ABOUT US

Helping NY students find their civic voice

We started YCI as a small group of NYC public high school students when we saw that students were taking to the streets, but didn't know how to “Take the Next Step” to get engaged in a sustained way. We wanted to find a way to connect our peers to the youth-led organizations leading the sustained fight for justice.

Our goal is to connect students to long-lasting civic opportunities at the frontlines of the youth activist movement that are otherwise difficult to find.

We are building out a platform with our website, social media and newsletter, to bring together the events, workshops, and internship/fellowship opportunities for students to discover the multitude of options to make a difference in climate change, education, racial justice, and more.

Executive Board

Jason Bohner

Founder

Jason Bohner is an 20-year-old graduate of the Bronx Science. Jason founded YCI after seeing a lack of sustained civic engagement amongst his peers. He wanted to create an accessible platform to connect young people to the youth-led organizations fighting each and every day for our futures. Jason understands the power of young people to collectivize and advocate for progress. He hopes to encourage enduring engagement by opening the door for young people to find opportunities for empowerment.

Lila De La Vega

Content Director

Lila (she/hers) is a senior in high school at Bard Queens. She is interested in politics, law, and community activism. She plans to major in Public Policy.

Jigmey Dorjee

Social Media Team Member

Coming Soon

Ariana Tzanos

Executive Director

Ariana (she/hers) is a senior in high school at the Academy of American Studies. She is passionate about politics and civic engagement. She enjoys painting, listening to podcasts and coding.

Jeyka Rojas

Social Media Team Member

Jeyka Rojas (she/her) is a sophomore from the Bronx who is currently attending Bard High School Early College Queens. She looks forward to collaborating with multiple organizations in order to promote change and make a difference in our community. Jeyka also enjoys going on walks with her dog and reading books

Jane Hatterer

Adult Ally

Jane is a civic education advocate who loves working with young people and supporting their civic engagement. A daily distance runner who is passionate about art and travel, Jane has clocked a lot of miles exploring parks, museums and cultural sites.

Erina Chowdhury

Outreach Team Member

Erina Chowdhury (she/her) is a junior attending TYWLS Bronx. Her passions include journalism, advocacy, and fighting for justice in New York City through civic engagement and local politics. She's deeply interested in helping out her community and increasing youth civics throughout the country, which made her initially join YCI's team. Outside of her school days, she enjoys reading and baking cookies.

Lillian Kim-Mallow

Social Media Department Director

Lillian Kim-Mallow is a senior at Eleanor Roosevelt High School. She is a Movement Correspondent for the YCI. She plans to major in Political Science.

Liv Parsons

Outreach Team Member

Liv (she/her) is a junior at Hunter College High School. She is passionate about giving young people the tools to get involved in their communities through civic engagement and mutual aid. A poet, Liv is especially interested in using journalism, poetry, and spoken word to help young people find their voices. Outside of organizing, she enjoys running, listening to music, trying new food, and exploring New York City.

Meet The Team

Emmanuella Katz

Movement Correspondent

Emma (she/her) is a Junior at Maynard Jackson High School in Atlanta, Georgia. She loves watching movies and baseball. She is excited to explore political issues in Atlanta.

Hailey

Movement Correspondent

Coming soon

Emmie Wolf-Dubin

Movement Correspondent

Emmie is a fourteen-year-old, eight-time published writer currently residing in Nashville, Tennessee. She's a regular contributor with YR Media and has been published in local newspapers, national magazines and an anthology. She's an active Girls Write Now, Girls With Impact, and WriteGirl mentee, on YR Media's Youth Creator Council, on Teen Ink's Teen Board, and the winner of five writing awards. She has conducted interviews with business leaders, authors, and actors. Despite her young age, she has already reported on various newsy-events, including a business conference and a press junket. She's currently working on a compilation of resources for young writers.

Aliza Bellas

Movement Correspondent

Coming soon

Jemma Bienenfeld

Movement Correspondent

Jemma (she/her) is currently a junior at Tenafly High School in New Jersey. She is thrilled to be part of the YCI team. Jemma is extremely passionate about women's rights and climate change. She loves to read, cook, and listen to Taylor Swift.

Jeyka Rojas

Movement Correspondent

Ami Gelman

Movement Correspondent

Ami Gelman is a freshman at Denver Academy of Torah. He is interested in all things politics and is passionate about civil rights, sports, music, and reading. During his free time, he enjoys coding, and learning new languages.

Kayra Dayi

Movement Correspondent

Coming soon

Joshua Lancman

Movement Correspondent

Josh (he/him) is a high school junior at Golda Och Academy in West Orange, New Jersey. He deeply believes in the power of writing to have a positive impact on the world. In his free time, he enjoys writing and taking naps.

Erina Chowdhury

Movement Correspondent

Ary Hammerman

Movement Correspondent

Ary Hammerman is a sophomore at the Leffell School in Hartsdale, New York. She is passionate about writing and journalism and dreams to work for the New York Times. Hammerman is involved in many writing programs and loves to read, draw, and listen to music.

Samantha Gormly

Movement Correspondent

Coming soon