role of hope in collective future-making, with her dissertation, "How Social Hope (Re)imagines Futures," investigating how hope shapes visions for social change and community resilience. She has contributed her expertise to the Great Dismal Swamp Stakeholder Collaborative, a coalition of federal, state, and local agencies, non-governmental organizations, and community stakeholders dedicated to the conservation, restoration, and sustainable management of the Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and its surrounding ecosystems. Through her involvement, Young has engaged in efforts to protect natural resources, promote biodiversity, and ensure that community perspectives inform environmental planning and decision-making. Young’s work embodies a commitment to interdisciplinary research and public scholarship, bridging sociology, Africana studies, and environmental collaboration to address complex social and ecological challenges. She continues to advocate for equitable, inclusive, and community-driven approaches to both scholarship and conservation.