Mya's Gift Guide for Woke Teens

Our annual gift guides return! Each one is thoughtfully curated by a neighbor near you. We asked creative, conscious teen Mya Pecson to to pick gifts that she or someone like her would enjoy! We like how Mya's gift guide reflects a rich inner and outer life - goods that celebrate her family and social life, as well as items for peace and reflection. Check out her picks for a woke teen in your life!

KP: What do you do by day and what do you do by night?

MP: Sometimes I'm at school - either trying to learn or daydreaming. And at night I like to watch any shows that have been released, or I'm drawing or hanging out with my siblings or playing Minecraft with my cousin Diego.

KP: What or who are you feeling most connected to lately?

MP: Probably Nina because we just had a sleepover and she's my best friend and we talk all the time. We were talking about a lot of stuff and went shopping together, which is really nice since we don't see each other everyday anymore. But I feel more connected to her now even though we're more apart.

KP: What are you most looking forward to in 2020? 

MP: New seasons to my favorite shows. And looking forward to trying to expand my art because I've been dabbling in a lot of things but havent gotten into others besides visual art and journals. I'd like to do more photography and a lot more writing. And I'm excited for my freshman year to end and for my sophomore year to start.

I really like to journal and I've been obsessed with Ghibli since I was very little, and Totoro is one of my favorites. And the felt cover makes it really nice to touch. -Mya

My Neighbor Totoro Journal, $16.95.

It smells really good and I really like candles. Sometimes I turn all the lights off in my room and light a candle. It creates a peaceful atmosphere that you want to be in. Also, my mom always says my room stinks so the candle helps it smell better :) - Mya

Moonrise Sunset Candle, $26.

In Steven Universe, Garnet is my favorite Gem. The red and gold is really pretty. Earrings are a good accessory for a small detail that can add a lot to your outfit. These are very simple and not extravagant so it can be paired up with a lot of stuff. - Mya

Garnet Mini Energy Gems, $33.

For one, the wrapper is really cool, and green tea chocolate is one of my favorite chocolate flavors. Who doesn't like chocolate? - Mya

Compartes Matcha White Chocolate Bar, $9.95.

Polaroids and pictures are really fun to take to events etc, to capture the moment and keep on your wall or in your journal. This camera is really nice, too, for photography artists to look at the world. It's nice for keeping memories to look back on. - Mya

Lomo Instant Automat Camera 'Dahab', $199.

This quote by Diego (my cousin) is very relatable. I'll bring my food to school and I'll look at everyone else's food and want to eat their food and it's the same for my friends and so we always trade! My auntie and uncle got this print, too. In our family we'll always be looking at each other's food, saying "are you gonna eat that?" Lol. And so it's a memory I connect with family. - Mya

Growing Upwords "Other People's Sandwiches" Print, $29.