Meet the 2025-2026 Teen Leadership Council

Alexandr is an 18-year-old senior in high school. Alexandr is involved with soccer and is the captain of the team who sees himself as a good leader. He is proud of his accomplishments of being present and helping his family, and is always working on being better.  He is proud of how he grew up, which makes him unique because he did not grow up like others and isn’t like other people. In five years, Alexandr will learn how to be a pediatrician. His life has influenced him a lot and his plans for the future, and he is his own idol.

Ansh is a 14-year-old from Allston, joining Teen Council for the first time! At school, Ansh is involved in the school’s lighting team, track team, and debate team. Ansh is most proud of buying his dad a car. He is unique because he made his first $100k when he was 14. In five years, Ansh hopes to be a great trader and a listener. His dad has influenced and supported him to do trading and step out of his comfort zone.

Asiya is an 11^th grader from the South End joining Teen Council for the second year! She is involved in a Harvard Med science program, the Boch Center, ISBCC Mosque, and a book club. She is most proud of her resilience and how she uses it to push her through tough situations. Asiya would want to strengthen empathy in the global community, and she is unique because she believes that there is good in everyone and everything. In five years, she hopes to be working as an ultrasound technician, and her sister has influenced her plans for the future. An artist that inspires Asiya is Lil Durk.

Derekea (Steffie) is a 15-year-old from Dorchester who is doing Teen Council for the first time! She is involved in her school dance groups and is proud of the goals that she has accomplished so far this year. She is her grandmother’s first granddaughter and has a unique name that she is proud of. Her mom influences her and she is inspired by Frank Ocean.

Yami is a 15-year-old from East Boston!  They are involved with Tenacity where they sometimes volunteer after school. Yami is proud of being able to communicate with new people, even if it takes time, and how she has progressed with her social skills. Something that Yami would want to strengthen at school is to allow more than one week for students to dress down to allow kids to have Fridays to express themselves in their clothes. In five years, they hope to be in trade school for cosmetology or in school for fashion or another kind of art. Bands they like, old 2000s, magazines, Y2K fashion, and gothic/horror movies has influenced them a lot. Piece the Veil, Kiss and Evanescence are artists that inspire them.

Janaya is an 11^th grader from Dorchester who is joining Teen Council for the first time after two summers in City Spotlights! At school, she is involved in musical theatre, the mental health club, and chorus. Janaya is proud of improving her grades and has accomplished being on honor roll and becoming vice president in chorus. She would want to strengthen acceptance at school and in her neighborhood because so many communities are divided. Janaya is her own person and is unique because she doesn’t let others define her. Music has really influenced Janaya and she hopes to be studying at Berklee College of Music in five years. The singer Miguel inspires her very much.  

Jannell is a 15-year-old who is joining Teen Leadership Council for the second time and has completed two summer programs! This year, Jannell is involved in the one act plays at school and choir. Jannell is proud of the accomplishment of being a section leader in her school’s choir, along with getting her grades up. Jannell hopes to strengthen community bonds so that we can be strong together. The artist Laufey inspires Jannell because she’s seen how she has grown while still releasing music that touches people. Being an artist and a successful woman influences Jannell and helps her plan for her future.

Joel is an 11^th grader from Dorchester. Joel is proud of being humble because it allows him to acknowledge where he came from. He has received a scholarship and is on honor roll at school. Something that Joel wants to strengthen in the world is for youth to take life more seriously. Joel is unique because he likes weird clothes and music. His family has influenced him to be successful because they overcame their hardships to get where they are today.

Jorge is a 9^th grader from Mattapan, joining our education programs for the first time. Jorge is on the lacrosse team outside of school while having A’s as his grades. Jorge is most proud of learning English in less than a year. If he could strengthen something in the global community, it would be the acceptance of all people. His mother has influenced him because she shows him how to pursue his dreams and how to have a good work ethic. Juan Luid Guerra inspires Jorge because he spreads a message with his art.

Nico is an 11^th grader from Dorchester who is joining Teen Leadership Council for the third year in a row! Nico is most proud of hitting 40,000 subscribers on YouTube while continuing to improve as an artist. Nico would want to strengthen communities by treating each other better. Spreading hate has become so normalized, and he wants to change that. He has used this job as an opportunity to grow as a leader and expand his creative voice, and is proud of the accomplishments he’s made so far in that. Voice acting in Anime has influenced his plans for the future a lot. AJ Beckles is a voice over artist that inspires Nico because he voices Okarun from Dandadan, one of Nico’s favorite characters, and is a black man from Massachusetts. In five years, Nico hopes to be auditioning to book gigs as a voice actor and creating nerdcore music with his friends for others to enjoy.

