top of page
The #DegreesNYC Youth Council is an opportunity for NYC high school, college, and non-traditional students to be a part of a youth advocacy network by working with #DegreesNYC. Our Youth Council is committed to making schools and campuses more student-ready by advocating for institutional and political reform.
Meet the Fellows:
Follow #DegreesNYC Youth Council!
Nafi A.
Nafi Abubakar is a #DegreesNYC Advocacy Fellow. She is a sophomore at Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) majoring in Aerospace Engineering. She has a strong passion for education equity. Over the summer, Nafi worked with the Youth Advocacy Corps' Youth Advocacy Summer Institute (YASI) program researching the mental health challenges of black teenagers in New York City and the obstacles many face in accessing the resources they need to succeed. This experience motivated her to join the Youth Council, where she is excited to advocate and help bridge the support and opportunity gaps for youth in our community.
Chike S.
Chike Samuels is a returning #DegreesNYC Advocacy Fellow. He is a senior at Bedford Academy High School (Class of 2025). He has a passion for horticulture and spends much of his time working at the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. He is deeply committed to addressing the inequities he sees in his community and beyond. Chike joined the Youth Council because he has a strong desire to combat pressing social justice issues alongside other young advocates and he recognizes the vital importance of diverse and fresh perspectives in creating a more equitable world.
Janelle Q.
Janelle Quiles is a returning #DegreesNYC Advocacy Fellow. She is Political Science major in her junior year at the City College of New York. She became a Youth Council member because she believes education is one of the most important things we can achieve in life. As a Youth Advocate, she wants to help make the pursuit of higher education more equitable, raise awareness of issues that effect students, and advocate for changes that will make the education system better.
Habibah A.
Habibah Aldakak is a #DegreesNYC Data fellow and a junior transfer student at Hunter College, majoring in Biology and minoring in Public Health on the pre-medical track. Previously, she attended St. John’s University and her experience transferring helped her gain a perspective on the difference between public and private schooling with its pros and cons. Habibah is excited to be a part of #DegreesNYC’s Youth Council this year, where the Youth Council members work to address educational inequities and advocate for youth well-being across New York City. She is deeply passionate about empowering young people to create meaningful change, particularly by ensuring access to equitable and impactful education.
Nermen E.
Nermen Elkallini attends City College as a part of the Sophie Davis biomedical program. She has been a part of the Data Fellowship since its inception and is returning for a third year. She joined #DegreesNYC because of how impactful our work is for future students who will be able to have a better and more effective educational experience by learning from the feedback given by students who have gone through the system. In addition, she is intrigued by students' experiences from across NYC and being able to listen and get exposed to a variety of those experiences.
Jheyleinnies G.
Jheyleinnies Guerrero is a #DegreesNYC Data Fellow. She is better known as Jhey Jhey. She is an honors Senior at John Jay College and a McNair Associate studying Criminology and Psychology. She also works as a Lead Peer Success Coach for the Student Academic Success Program at John Jay (SASPS) and as an Honors Peer Mentor for the Honors Program. Being in these positions has helped her to see both the students' perspective and faculty's perspective, allowing her to not only assess the gaps in higher education but also advocate for resources for student readiness. She joined #DegreesNYC to make a more meaningful impact towards education equity through research as well as to become a resource for students at John Jay.
Calvin Z.
Calvin Zhou is a #DegreesNYC Data Fellow. He is a junior at Brooklyn Technical High School. In his free time, he loves reading books, listening to music, and playing video games. He is also passionate about advocating for injustices in his community, such as immigration policies and school equity. Calvin has experience in youth advocacy campaigns and has advocated for the equitable distribution of resources and access to support for all NYC students
bottom of page