Youth Voices from The Freedom Fast: Marie Pena

Maria Penya, a 20-year-old student from Park City, Utah now living in San Diego, California, carries a quiet but powerful conviction: that how we live our daily lives is a direct reflection of our commitment to those around us. For Maria, the Freedom Fast was a natural extension of values she had already been nurturing — and an invitation to go even deeper.

For Maria, fasting is not symbolic. It is personal. When she stepped away from Instagram — her version of the fast — she did not expect the shift to be so profound. What she found in the absence of social media was not emptiness, but clarity. The noise faded, and something more authentic took its place.

One of the most meaningful discoveries from her experience was how much of herself had been quietly shaped by outside voices. By stepping away from an app that had directed much of her attention and self-image, she was able to reconnect with her own instincts — and with the people physically around her. The fast reminded her that in-person relationships are not just one option among many. They are what matters most.

That realization has stayed with her. She still does not use social media today, not as a rule, but as a choice — because the person she found on the other side of that fast is closer to who she truly wants to be: more present, more connected, more free.

The Freedom Fast invites exactly this kind of discovery. It asks people to examine what they are consuming, what is consuming them, and what might be waiting on the other side of a little intentional stillness.

Maria's encouragement is grounded and warm. Understand what the people in your community are going through. Show up. Create space that feels welcoming. And if something in your life has been directing you without your full awareness, consider what you might find by stepping away — even briefly. The insights, she says, can last far longer than the fast itself.