Global Youth Matters

After surviving the bombing in Gaza of his neighborhood that resulted in the tragic loss of his beloved  mother, an UNRWA personnel, and his sister, a physiotherapist—Ahmad got severely injured and had to leave the Strip. Ahmad, 24, shares his experiences of growing up in Gaza and living through the bombardment. He also reflects on how it has inspired his upcoming film, “Echoes of Two Lands”, a na...

Anuradha shares her journey with Hana from growing up as an ethnic Indian in Kenya to navigating life in America, after she arrived at 9 years old. She discusses the cultural differences she experienced, the challenges of childhood bullying, and the importance of family support in discovering her talents in acting and singing. Anuradha emphasizes the significance of authenticity and self-awareness...

Sarah, age 20, shares her experiences growing up in Chicago as a Mexican American, navigating cultural identity, family dynamics, and the challenges of being raised by undocumented working-class immigrant parents. She reflects on her childhood, the influence of her grandparents, and the importance of steadiness in life.  She also emphasizes the beauty of embracing one's cultural background while a...

Tierrai Tull, 24, shares her extraordinary journey with Hana from growing up in Bermuda to studying at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. She relates her personal and external experiences growing up in a small community in Bermuda, navigating life in Armenia, and her academic pursuits at the University of Toronto and Oxford. In 2020, she co-founded the Bermuda Youth Connect, which focuses on y...

Shougla Hameed is an Afghan doctor from a Pashtun family, who defied societal norms and personal struggles to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. Raised in a middle-class family that prioritized education, she overcame significant cultural barriers, including the conservative values of her homeland to study medicine. Her journey led her from Afghanistan to Turkey, where she volunteered with ref...

Jayci Simon shares her journey as a Paralympic silver medalist, discussing her unique challenges as an athlete with dwarfism. From her late diagnosis to her determination to succeed in badminton, Jayci emphasizes the importance of resilience, community support, and a positive mindset. Jayci's story serves as a powerful reminder that with hard work and dedication, no dream is too big to achieve. To...

Kenneth Downing has had a very active life thus far. He’s been a professional tennis coach, worked for the Washington DC’’s Mayor’s office, and is now a Manager at Bergamot Asset Management. At the same time, he is also a writer of books and is working on a PhD. He shares his challenging life experiences, from growing up in the US and Germany to facing homelessness and finding his passion in finan...

Lily Vining is a podcaster, storyteller, lover of words, and fitness fanatic. Originally from Connecticut, Lily is a recent graduate of Franklin & Marshall College with passions for showcasing inspiring stories through her writing and content creation. After battling an eating disorder in her teens, she developed a love for strength training and is an aspiring bodybuilding competitor. She docu...

Rodrigo Pedraza, a 22 year old first generation Colombian immigrant, has overcome challenges with Coming Out, mental health, and confidence. He is the oldest of four boys, a die-hard Swiftie, and a strong believer in the power of self-reflection. He recently graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Biological Sciences and currently works as a high school biology teacher at DC Int...

Hana interviews her niece Naya Salah, a college student, talented singer and cancer survivor. Naya opens up about her battle with leukemia and the challenges she faced during treatment. She emphasizes the importance of a positive mindset and resilience in overcoming difficult times. While being a student, she has also pursued her passion for music by publishing songs on various platforms.

Hana’s guest is a 15-year-old student at Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington DC. Asher shares their passion for technical design and production in theatre. They discuss the impact of DC Scores on their life, particularly in discovering their talent for writing and performing poetry as a means to manage and express emotions. Asher also opens up about their experiences with family challe...

Nicky Maxwell is a 26 year-old amputee from London, and has been involved in disability sports for almost his entire life. He trained and competed as a sprinter for many years, including at Harvard University, where he became the first amputee to compete in the history of NCAA Division 1 track and field. He is now involved in Para-Standing Tennis as a player and an organizer.

