On February 9th, Young Invincibles’ New York office launched its ninth cohort of the Young Advocates Program, our semester-long paid policy and advocacy fellowship, where young New Yorkers learn how to build campaigns for change on their campuses and across New York State. 

The bios for the 2024 Spring New York Young Advocates are listed below.
For more information about our Young Advocates Program, including information about applications for our Fall 2024 program, please fill out this Google Form.

Eishika Ahmed (she/her)
Senior, NYU

Eishika is a 21-year-old college student in her senior year at NYU. She is studying Global Development and Urban Studies at NYU Gallatin and is especially interested in development through the lens of post-colonial studies and cities in the global south. A lot of her previous work has been in K-12 education policy in New York. She joined YI to learn how to make public policy advocacy more tangible. She enjoys singing, playing the guitar and the piano, and reading mystery novels in her free time.

 

Ymorah Blakeney (she/her)
Senior, SUNY Albany

Ymorah Blakeney is a senior at SUNY Albany, majoring in Business Economics. A dedicated activist since her freshman year, she co-organized the Black Lives Matter Day of Action at her high school for four years and contributed to the citywide Black Lives Matter Week of Action for two. Ymorah is the founder of Black Girls Talk, a NYC-based youth organization she founded and directed for five years, fostering a supportive community and creating opportunities for Black high school girls. She orchestrated a virtual summit, Girls Inspiring Tomorrow, empowering members with workshops on changemaking and social entrepreneurship. With aspirations in social entrepreneurship, Ymorah plans to start as a financial analyst before establishing her own practice, offering financial planning services to underserved communities.

 

Sebastian Cardena (they/them)
Freshman, NYU

Sebastian Cardena is a first-year student at New York University, hoping to pursue majors in philosophy and urban studies. A native New Yorker to Manhattan and the Bronx, Sebastian has worked to create equitable and accessible spaces for the communities they group in. They have fought for tenant rights, better childcare support, workplace justice, and more everywhere, from their home in New York City to D.C. They are currently an organizer on campus and are involved with affinity-based advocacy through clubs and the student newspaper.

In the future, Sebastian wishes to continue their advocacy for better housing, particularly in migrant and Latine communities, at the state and local level. Moreover, they have dreams of continuing to pursue higher education and one day gaining a Ph.D. — fulfilling a commitment to themselves and their family as a first-generation student.

Miguel Guerrero (he/him)
Freshman, CUNY LaGuardia Community College

Miguel Guerrero is a dynamic 19-year-old college student embarking on his first year at LaGuardia Community College. With aspirations of becoming a forensic scientist and health care policy advocate, Miguel is eagerly preparing to transfer to John Jay College of Criminal Justice to further pursue the forensic analysis program.

Passionate about the outdoors and helping others, Miguel finds joy in community service, participating in local events, exploring parks, museums and sightseeing. Excited to make a difference, Miguel is thrilled to join YI, eager to delve into advocacy areas such as healthcare, higher education and workforce.

 

Victoria Kujawa (She/Her)
Senior, SUNY Fredonia

Victoria Kujawa is 21 years old and from Dunkirk, NY. She is a senior, majoring in Social Work at The State University of New York, Fredonia. She is the Volunteer Coordinator for SUNY Fredonia’s Cheerleading team and works as a Youth Development Professional at The Boys and Girls Club of Northern Chautauqua County. Victoria is incredibly thankful for the opportunity to learn more about policy through YI. As well as, the chance to become a true change maker and advocate. Victoria was drawn to YI because she is incredibly passionate about YI’s mission and applying it to small rural areas that suffer from a variety of different barriers and disparities in comparison to urban areas. Victoria enjoys reading books, listening to podcasts, and spending time with the people she loves in her free time.

 

Gabrielle Lerner (she/her)
Graduate Student, SUNY Empire State University

Gabrielle (Gabby) Lerner is a graduate student at SUNY Empire State University pursuing a Master’s Degree in Public Administration. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Economics from Empire State University in 2023. She has several years of student government experience and currently serves as a Senator At-Large and the Chair of Engagement in the SUNY Empire Student Government Association. Her passion for helping others drives her advocacy efforts in hopes of contributing to a brighter future for the next generation.

 

Fableeha Leuna (she/her)
Senior, St. John’s University

Fableeha (Leuna) is a senior at St. John’s University, majoring in Business Analytics. Her journey into data analytics has ignited a passion for leveraging data to drive informed business decisions. Beyond academics, she possess a profound passion for social justice. Her dedication to addressing societal inequities and advocating for marginalized communities stems from a deeply held belief in fairness and equality. Through Youth Invincibles, she anticipates engaging directly with communities and contributing to meaningful initiatives addressing systemic issues like education equity, healthcare accessibility, and economic empowerment. Leuna’s dedication to social justice fuels her desire to contribute meaningfully to initiatives and movements that strive for a society where everyone is treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their background or circumstances.

 

Kimberley Nieves (she/her)
Junior, CUNY Lehman College

Kimberley Nieves is a junior at Lehman College, majoring in Nursing with a deep-rooted passion for public health and civic engagement. Her academic journey has been strongly influenced by her commitment to community welfare, which has led Kimberly to actively participate in various projects in her community, community outreach as well as community board meetings.

