Victoria Teo, Technology Field, Sustainability, and the Roman Goddess – The Good Men Project (blog)

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Victoria wants to explore the world with her imaginary cat. She hopes that she can contribute to the movement of world peace while attaining the meaning of why? When shes not studying (which is most of the time), she can be found singing, cooking edible food, and wondering why she isnt studying.

Victoria is the founder of Cering,a technology company focused on the empowerment and safety of women. Ceringsgoal is to help women all over the world feel safer with wearable technology that is integrated into day-to-day personal accessories for your convenience.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen:How did you become involved in the technology field?

Victoria Teo: I never really planned to become involved with technology, actually! However, its so prevalent in the world today that its inevitable that all of us will get involved with technology in some way or another. I started Cering during a local pitch competition, which I had joined two days before the actual event. I was in theYoung Entrepreneur Leadership Launchpad (YELL) programat the time, so my team endorsed the idea after the pitch competition, and we ended up winning the year-end Dragons Den-style Venture Challenge with Cering. From there, we decided to continue pursuing our business.

Jacobsen: How did you begin to develop a new interest in sustainability?

Teo: I waspart of theMetro Vancouver Sustainability Toolbox (MVST) program, which soughtlike-minded youth leaders who shared a passion for sustainability from all over Metro Vancouver together. Participating in this program connected me to so many amazing youth and community partners within Metro Vancouver, and inspired me to lead theLove Food, Hate Waste Campaign, which included a workshop series, in my school. I am excited to see where my journey in sustainability takes me!

Jacobsen: Theres an unacknowledged form of activism. Some might think of protests, letters, petitions, and community organizing when they think ofactivism. However,there are other types, too. Entrepreneurship geared towards future technologies and sustainability is one. You founded Cering, a wearable technology company. What is the product and vision behind the company?

Teo: We are definitely a company that is focused on our social impact. Cering is founded on the belief that everyone has the right to security and to feel safe. It is a line of jewelry that when activated, alerts the local authorities and the wearers loved ones, and notifies them of the wearers location through the app on their phone. We are prototyping a sleek and discreet bracelet that will be activated with the touch of a button. With Cering, we hope to connect those who believe in our vision of a safer world with no fearwhere dreams can be made reality.

Jacobsen: You named the company after the Roman Goddess, Ceres. She rescues and protects vulnerable women. With the vision of Cering as womens empowerment and safety, how does the company assist in this?

Teo: Cering is creating the Cering Nationa community of people who support and believe in our vision of empowering women to pursue their aspirations and live a life with no fear. We recognize that safety is an alarming and relevant issue in the world today, as statistics show that up to one in three women will experience physical or sexual violence in their lives. Raising awareness and taking a stance for our beliefs is a core value of ours, and through this, we truly believe that Cering will positively impact womens safety and empowerment.

Jacobsen: Being a young entrepreneur, how does your lifestyle differ, e.g. in school, in business, and in extracurriculars, from those who arent currently as involved as you?

Teo: I enjoy a life filled with spontaneity, so its thrilling to be both a student in school and an aspiring professional going out to conferences, events, and coffee with role models that I look up to. Its definitely tough to balance scholarships and university applications, work, school, and all my other extracurriculars, and there are sacrifices to make, but its worth it because I genuinely love and am passionate about the work I do. Its interesting to wear multiple hats throughout a week and it can be exhausting, but its probably more fun than being just a student. I think that getting myself out there gives me this unleashed confidence and assurance in both myself and the future I have in the world outside of high school.

Jacobsen: You are the President of the Indian Umbrella branch in your high school as well. What are some the things you do for activism with them such as youth empowerment and developing country aid?

Teo: Indian Umbrellais a youth-founded non-profit organization that empowers Canadian youth to raise awareness and monetary aid for grassroots charities in India. I am passionate about developing country aid and interested in Indian cultures, so I am proud to have this opportunity as my branchs president! Through Indian Umbrella, I am focusing especially on inspiring and educating youth. I believe that it is important for todays youth to understand why they support a certain cause, so I am bringing in multiple guest speakers involved in non-profit workto shed a light on what supporting these causes mean beyond secondary school.

Jacobsen: People can communicate more easily with hardware like cell phones and software like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram and activism requires more rapid communication to organize and coordinate in the electronic era. Does this analysis seem correct to you?

Teo: Yes! It does. I am very lucky to live in an era where communication, organization, and planning is made easy through technology. I utilize all of the above softwares daily, and it is definitely an advantage that can be taken for granted. I do think that these benefits can go down two streets, though. Power must always be used responsibly, and can always be used for good as well asfoul intentions.

Jacobsen: Thank you for your time, Victoria.

Teo: It was a pleasure! Thank you for having me.

By Scott Douglas Jacobsen

* All views expressed in this interviewbelong to the interviewee and dont necessarily reflect the views of CYH.

Original publication on http://www.checkyourhead.org.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Scott Douglas Jacobsen founded In-Sight Publishing and In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal. He works as an Associate Editor and Contributor for Conatus News, Editor and Contributor to The Good Men Project, a Board Member, Executive International Committee (International Research and Project Management) Member, and as the Chair of Social Media for the Almas Jiwani Foundation, Executive Administrator and Writer for Trusted Clothes, and Councillor in the Athabasca University Students Union. He contributes to the Basic Income Earth Network, The Beam, Canadian Students for Sensible Drug Policy, Check Your Head, Conatus News, Humanist Voices, The Voice Magazine, and Trusted Clothes. If you want to contact Scott: [emailprotected]; website: http://www.in-sightjournal.com; Twitter: https://twitter.com/InSight_Journal.

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Victoria Teo, Technology Field, Sustainability, and the Roman Goddess - The Good Men Project (blog)