Lillian Palluzzi is from New Haven, Connecticut. She participated in Yale’s Citizens, Thinkers, Writers program in 2022 and graduated from Cooperative Arts and Humanities High School in 2023. Her favorite reading in CTW was the text “Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design” by Charles Montgomery. Lillian now attends
Shanthal Ramos Bueno was born in the Dominican Republic and migrated to The Bronx, New York at the age of 5. She participated in Columbia University’s Freedom & Citizenship program from 2022-2023 and graduated from University Heights High School in 2023. Shanthal currently attends The University of Chicago where she
Eli has lived in New Haven, Connecticut since he was three years old. He participated in Yale’s Citizens Thinkers Writers program in 2022 and graduated from New Haven Academy in 2023. He now attends Yale University and plans to major in Mathematics. In his free time, he enjoys practicing the
Jake Sokolofsky is a resident of Boiling Springs, Pennsylvania. He participated in Dickinson College’s Knowledge for Freedom Seminar in 2022 and graduated from Boiling Springs High School in 2023. His favorite readings from the seminar were Phillis Wheatley’s poem “On Being Brought from Africa to America” and Frederick Douglass’s speech
Zifei Zhao was born in Guangdong, China and now resides in Brooklyn, New York. She participated in New York University’s Democracy Scholars program in the summer of 2022 and graduated from Stuyvesant High School in 2023. She started attending Georgetown University in the fall of 2023 with an interest in
Emma Swift is from Red Hill, Pennsylvania. She attended Ursinus College’s Freedom, Citizenship, and Equality seminar in 2019. She graduated from Upper Perkiomen High School in 2020. In 2021 she entered her sophomore year at Columbia University. Emma enjoys playing the flute, reading, and hanging with friends.
Muzamil Razak is a resident of the Bronx. He participated in Columbia University’s Freedom & Citizenship program in 2020 and graduated from Democracy Prep Charter High School in 2021. Muzamil currently attends SUNY Plattsburgh where he majors in Finance and Economics. He aspires to be an investment banker with an
Natajha Graham attended A. Philip Randolph in New York City, participated in Columbia University’s Freedom & Citizenship program in 2019 – 2020, and is now a biology major at Spelman College, where she is a member of the class of 2024.
Marlen Mendieta-Camaron is Mexican American and is a resident of Brooklyn in New York City. She participated in Columbia University’s Freedom & Citizenship program in 2020 and graduated from Midwood High School in 2021. Marlen attends Macalester College where she intends to major in International Relations and Latin American Studies.
Kenya Twyman was born and raised in Bronx, NY, and now attends Franklin and Marshall College. She is a Democracy Prep Charter alumna and wishes to pursue a career in Veterinary Science. She loves to travel and hopes to live in South Korea one day for a change in culture.