Zarea is a DC-based writer and educator who works closely with youth and activism groups in her community. Zarea’s passion for poetry was sparked when she joined DC SCORES when she was 7 years old. She continued with DC SCORES through the organization’s enhanced writing program, Youth W.O.R.D. Project. Zarea has performed her poetry all over DC including Audi Field, Busboys and Poets, Arena Stage,...

Tanaka Cliff Nhokwara grew up in Zimbabwe and Uganda. In pursuit of his dream to be a physician, he was attending medical school at Sumy State University in Ukraine when the Russian army invaded. Like millions of others he was forced to flee the country amidst almost daily bombings, drone strikes, and tanks. Eventually he completed his medical degree in neighboring Poland. His story is one of resi...

Tolu is a 23 year old Nigerian student who was pursuing her dream of going to medical school in the Ukraine. In 2022, in her fifth year of medical school, the full scale invasion of the Ukraine began. With bombs falling on or near her city, she and hundreds of other students were forced to flee to neighboring countries. Buses and trains were overcrowded, discriminated against non-Ukrainians, and n...

Inspired by their deep connections to the African Diaspora, Atlanta natives Macire and Nassim have transformed their educational achievements into powerful vehicles for social change. Macire, with roots in Conakry, Guinea, holds a Master's in International Affairs from Columbia, building on her Bachelor's in Global Development and International Affairs from Mercer University. Nassim, of African Am...

Hana's guest, Yasma, is a remarkable youth of only 16. Born and raised in Lebanon, the economic situation in that country lead her family to move to Dubai in 2020. At the same time, she fought an eating disorder that eventually required temporary hospitalization. While in the hospital, she and her mother started a charity - leveraging Yasma's creative artwork - to benefit children with cancer thro...

Sevyn, age 14, is an aspiring basketball player and a top student. Growing up in a neighborhood with violence, he share some of his wisdom on how to stay focused in this environment. He also shares his experiences and knowledge gained through his participation in youth activities at the Hustlers Guild. The Hustlers Guild (HG) is a 501 (c)(3), social impact organization founded by policy experts wi...

Yasmeen shares her passion for the environment. She is a recent Cum Laude/Dean's list graduate from the University of Maryland in environmental science and policy and is beginning her master's at Columbia University for Climate Studies in the fall. As a teenager, she was diagnosed with serious spinal disease that eventually required surgery, involving a difficult recovery and rehabilitation. Her s...

Cateo and David met at an organization called Life Pieces to Masterpieces in Washington DC when they were both only in elementary school. LPTM uses artistic expression to develop character and leadership and prepare African American boys and young men to transform their lives and communities. https://lifepieces.org/ Now college students at Delaware State University, they make time to serve as Juni...

Selena “Noir” Jackson, born and raised in Washington DC, attended Montgomery College School of Art where she earned her A.F.A. in Studio Arts and is an active alum of the Sitar Arts Center. Noir remains active in her community as an art educator. She finds passion in bridging the gap between class and art for DC youth through the emphasis on activism, individualism, and the creation of antiracist...

Raised by his mom in DC with his three sister, money was challenging growing up. Israel was born in New York, grew up in DC, and has an Afro-Latino background. He graduated from Shepherd University in West Virginia with a B.S. in Biochemistry, with the goal of becoming a toxicologist. He credits his community of support at Sitar Arts Center in Washington, DC with much of his success not only as an...

A freshman at American University from Dubai, Nayla talks about her struggles with depression and how she overcame it to pursue her career dreams in film and media arts.

A native of Guyana, LeRoy has been completely blind since early childhood. But that hasn’t slowed him down. He is currently a radio announcer and producer at the National Communications Network. A Professional Cricket player at West Indies Cricket Council for the Blind and Visually Impaired and the Guyana Blind Cricket Association. He has also served as a public relations specialist. You’ll be ama...

Natalie is a junior at the University of Michigan studying Biomedical Engineering on the Pre-Medical track. She also works as a research assistant in cancer and oncology. She talks about managing an extremely challenging academic program while her father was fighting cancer himself. https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-hanby-84b6191aa/