Kendrionne Anderson

Age: 20

Pronouns: she/they

School/Work: Grinnell College, Junior

Goal after the Fellowship: I would like to have accomplished speaking out as a mental health advocate and putting forth policies for accessible mental health to the communities’ youth.

Young people have a voice, and should we be allowed to use it. What we have to say is important, and sometimes all we want is to be heard."

Julio Bermudez

Age: 24

Pronouns: he/him

School/Work: Logistics Coordinator,
Son of a Saint

Goal after the Fellowship: To expand my network and create connections that can benefit mentees in the Son of a Saint program.

"Young people have the largest ability to create change in the community. It is important that young people feel they have a voice. Youth in the city need to participate in programs that create safe environments for their well-being."

Nakeshia Buckner

Age: 19

Pronouns: she/her

School/Work: The NET, Alumni

Goal after the Fellowship: The four goals I would like to accomplish after this fellowship are consistency, organization, self- management and flexibility.

"I think it's important for youth to be our leaders. I think I can make a difference."

Jordan Colin

Age: 18

Pronouns: he/him

School/Work: Illinois
Wesleyan University, Freshman

Goal after the Fellowship: I will accomplish my personal goal of becoming a mainstream, international, touring, performing artist while using my platform to push boundaries.

"I believe that young people who love the city will want to see change and do whatever they can if they know that there is a possibility for positive change."

Asia Hentkowski

Age: 21

Pronouns: she/her

School/Work: Loyola University,
B.S. in political science;
Chief Judge Terri Love,
4th Circuit Court of Appeal

Goal after the Fellowship: I plan on pursuing a career in international relations working as a senior policy analyst. Eventually, I would like to create my own non-profit in New Orleans that ensures accessible resources like internship programs, business etiquette workshops, health education, and financial literacy.

"I'd like to learn how to further my leadership capabilities and continue to better serve the city's youth. NOYA is providing much needed resources for the youth leaders of our city; I want to be apart of that."

Re’kal Hooker

Age: 18

Pronouns: she/her

School/Work: Living School

Goal after the Fellowship: I would like to be a leader in my community and I would also like to know how to write grants.

"As a future teacher, and leader for the Black community, I want to be apart of the change and I know NOYA will be that step for me."

Ghaffar Ibn-Hyman

Age: 21

Pronouns: he/him

School/Work: Loyola University, Junior;
La Madeleine French Bakery,
Service Assistant

Goal after the Fellowship: I would like to be amore organized and charismatic person. I want to have more control over my life, and to show others that they have voices too.

"Young people should be at the forefront of any initiatives, movements, and policies that impact them. They know what is happening to them and they should lead in creating solutions."

Melissa Lombard

Age: 20

Pronouns: she/her

School/Work: University of New Orleans, Sophomore

Goal after the Fellowship: I want to better schools for Black and Brown youth. I believe that starting with their schools can greatly improve their future.

"Young people are the future of society. We have more power to change the way people think. Young people have the sight needed to change the future. "

Zaire Moore

Age: 18

Pronouns: he/him

School/Work: Benjamin Franklin High School

Goal after the Fellowship: My current goal after the fellowship is to continue my college journey of studying pre-med psychology and eventually working as a psychiatrist in New Orleans.

"If our city doesn’t push enough awareness for an issue, it’s up to us to spread the information. The youth of today have the ability to influence social change."

Wynn Williams

Age: 20

Pronouns: he/him

School/Work: Southern University and A&M College, Sophomore

Goal after the Fellowship: I want to improve my confidence and enhance my professional skills.

"It is very important for young people to be leaders in their communities to show their peers that it’s okay to do the right thing. They all wanna be 'cool' but they need to understand it is also cool to be a leader and have a good heart."

Christiann Cannon

Pronouns: she/her

Issue Area: Criminal Justice,
Mental Health

“To be a leader is to lead by example. I believe true leaders make mistakes. My favorite quote by Albert Einstein is, ‘A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.’ Young people are always trying and innovating new things. That risk is what we need.”

Donica Carter

Pronouns: she/her

Issue Area: Criminal Justice & Juvenile Justice

“The young people of New Orleans deserve a bright and successful future, and there are many changes that must occur to help our youth thrive. The implementation of more trauma-informed approaches within schools would make a drastic positive impact. Trauma-informed staff in schools will directly impact the relationship between youth and adults, by opening up a welcoming space where there is understanding between both parties.”

