Alena Gutierrez participated in Yale’s Citizens, Thinkers, Writers program in the summer of 2021 and is now a student at Barnard College.

Meghan Heier is from Long Island, New York, but currently lives in Branford, Connecticut. She participated in Yale University’s Citizens, Thinkers, and Writers program in 2021. Meghan is now attending Indiana University Bloomington. She was torn between her interest in the humanities and her passion for aiding environmental conservation, but

Emily Heras participated in Columbia’s Freedom and Citizenship program in the summer of 2021. She currently attends John Jay College of Criminal Justice.

Serena Isler is a resident of the Bronx in New York City. She participated in Columbia University’s Freedom and Citizenship Program in 2021 and graduated from LaGuardia High School in 2022. She now attends Fordham University where she has declared a major in Psychology on the Pre-Health track. In her

Rose Oberholtzer grew up in Pennsylvania but moved to Florida right before her senior year in High School. She attended Pottstown Senior High School where she participated in Dickinson College’s “House Divided” program, and currently attends Crestview Senior High School. She will finish her senior year in May of 2023

Katie Traore participated in Columbia’s Freedom and Citizenship program in the summer of 2021. She currently attends the New School in New York City.

Kiara Walters is Black and part Native American, and was born and raised in the Bronx. She participated in Columbia University’s Freedom and Citizenship Program in 2021 – 2022 and graduated from Theatre Arts Production Company School (TAPCo) in the Bronx as the Student Council Class President of the Class

Sheryl Yang is from Queens, New York City, and graduated from Central Park East High School in 2022 after participating in Columbia University’s Freedom and Citizenship program. She currently attends Boston University with the intent of majoring in Computer Science. In her free time, she enjoys reading, playing badminton, and

Fagr Aboudaka is an Egyptian spoken word poet who was born and raised in Queens, New York City. She uses her writing to share stories of and advocate for global Arab and Muslim communities. Fagr participated in New York University’s Democracy Scholars Program in the summer of 2022, further developing

David Chen Ma is a native of Mexico, but his parents are Chinese, and he is now a resident of Brooklyn in New York City. He participated in Columbia University’s Freedom & Citizenship program in 2022 and graduated from Manhattan/Hunter Science High School in 2023. Two of his favorite readings