2024 Cohort
PLATFORMED IN SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA
Isabella Mercado (she/her) is an incoming junior at Franklin High School. Isabella enjoys educating her peers about Filipino culture, history, and current events to foster cultural awareness and understanding. She dedicates herself to volunteer work, participating in community service events such as fundraising events and festivals. Isabella views leadership as a catalyst for positive change and a means to empower others to fulfill their potential, while also demonstrating and practicing essential skills. She is committed to educating herself about social justice, driven by a desire to emphasize the voices of marginalized groups and individuals. Isabella takes pride in her upcoming roles as the historian of her school’s Filipino American Honors Society and a leader of the Polynesian Dance Club. Looking forward, she aims to pursue a career/major in one of her long-time passions, such as digital media, while also staying true to her personal interests and commitments outside of school.
Maggie Kemper (she/her) is a rising junior at the School of Engineering and Sciences. She is a dedicated and hard working student who achieves whatever she puts her mind to, no matter the difficulty. Maggie has been involved in numerous clubs at school (including Associated Student Body, Key Club, and Yearbook) and takes the most rigorous courses offered at her campus, including AP World History and AP Biology. Witnessing multiple instances of injustice within the youth community, Maggie stepped forward to become a member of the Sacramento City Unified School District Student Advisory Council and took steadfast action against inequity. Since joining, Maggie and her peers have consistently presented to the SCUSD Board, resulting in the successful passing of resolutions supporting campus hygiene and gender neutral restrooms.
Cali Lloyd (she/her) is an incoming junior at Valley High School. On campus, she wears many different hats, such as cheerleader, volleyball player, president of BSU (Black Student Union), AVID student, and a leadership student. Outside of school, she is a Head Youth Leader with a non-profit organization called the Village Advocates. Cali has always been a born leader. She loves to use her voice to stand up for what she believes in. She has been awarded for her outstanding leadership in cheer, BSU, and in the Village Advocates. Cali has been a dancer since she was 6 years old, participating in many different styles of dance such as hip-hop, ballet, contemporary, jazz, and tap. Her favorite hobby is to write poems and her favorite quote is “You is kind, you is smart, and you is important” from a movie called The Help.
Ambareesh Lankipalli (he/him) is a rising senior at Cosumnes Oaks High School. He is involved in his community through his own non-profit called Brighter Futures. Brighter Futures is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in the summer of 2023, dedicated to helping marginalized youth in education. To date, Brighter Futures has collected 4,100 books, partnering with 10 community organizations, and is planning to take on many more projects as time goes on. Some of these projects include a district-wide tutoring program and financial literacy seminars for marginalized youth communities. Leadership is something that excites him, as he finds himself able to help the people around him. Some of his long term goals are to expand his organization into college and beyond, while pursuing a degree at a four-year university.
Gabrielle (Gabby) Ireneo (she/her) is an incoming junior at Pleasant Grove High School. She actively finds ways to be involved in her community by participating in her school's clubs, such as FAYA or Key Club. She volunteers at service events, and is also heavily active in Sacramento's hip hop community as a dancer herself. What interests her the most about leadership and social justice is meeting many new people with diverse opinions and fresh perspectives, all working together towards a united cause. She hopes to create a platform for more women to come together, learn from each other, and grow together, as she has been fortunate enough to have many empowering women in her life and wants other girls to experience the same. Gabrielle loves to live by the saying, "always live in the moment."
Ayinde Fletcher (he/him) is a rising junior at Westlake Charter High School. A diligent student with copious volunteer experience, Ayinde is committed to every assigned task, always giving his best effort. He is driven by his hopes to uplift every community he is a part of. Ayinde utilizes his leadership skills in a direction of progress and peace, including working to uplift Black voices in the City of Sacramento Youth Commission and his school campus. Ayinde has experience as the 10th-grade representative at Westlake Charter High School, working with his student council to plan events and maintain a positive school environment. He is the Secretary of his school's Black Student Union, uplifting black students, as well as working with other Black Student Unions in the region.
Angel Nze (she/her) is a rising senior attending Franklin High School. While involved in a handful of campus clubs, like Speech and Debate, National Honors Society, Black Student Union, and Destined Doctors, Angel is mostly involved in school and in the community through “For the Motherland,” a club she founded to spread awareness on African cultures and social issues. She's interested in social justice, especially in regards to Africa, and is involved in topics like reparations, Pan-Africanism, and the African diaspora. Recently, Angel oversaw a Black History Month donation drive at FHS, collecting over 500 pieces for underserved communities in Nigeria. She hopes to grow her club into a community non-profit, and aspires to eventually work with African leaders. Some of her favorite hobbies include writing poetry, reading, playing Roblox, hanging out with friends, and listening to music. One of her favorite quotes, from Aurelia Plath, reads, "Be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here."
Justine Chueh-Griffith (any) is a rising junior at West Campus High School. Within her school community, they chair the School Site Council, are Co-President of the school GSA, and are the founding President of the Student Equity Team. Outside of school, she coaches Challenger League Baseball and is part of SCUSD’s Student Advisory Council. Justine is very interested and passionate in legislation and policy as an avenue for social and political change. In June of 2024, she, alongside the Student Advisory Council passed two pieces of board policy to ensure gender neutral, accessible restrooms and to guarantee a higher standard of cleanliness with school bathrooms. During the 2024-2025 school year, she is excited to serve as SCUSD’s Student Board Member, with the hope of continuing to represent youth perspectives and craft board resolutions to better the educational opportunities provided to all students. Their favorite quote is, “If they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” by Shirley Chisholm, and Justine strives to always apply this to her own life as a youth interested in making change.
Ellen Guan (she/her) is a rising junior at Laguna Creek High School. She is the president and founder of the Friday Night Live Club of the Sacramento County Office of Education, which focuses on limiting substance abuse among the youth. She is also a part of the Board of Mathletes and the Vietnamese Culture Club at her school campus, promoting mentorship and understanding of the cultures that comprise Laguna Creek’s diverse student body. In addition, she regularly spends every second Saturday at a Mien Covenant Church, helping to provide food for individuals in need. Ellen is inspired to witness community members fulfill their goals of social justice, even despite all the setbacks thrown at them. Moving forward, Ellen hopes to create various elementary seminars and field trips for students to explore versatile careers and hold a larger grasp of lesser-known professions. She is also interested in producing a tree-planting workshop to repopulate endangered plant species.