Girl Up

Isabelle is a high school sophomore from Imperial, California. She is passionate about global issues and advocacy to contribute to equality in all capacities, specifically female representation in STEM fields, LGBTQ+ rights, and racial equity. Isabelle’s favorite author is Lynn Painter and loves to jam out to Taylor Swift! She aspires to be a part of positive change, creating impact locally and globally.

Elsa is a 12th grader from Washington DC passionate about the environment because it plays a vital role in her urban community. Witnessing how youth can be marginalized from the climate conversation, she wants to empower girls and youth to advocate for environmental solutions, starting from the ground up. Fun fact: she used to Irish dance in middle school, and could probably still bust a move.

Juliette is a high school senior from Corona, California. She is passionate about feminism with a focus on gender equity in education, as well as writing, journalism, and traveling. Juliette comes from a Romanian family but one of her favorite pleasures in life is partaking in various cultures. She aspires to be a renowned author and investigative feminist-based journalist that travels and connects women globally!

Ivy is a college junior at Boston University. She was born and raised in Queens, New York, and is passionate about reproductive justice and preserving the right to bodily autonomy for menstruating individuals globally. Ivy’s favorite pastime is writing poetry and performing song covers at local music shows!

Olivia is a high school senior based in Los Angeles, California. She loves playing tennis, reading (she is currently reading War and Peace), and meeting new people! Olivia is also incredibly passionate about business and has her own financial literacy program focused on educating youth!

Siyeon is a high school senior based in Lafayette/Broussard, Louisiana. Whether on the Gulf or on a global level, Siyeon is actively engaged in climate advocacy and STEM research. Outside of Girl Up, she loves to dance ballet and listen to musicals!

Namkyung (Anna) is a high school junior living in Alpharetta, Georgia. She is passionate about women in sports and equal education rights for all genders. A fun fact about Anna is that she has lived in five different countries: South Korea, Poland, Argentina, Chile, and the US. Anna loves to rock climb and eat all kinds of food especially Mexican food.

Saisha is a high school student from Brentwood, Tennessee. She is passionate about advocating for girls’ access to career opportunities and financial literacy. A fun fact about her is that she loves trying different cuisines and is always on the lookout for new places to try!

Rachana is a high school senior from Frisco, Texas. She’s passionate about all aspects of gender equity, especially regarding menstrual equity, universal education and the representation of minorities in STEM. She’s been involved with Girl Up for 4 years, through leading her local chapter, Coyote Girl Up, as a WiSci camper, and as a previous board member for Girl Up Texas! In her free time, she likes to listen to her favorite music artist, MICO, play badminton with friends, explore local cafes, and catch up on episodes of Brooklyn 99 and Kim’s Convenience.

Anjali is a high school sophomore from Chicago, Illinois. Passionate about health equity, she works to spread awareness of and combat breast cancer disparities. She loves running and getting to explore Chicago on her runs. She’s also been playing chess since she was 6 years old and works on bridging the gender gap in chess!

England is a bridge between advocacy and action, weaving together leadership, equity, and empowerment in every space she enters. Hailing from Atlanta, Georgia, and currently attending college in Washington, D.C., she carries the lessons of her community into every room she steps into. As Deputy Director of Outreach for Students for Change and Co-Education Chair for the NAACP at American University, she doesn’t just hold titles—she builds movements. Rooted in the philosophy of “build as I climb,” she believes a seat at the table means nothing if the meal isn’t shared, transforming conversations into change for those often unheard.

Yarisved is a junior in highschool from Las Vegas, Nevada. She is passionate about advocating for others and creating art. A fun fact about Yarisved is that she has freckles on only half of her face.

Lana is a high school junior from Houston, Texas. She is dedicated to youth empowerment and civic engagement through the local and national levels. Lana believes empowering girls to stand up for what they believe in is the key to battling gender inequity at the source. She loves playing piano and filmmaking in her free time.

Abisola is a high school junior from Baltimore, Maryland. She is passionate about period product insecurity and reading. Abisola’s favorite artist is Lauryn Hill and her favorite place she’s traveled to is Haleakalā National Park in Hawaii.

Madelyn is a high school junior from Katy, Texas. An advocate for female empowerment, education, and well-being, she is passionate about bringing communities together around meaningful social justice topics, often through creative methods. Madelyn finds great joy in learning languages, listening to Sade Adu, capturing moments with her digital camera, and eating mint chocolate chip ice cream… with a fork.

Zara is a high school senior from Berwyn, Pennsylvania. She is passionate about girls’ education and female representation in STEM and leadership. Zara loves eating Turkish food and watching Seinfeld with her brothers!

Caroline is a sophomore at Salem State University from Burlington, Massachusetts. She is passionate about female representation in STEM fields as she is a Bio Medical Science major with a minor in Chemistry. Caroline’s favorite hobby is dancing and choreographing for her university’s dance club. A fun fact about Caroline is that she has a secondary minor in Italian language and has been speaking Italian since middle school.

Promyse is a high school senior from Fort Wayne, Indiana. She loves trying new things, writing and exploring, whether that be through literature or through experiences. She is passionate about diversifying and interlinking various perspectives among individuals and advocating for all, regardless of social identity. She loves to use abstraction in her art and owns an impressive snow globe collection.