Check Out Keertana Uppala’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Keertana Uppala.

Hi Keertana, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have always been book smart. As a child, learning always came naturally to me, and for a long time I believed understanding facts was enough. That understanding facts meant understanding the world around me.

As I grew up, I slowly realized intelligence wasn’t just doing well in school and getting good grades, it meant understanding people and the world around me. I learnt a couple things along the way and started comprehending more than just academics. I started to understand emotions, behaviors, and the reasons people do the things they do. I started asking why instead of what. My curiosity is what led me to my role today in drug prevention.

I was in middle school when I first encountered drugs in real life not in textbooks or health presentations, but in hallways. I saw vapes passed between students, gummies disguised as candy, and drug deals happening quietly behind lockers. At the time, I didn’t understand why it was happening, but I could almost feel the pain behind it. The emotions behind it were crystal clear, the sorrow, the fear, the boredom, the feeling of loneliness, and desperately wanting to belong.
I didn’t just see substances, I saw stories, and I saw lives being taken away piece by piece. That was when I felt a responsibility to act.

I joined the Forsyth County Drug Awareness Council with the hope of making a difference, even if it was in just one person’s life. Through this work, I helped host drug-awareness initiatives, organized 5K runs and community events, distributed pamphlets and brochures for awareness, worked on an opioid project to distribute Narcan (opioid-reversal kits), created county-wide fentanyl and opioid curriculum into health classes, launched a county-wide literacy contest, a state-wide billboard project, and worked to bring honest conversations about substance use into the community. While the impact was meaningful, I realized it wasn’t enough for me. I wanted to do more.

That desire led me to expand my efforts statewide by joining Georgians for Responsible Marijuana Policy as their youngest board member. This work isn’t about demonizing substances or judging people; it’s about protecting young people during a critical stage of development and addressing the reasons they seek escape in the first place.

Through this role, I worked to amplify my voice, spoke at conferences, and became involved in policy-focused advocacy. Most importantly, I created my own program: Break the Silence T.A.L.K.S. T.A.L.K.S. stands for teens advocating for listening, kindness, and support. This program T.A.L.K.S. was designed to give teens a judgment-free space to talk openly, release stress and anxiety, and build genuine connections.

Through my experiences, I have come to believe that the root causes of drug use, mental health struggles, and depression among teenagers are loneliness, helplessness, and boredom. By addressing these root causes, we can create healthier individuals and, in turn, a stronger Georgia. Prevention is not just about saying “no” to drugs, but it is about saying “yes” to connection, purpose, and belonging.

My goal is to one day expand Break the Silence T.A.L.K.S. nationwide. I envision a future where, whenever and wherever someone feels lonely, overwhelmed, or even just bored, they can log into a Zoom meeting and feel at home surrounded by people who understand them. It’s not about eradicating substances themselves or pretending they don’t exist; it’s about educating individuals from a young age, providing them with resources and coping strategies that they need, and helping them open up in conversations about their mental health and their needs. I plan on creating a prevention playbook that integrates mental health and substance use prevention by providing parents, youth, and communities with clear resources, guidance, and strategies that help them understand what prevention looks like in practice, how to have meaningful conversations, and how to respond early to support mental well-being.

I am also involved in youth-focused advocacy around unregulated products like Delta 8, which are widely accessible to minors despite limited oversight. As someone who has lived in Georgia my entire life, I believe it is my responsibility to help better my state and protect the people who call it home. To me, this is more than just help or advocating, but it’s ensuring that fewer lives are lost, fewer stories are cut short, and fewer kids feel like they have nowhere else to turn.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road. One of the biggest struggles has been educating parents about the full extent of the consequences associated with marijuana, THC products, alcohol, tobacco, and e-vaping, especially as substances evolve in form and accessibility. Many parents still perceive marijuana as it existed years ago, without realizing how today’s market includes highly potent synthetic variants disguised as everyday products such as gummies, candy, snacks, sprays, and lozenges. Bridging this gap between rapidly changing substance trends and parent awareness has required persistent education, research, and open dialogue.

Another significant challenge has been effectively engaging youth. I have learned that education alone is not enough. Connection must come first. Youth are far more likely to open up when they feel understood rather than judged. Building that trust takes time, intentional listening, awareness, and patience.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I work in drug prevention and youth mental health, focusing on helping teens before substance use starts. I specialize in early prevention by addressing root causes like loneliness, boredom, stress, and disconnection, rather than focusing only on substances.

I created Break the Silence T.A.L.K.S., a judgment-free space where teens can talk openly, release stress, and feel less alone. I’ve also been involved in community and statewide drug-awareness efforts, including awareness events, Narcan distribution, and policy advocacy. Additionally, I am in the process of attaining my prevention apprentice certification.

What I am most proud of is building a program that directly supports people my own age. What sets me apart is that I combine lived experience with action creating programs, advocating for change, and bringing youth voices into spaces where they are often missing.

What’s next?
I’m currently in high school, but ever since I was a kid, I’ve known that I want to go into law. I’ve always been interested in advocacy, justice, and using my voice to create change. In the future, I plan to pursue a career in law and become a lawyer, with the goal of continuing to advocate for others and make a meaningful impact.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gamarijuanapolicy.org/keertana-uppala/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVZvbkFPpCo
• Other: keertanauppala@gmail.com