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.
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.
Erina Chowdhury
Outreach Team Member + Movement Correspondent
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.
Annelise Eileraas-Liu
Newsletter Team Lead
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Jigmey Dorjee
Social Media Team Member
Coming Soon
Meet The Team
Hailey
Movement Correspondent
Coming soon
Maryfer Flores
Movement Correspondent
Maryfer is a junior at New Utrecht High School. As a current Movement Correspondent at NYYCI, Maryfer plans on majoring in Law Enforcement or Criminal Justice. She's passionate about racial equality, drawing, listening to music, and collecting random knick knacks.