Featuring New Haven Youth Activists asking the questions: What do you imagine your New Haven to look like? How do you feel your identity is connected to your activism? What are youth activists doing to combat gentrification, racism, over-surveillance downtown?
Ideas talks are going on all Festival long! Read our advice on how to get the most from these explorative conversations >
(she/her/they/them) is currently a senior at Metropolitan Business Academy High School. She has worked with SEJ for approximately two years, first as a volunteer, then as a student leader, and now works as SEJ’s Lead Organizer. Outside of SEJ, Mia enjoys dancing, reading, traveling, dancing, makeup, and watching movies. She wanted to get involved with SEJ because she got a text from a former member about Thursday meetings at the Grove and decided to join the organization, learning more about liberation and equity work in the process.
Lihame Arouna is a sophomore attending Co-op Highschool. She has been with Citywide Youth Coalition for two years and is now apart of their youth leadership team. She is also the new Student Representative on New Haven Board of Education.
Kelly Pinos is a junior at Wilbur Cross High School in New Haven, Connecticut. She is passionate about STEM and wants to be a nurse. After her father entered sanctuary in November 30, 2017 at the First and Summerfield Methodist Church, Kelly became involved in local actions, organizing, public speaking, and civil disobedience. She helped organize a walkout among high schools in New Haven and was on the front lines in shutting down the ICE headquarters in Hartford. Kelly has written an op-ed in The New York Times and hopes to keep using her voice to magnify her father's case and the case of other people in sanctuary.
Shawn Murray is a writer and podcaster from New Haven. He's a co-host of the Fantasy Filmball podcast and frequent guest on NPR's "The Nose."