Through these experiences, she has gained valuable insights into the dynamics of community health and engagement. Kimberly is eager to leverage this experience to sharpen her leadership skills, broaden her understanding of health equity, and contribute to creating a healthier, more inclusive future.

 

Shorooq Omran (she/her)
Senior, SUNY Stony Brook University

Shorooq Omran was born and raised in Staten Island, New York. Shorooq is studying Political Science and Biology at Stony Brook University and minoring in Africana Studies, on the pre-med track. She has worked with different organizations such as iMentor on education access and mentor recruitment, the Asiyah Women’s Center on domestic violence survivor advocacy, and with Paper Airplanes as an English tutor and career mentor. Shorooq hopes to attend medical school, and pursue a masters in human rights to overlap her career interests.

She enjoys traveling, going to the beach, baking cookies, and is passionate about increasing access to resources for underprivileged communities. Shorooq is excited to be a Young Advocate with YI, and work on policy issues within healthcare.

 

Isabellah Paul (she/her)
Senior, CUNY Hunter College

Isabellah is a senior at Hunter pursuing majors in Political Science and Government and Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. During her time at Hunter, she has been involved in grassroots organizing and policy-related work, advocating for issues concerning food insecurity, reproductive justice, and higher education. Through such involvement, she has grown keen on observing how national policy and the law influence democracy and citizens’ rights. As a youth advocate, she seeks to gain a deeper understanding of how she can utilize policy to instrument positive change for groups who historically have suffered at the hands of our country’s justice system.

In the future, she plans on pursuing public interest law, ultimately advocating for women, children, and underrepresented groups facing legal persecution nationally and internationally.

 

Kayla Phillip (she/her)
Sophomore, CUNY Hostos Community College

Kayla Phillip was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. She is currently a 19-year college student, in her second year at CUNY Hostos Community College, pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice. Kayla hopes to work within the juvenile justice system as a Youth Development Specialist to show her valuable life experiences and put other youth in a positive and the right direction.

She enjoys helping, learning, and listening to anyone in need, which is why she was interested in joining Y, wanting to gaining comfortability in advocating for what youth want and need. Ultimately, Kayla believes that the youth deserve not only more attention but to be heard and vouched for.

 

Tanya Reyes (she/her)
Senior, SUNY Oneonta

Tanya is currently a senior at SUNY Oneonta majoring in Spanish and International Studies with a concentration in Culture and Society. Outside of academics; Tanya is the Executive Vice President of the Student Association on campus, she is also the President of the class of 2024. Tanya is currently conducting research on displaced persons due to climate, violence, and political persecution in Colombia and is examining the relationship between the needs and wants of displaced persons and the host country’s government’s policies.

Her goal after graduation is to work in a nonprofit policy research organization focusing on education policy, migrants, and housing.

 

Liliana Sofia (she/her)
Freshman, Princeton University

As an undergraduate student at Princeton University, Liliana’s prospective major is at the School of Public and International Affairs. She is passionate about social justice and advocacy, which has made mher interested in non-profit and policy work, as well as law and professional advocacy. As a freshman in her second semester, Liliana is also very involved in her school, surrounding community and strive to expand her efforts. These involvements include, but are not limited to, the Black Student Union (Board Member), Generational African-American Student Alliance (Board Member), Program for Community Engaged Scholarship (Student Advisor), and the Sustainability Department (Employee).

Liliana strives to do what she can to contribute to her community, and hopes to continue to expand her efforts, whether that is through law, professional advocacy, or policy work.

 

Alexandra Walsh (she/her)
Graduate Student, CUNY Baruch College

Alexandra Walsh is currently pursuing a Master’s of Public Administration at the Marxe School of Public and International Affairs in CUNY Baruch College.Through public policy, her goal is to serve international students, immigrants and all citizens in any way she can. Whether it’s through campaigns or rallies, Alexandra wants to be a voice for those who are not heard.

She believes that ordinary people can do extraordinary things to influence their community.

 

Jaimee Wieber (they/them/she/her)
Junior, CUNY College of Staten Island

Jaimee Wieber is a 27-year-old college student at the College of Staten Island, majoring in Social Work with a minor in Disability Studies. They are a lifelong disability advocate and have over seven years of professional experience working in nonprofits for adults with developmental disabilities. They aspire to get their MSW at the College of Staten Island and work in policy and advocacy, highlighting issues faced by the disability community and working with legislators to create meaningful change.

Jaimee joined the Young Advocates Program because they are passionate about advocacy and social justice and hope to learn more about the legislative process and policy. Jaimee is looking forward to working with like-minded individuals in the program and learning from their unique experiences and input.

 

Gretchen Wulfmeyer (she/her)
Sophomore, CUNY Hunter College

Gretchen Wulfmeyer is from New Paltz, NY. She is a second-year at CUNY Hunter College, majoring in Women’s & Gender Studies and Sociology, with a minor in Africana and Puerto Rican/Latino Studies, Legal Studies, and Human Rights. She is the treasurer and co-founder of the Hunter College National Organization for Women Chapter. Her long-term goal is to bring justice to and assist incarcerated women who have been victimized by gender-based violence during, before, or after their sentence.

Gretchen hopes that as a Young Advocate, she can gain the advocacy skills and knowledge needed to help empower justice-impacted individuals to take back their lives and fight for the rights of the formerly and presently incarcerated.