Nia Gates

Pronouns: she/they

Issue Area: Education

“Young people have more ability to change their communities than they think they do. Society has a habit of trying to put down kids when they try to stand up for what they believe in or speak out, but the awareness, action and voice of youth can literally change the country as a whole.”

Sanaia Hunter

Pronouns: she/her

Issue Area: Education, LGBTQ Rights

“It’s important for young people to be leaders in their communities because we are the future. The youth don’t realize how important and valuable their voice is. Their voice should be heard.”

J. Christopher Johnson

Pronouns: he/him

Issue Area: Education, Gentrification

“Young people possess the unique characteristic of unbiased resilience. When faced with adversity or a challenging situation, the curiosity and creativity of young people thrive.”

Déja Jones

Pronouns: she/they

Issue Area: Education, Criminal Justice,
Economic & Workforce Development


“With the right knowledge and guidance, our youth’s capacity to affect change is limitless. From the Black Panther Party of the ‘60s to current protests against the NRA, the youth have a long history of running to the frontlines and making their voices heard.”

Jeremiah Jones

Pronouns: he/him

Issue Area: Education

“Youth must rise up and create change in their communities. To create change, one needs energy and passion. The youth feel the most compelled and have the most energy, hence are most easily able to create change.”

Demond McDonald

Pronouns: he/him

Issue Area: Family Policy

“Young people and their communities will inherit the earth, so it is important to give them the capacity or positions to affect change in it.”

André Vappie

Pronouns: he/him

Issue Area: Health, LGBTQ+ Rights, Environmental Justice

“Young people need to learn to play the role of leaders within their lives so that they can help to city to go in a different direction. [Youth] have to learn to use the voice they have by learning what their strongest skill is and building it to help teach and reach out to others.”

Matthew Weber III

Pronouns: he/him

Issue Area: Education

“Young people must become leaders because no one will work with as much passion and insight in their communities as they will. Young people uniquely have the energy and creativity to fuel change in their communities.”

Andrea Dyson

Pronouns: she/her

Issue Area: Education

“The best way to fix a problem is to start with the root, and I feel that the youth are the most capable of recognizing the root problems of their communities.”

Jonshell Johnson

Pronouns: she/her

Issue Areas: Housing,
Environmental Justice

“The renting cycle forced upon low-income families is an economic giant I am willing to fight. Every family deserves a stable, affordable, and comfortable home
to raise their families and to attain
generational wealth.”

Shawn Kelly

Pronouns: he/him

Issue Areas: Housing,
Environmental Justice

“Young people have the ideas, willpower, and knowledge of the internet to bring significant change in their communities. We will be the generation that betters our communities, our cities, and our planet.”

Ahmaad Lott

Pronouns: he/him

Issue Areas: Mental Health

“I believe young people have boundless potential when it comes to creating change within their communities. Young people, when given proper support, have the curiosity, the energy, and the passion to make things better.”

Lavonte Lucas

Pronouns: he/him

Issue Areas: Economic Workforce Development, Criminal Justice

“Our future is dependent on what we teach [young people], for they hold limitless potential and we must utilize their energy to create change in our communities.”

Jasmine Mitchell-Williams

Pronouns: she/her

Issue Areas: Criminal Justice,
Environmental Justice

“Young people reflect on what they have seen, and modify behaviors to resolve new issues at hand. Being a leader at a young age makes it easier to see what’s been done and make improvements.”

Myron Miller

Pronouns: he/him

Issue Area: Education

“It is very important for young people to be leaders in their communities because we are the change agent… we can help change decisions that affect us by helping people see it from our point of view. Most of the time, we are the ones who are directly affected by decisions that are made without us.”

Tiane Oliver

Pronouns: she/her

Issue Areas: Education,
Mental Health

“Young people live at the intersection of those who face the effects of economic disparities and those who have the ability to analyze and shape the systems that enact them. Therefore, youth MUST be taught to be gatekeepers of the spaces they inhabit, rather than passive observants.”

Alexis Reed

Pronouns: she/her

Issue Area: Housing

“Young people can evoke change because we’re the generation of change. With our determination and more support from our communities, we can support so much more. If we have more support, then we can accomplish so much more.”

Joshua Young

Pronouns: he/him

Issue Area: Criminal Justice

“The innovative thinking young people possess from growing up in their communities allows them to understand the new issues and emerging challenges.”