Shay is an 11^th grader from the South End who is joining Teen Leadership Council for the second year! Shay is on a dance time called Hype Kidzz, and is proud of being consistent with the things she likes to do like dance, making music, and going to school. Shay has accomplished keeping her grades solid in school, taking on leadership roles, and hitting a lot of personal goals that have helped her become more confident. An artist that inspires Shay is SZA. Seeing what people around her go through has influenced her by pushing her to focus on her goals and plan for a better future. In five years, she hopes to be in school to get a nursing degree.

Stephanie is a 14-year-old from South Boston. At school, she is involved with music, playing the clarinet. Steph has struggled with communication skills in the past and is proud of how much she has grown. If she were to strengthen something in the community, she would want everyone to be more respectful towards each other and not judge others. Steph has accomplished getting good grades, learning how to do new things, and learning how to be better at sports. In five years, Steph hopes to be in college studying to be an ultrasound tech. Mariah the Scientist is an artist who inspires her, and Steph’s mom and sister have influenced her to be independent and hard working.

Steven is a 12^th grader from East Boston. He is involved with Tenacity’s Teen Council and is a senior council member at East Boston High School. Steven is most proud of his musical ability because he has been passionate about music since middle school and picked up guitar quickly. He has accomplished being on honor roll at school and is unique because he has experiences in music that a lot of people his age do not have yet. In five years, Steven hopes to be in law school, studying to become a financial lawyer. An artist that inspires him is Rehash because their music persuades the type of mood he wants to give off in his own music.

Taniyah is an 11^th grader from Dorchester, joining Teen Leadership Council after City Spotlights this past summer! In the fall, she was involved in On Strivers Row, and she takes dual-enrollment classes for child physiology. Taniyah is most proud of her performance in Black Nativity in December 2023 at the Paramount Theatre and achieving academic honors. She would like to strengthen access and awareness about drug abuse and mental health resources in her local community. Taniyah is unique because she is understanding and tries to think beyond possible solutions to problems. Sophia Vergara is an artist that inspires her because she has accomplished so much, and Taniyah would love to be a role model and successful like her.

Xavier is a 17-year-old from Dorchester joining Teen Leadership Council for the first time. He is involved in theatre related programs and is proud of the person he is becoming and how much he has accomplished. Xavier has accomplished being in his first professional production and surrounding himself with positive people. If he could strengthen something in his school, it would be for more engaging academics. Xavier is unique because he has a big, loud, and proud personality. In five years, he hopes to be on Broadway or in a big movie. His family has influenced him to be who he is and the artist that inspires him is Denzel Washington. 

Ximena is a 10^th grader from East Boston. After school, Ximena helps her friends with her homework and is proud to use her social skills. She is confident in her abilities and creative skills. Ximena is unique because she is constantly trying to find new ways to be creative and is really open to learning new things. She hopes to build a music career in the future because she loves expressing herself through music.

Kamsi is a 16-year-old from Mattapan who is joining our school year program for the first time after completing two summers with City Spotlights! Kamsi is very proud of being on honor roll for the first quarter at school because she worked really hard to be able to achieve this. Kamsi would want to strengthen her community and school by having less homophobia and colorism in the world. She is unique because she enjoys drawing and loves to watch educational TikTok’s. Artists online and voice actors of her childhood have really inspired Kamsi. In five years, she hopes to be a cat mom and have a voice acting career on the side!

Xuelan is a 16-year-old from Brighton who is joining our education programs for the first time! Xuelan is proud of sticking with dance for many years and being able to learn well – she never gives up when facing challenges. She would want to strengthen communities by having community art programs like free art classes or public welfare art workshops. She hopes this will get more people involved in art and be able to pursue creative dreams. She is a member of the National Honors Society and is unique because she has a strong heart and tenacious courage. Xuelan’s Chinese dance teacher has influenced her the most because she taught her technique while showing her that art can connect people. The dancer Tang Shiyi has inspired her a lot because she was persistent in dance despite challenges and by spreading Chinese dance to other people she made Xuelan want to pursue her creative passions.