https://news.harker.org/senior-named-finalist-in-alameda-county-youth-poet-laureate/

40 hrs/week. Summer internship. Areas of Research/Practice: -NFTs-blockchain-memorabilia -cryptocurrency-budgeting-marketing-journalism

Wiley W. Manual Courthouse --- Collaborative Court TeamTuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

I created this affinity group because I felt our school environment lacked a truly safe, unconditionally loving space for Transgender individuals and identity. After creating this group, I began holding and planning meetings every two weeks, compiling a strong leadership team, managing communicating among the team and with faculty, meeting with faculty about changing curriculum to be more gender-inclusive, hosting events for Transgender awareness events, posting thorough resources on social media, and speaking at many class and school meetings. Additionally, I organized and held our school's first ever Queer Open Mic Night. Next year, we intend to expand toward more fundraising and larger community events.

After spending two months writing and editing it, I published my first book: Lens. Lens is a compilation of four short stories that explore the complexities of identity in relation to perspective. Working with a heavy stream-of-consciousness style, these stories express the importance of evaluating one's environment and understanding others' realities.

At Project AAR, as part of YPPI, we work to promote awareness and understanding of gender-based violence and discrimination. We focus on extending awareness through social media and organized community events. Furthermore, we promote student voices and improve the education within public schools in our area.

Being the first ever Secretary for our school's ITS Troupe, I was able to shape this role much to my own liking. While I carried out the usual responsibilities (writing email reminders, taking attendance, keeping track of logistics) in a timely and excellent manner, I also worked closely with the troupe's President to shape how our meeting would occur, plan community events such as a Cabaret Night for the future, and formulate policy regarding membership. Furthermore, I took the initiative to create regular forms and surveys for receiving feedback from members of the group, and I remained strong in my communication.

With this having been my first ever leadership position, I spent much of my time in SDC learning how to be an effective communicator, organizer, and idea-formulator. I gained experience on what plans worked (such as fundamentally changing how our billboards were organized) and what plans did not work (such as attempting to hold regular town hall meetings for topics of the community's choice). Furthermore, I learned to adapt different ideas (such as suggesting changes to Culture Week organization), and, generally, more authentically express myself. With the confidence and leadership I built through this position, I performed a slam poem about my identity during Culture Week's cultural performances---thereby setting the stage for future performances---and spoke regularly at school meetings and class meetings about my identity. I also took on most of the writing of the group, whether this meant drafting speeches, writing captions for social media, or writing descriptions for the billboards.