Maya Penn is using animation, storytelling and environmental activism to introduce a new generation to the challenges facing the planet.
The NAACP Image Award-nominated filmmaker and environmental activist wrote, directed and animated “Asali: Power of the Pollinators,” an animated action-adventure that has surpassed 3 million views on YouTube and earned an NAACP Image Award nomination.
Executive produced by Viola Davis and featuring the voice of Whoopi Goldberg, “Asali” follows a young honey bee who survives the collapse of her colony and joins forces with fellow pollinators and an environmental scientist. Together, they work to protect their ecosystem while confronting real-world threats to pollinators and biodiversity.
The story transforms complex environmental issues into an imaginative narrative centered on community, hope and collective action. Originally conceived as a series, “Asali” has screened around the world while developing a growing online audience.
The response has also sparked calls from viewers for the project to become a full children’s series.
Rather than waiting for a traditional Hollywood studio or streaming platform to develop the project, Penn released the film independently on YouTube. Her approach reflects a growing path for young creators who are using digital platforms to develop audiences and distribute their work outside conventional entertainment systems.
Penn’s creative career has long combined entrepreneurship, sustainability and storytelling. She launched her sustainable fashion company, Maya’s Ideas, when she was 8 years old. Since then, she has collaborated with Coach, attended the Met Gala and appeared on the cover of Vogue alongside Billie Eilish.
Her accomplishments have also earned recognition from former President Barack Obama and Oprah Winfrey. Penn became the youngest TED Ambassador, further establishing her as a prominent voice among a generation of creators focused on social and environmental issues.
Her work now extends into publishing with the release of “Eco Revolution: Climate Justice, Community, and the Fight for Our Planet.” The book explores climate justice, community and environmental activism while continuing the themes that have shaped Penn’s creative work.
Penn was also featured in Vogue for her involvement with Jane Fonda and V, formerly Eve Ensler, on “Dear Everything: A Musical Uprising for the Earth.”
With “Asali,” Penn demonstrates how animation can serve as both entertainment and an educational tool. By placing a young bee at the center of an adventure, the film gives audiences a character-driven way to engage with issues involving biodiversity and the future of ecosystems.
The success of “Asali” also points to the changing entertainment landscape. Independent creators increasingly have the ability to produce ambitious projects, release them directly to audiences and build communities around stories that might not fit traditional Hollywood models.
For Penn, that combination of creativity and purpose continues to define her work as she expands her reach across film, publishing, fashion and environmental advocacy.