Discover the heart of Proud to be a Human and our commitment to spreading kindness.
Proud to be a Human is a non-profit movement celebrating the goodness that exists in all of us.
We choose to focus on what unites us: our shared humanity. Every day, ordinary people perform extraordinary acts of kindness that go unnoticed. We exist to amplify these stories, to inspire others, and to create a ripple effect of compassion that keeps scaling. Our movement is built on the belief that small actions lead to big changes. A smile shared with a stranger, a helping hand extended to a neighbour, a moment of genuine listening; these are the building blocks of a more compassionate world. Through our programs, events, and initiatives, we empower individuals to become agents of positive change in their own neighbourhoods while connecting them to a network of like-minded humans.
Founder & Executive Director
The idea for Proud to Be Human was born on a crowded subway in Toronto. Avaanya witnessed a small moment that changed everything: a teenager gave up their seat for an elderly stranger, and the simple exchange of gratitude between them brought smiles to an entire train car full of strangers.
“In that moment, I realized that kindness is contagious,” Avaanya recalls. “One small act created a ripple that touched dozens of people. I thought, what if we could create intentional ripples like this, everywhere, every day?”
Before moving to Canada at the age of 10, Avaanya grew up in India, where she was deeply influenced by her involvement with the CRY (Child Rights and You). She also volunteered with organizations supporting visually impaired students, spending time learning how they navigate education and even teaching math. Those experiences stayed with her, not just because of what she gave, but because of how much they gave back.
That feeling, the kind that’s genuine, meaningful, and lasting, is what she wanted to share with others.
In 2026, she founded Proud to Be Human. Through community initiatives, digital outreach, and in-person experiences, she is building a community of inspiring and driven individuals who want to turn empathy into action. A space that reminds us that kindness doesn’t have to be complicated to be impactful.
Because at the end of the day, we should all be Proud to be a Human.
