Fiza Sheikh she/they
University of California Los Angeles
Fiza Sheikh, 21, hails from Oklahoma and is currently a full-time student at the University of California Los Angeles, pursuing a degree in Statistics and Data Science on a full-ride scholarship. She is a dedicated advocate with a strong passion for positive change, focusing on issues like higher education affordability, healthcare access, civic engagement, unemployment, racial and economic equity, and amplifying marginalized voices. In high school, she raised an impressive $360,430 for Fight for the Forgotten, demonstrating her commitment to making a difference. Apart from her data-driven pursuits, Fiza enjoys weightlifting, literature, exploring different cuisines during her travels, and spending time with her beloved pup, Xena.
Gabriela McCartney she/her/ella
Sacramento State
Gabriela is a full-time student and single parent who enjoys working with others and anything that has to do with advocacy. She is in her final year of college and looking forward to attending grad school after finishing her BA in Sociology. Gabriela currently works with parenting and pregnant students at Sacramento State, specializing with pregnant students and advocating to support their continuance in college and delivering their baby. She has experience working with infants and adults up to sixty years old.
Miss Justine Obiakor, MSc, BSN, BS she/her/hers
Azusa Pacific University
Justine is a nurse passionate about mental health and black and brown womens health equity. She was born and raised in San Bernardino California and is first generation American to a Mexican Mother and Nigerian Father. She is currently continuing her combined masters program at Azusa Pacific University(APU) to become a Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. Justine received a BSN from APU May of this year, as part of the 18 month accelerated phase of the combined MSN program. Additionally, she received a BS degree in Public Health with a minor in International Security and Conflict Resolution from San Diego State University in 2015 and a MSc degree in Health Policy with a concentration in management from City, University of London in 2017.
Chizu Ukachi-Nwata he/him/his
Advocate
Chizu Ukachi-Nwata is an educator, artist, and budding human rights advocate. Having worked primarily in education and healthcare, he has aspired to make a difference in the field of human rights, recognizing the need and importance in safeguarding freedoms and waging justice for all. An artist at heart, Chizu understands the importance of multidimensionality in the emerging world and continues to find ways to cultivate his artistry in tandem with his other work. As Young Invincibles is committed to empowering young adults to change and impact the world around them, Chizu is hopeful that this opportunity as a 2023 Young Advocate will be purposeful for his part in helping to create a better world for all..
Nataly Castro she/her
Advocate
Nataly holds a Master’s degree in Psychology and is deeply passionate about the field of mental health. Currently, she is dedicated to making a positive impact in education and is driven by the goal of ending the burden of student loan debt. She aspires to be a prominent advocate across multiple domains, leveraging her expertise and commitment to drive meaningful change in society.
Stephanie Sanchez Jacinto she/her/hers
University of California
Stephanie Sanchez Jacinto is a first-generation student majoring in Molecular and Cell Biology at the University of California, Merced. Growing up in Compton, California, she knows how vital community support is, especially for low-income and marginalized communities. After finishing her degree at UC Merced, she plans to take a gap year before applying to a Master’s Entry Program in Nursing to become a pediatric nurse. At the end of this program, she aspires to be a local resource and assist families in accessing essential services and needs.
Terrie Kennon she/her/hers
California State University
Terrie Kennon attends California State University Dominguez Hills student studying Africana Studies with a focus on History and Political Development. She is currently the standing President of the Black Student Union. Her position as a student leader has played a pivotal role in her aspirations to build safe spaces and advocate for the Black/African community on and off campus.
Andrea Gumina she/her
Sac State University
Andrea is a senior at Sac State University where she is majoring in Family Studies and Human Development. Prior to joining Young Invincibles, Andrea worked for the Sacramento Chinese Community Service Center as a Senior Team Leader for a before- and after-school program. Her prior experience also includes working as a Program Coordinator at La Sierra Community Center for Carmichael Recreation and Parks District. Upon graduating, Andrea intends to pursue a career in advocating for children and families.
Imagen Munkhbayar she/her/hers
University of Southern California
Imagen is currently a rising senior majoring in political science and minoring in communication design at the University of Southern California. She has showcased her leadership skills as an editor at the Daily Trojan, a visual designer for HAUTE magazine and her role as a New Member Officer in Phi Alpha Delta. She aspires to attend law school to champion the cause of underrepresented minorities, ensuring they have adequate representation in the electoral process.
Darlene Mejia she/hers/ ella
Long Beach City College
Darlene Mejia is a returning citizen, born and raised in Long Beach, CA and is a proud first-generation Honduran American. Darlene is a Senior majoring in Political Science at Long Beach City College. As a first-generation student, she believes in leading by example—she has passionately guided many youths in her community to programs, and helped some to obtain their high school diploma, and enroll into college. Darlene has always had a deep connection with her city and community, so her goal is to give back and help heal her community as she reflects on the damages that she had done prior to her incarceration. Since returning home from her time at Century Regional Detention Facility, Darlene is committed to helping everyone in her community who experienced system impaction, gang impaction, former incarceration, and low-income individuals out of poverty, break generational curses, and navigate this difficult transition.
Joey Sais he/him/his/el
Sacramento State
Joseph “Joey” is originally from Sylmar, California. He is in the Public Policy & Administration Graduate Program at Sacramento State. As a queer Chicano; he ensures that his voice is used in spaces that previously shut him out of conversations. His passion lies in social justice, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion and in LGBTQI+ equity, particularly in health care and higher education. As a member of Delta Lambda Phi Social Fraternity, he exemplifies their motto, ” Making our Presence Make a Difference.”
Mateo Acosta they/them
Advocate
Mateo Acosta earned their BA in History from UCLA. While in undergrad, Mateo discovered their love and passion for working with students and advocating for equitable access to quality education for all students. After working in various roles across schools in California, and in the midst of the pandemic, Mateo began pursuing their MA in Politics and Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. While in New York, Mateo taught history in schools in Harlem, organized state campaigns to reinstate Tuition Assistance Programs for incarcerated students, and assisted on research into the effects of the pandemic on the teacher workforce. After earning their Master’s, Mateo decided to return back home to Los Angeles to continue serving the students and communities at 826LA as the Senior Community Engagement Manager.
Mycah Lewis She/Her/Hers
San Jose State University
Mycah Lewis is a full-time student at San Jose State University. Her major is African American Studies while her minor is Child Development, specializing in community focus. Advocacy has always been a passion of Mycah’s. Growing up around gender and racial minorities and differently-abled peers, she witnessed and experienced many forms of mistreatment and discrimination. Observing these struggles has inspired Mycah to dedicate her life to advocacy and empowering those in need. She wants to use the voice she has developed to help others gain social justice and equity.