ABOUT ELLA FELLOWSHIP

The ELLA Fellowship Program is based on SNLP’s central philosophy that opportunities for community leadership are integral to addressing issues affecting young women. ELLA is named for social activist, Ella Baker, and stands for Engage, Learn, Lead and Act. It is also means “she” in Spanish.

This Fellowship – the only one of its kind for young women that we know of – offers a 9-month, in-depth leadership training. Fellows are supported in designing and implementing a project to address a social justice issue in a community with which they identify. Program goals are to expand young women’s understanding of leadership, to deepen their program management skills, and to enhance young women’s confidence, resourcefulness, and creativity, as well as their potential for effective community leadership.

We are currently seeking applications for the 2012-2013 ELLA Fellowship Program. The application deadline is Friday, August 17th, 2012.

Please read through our program overview, tips sheet, and submit the application to Laura@sadienash.org.

The 2011-2012 class of ELLA fellows and projects are summarized below:

AHARISI BONNER – Junior at St. Joseph High School. Developed “Empower Your Voice,” a workshops series for young women of color that explores identity, race, and ethnicity and seeks to build a more integrated and empowered community at St. Joseph High School.

JENNY CHOI – Senior at Hunter College High School. Concerned about the lack of Asian-American women in public office, Jenny developed “ASPIRE (Asian-American Girls Step-Up, Propel, Inspire, Run, and Exemplify). In this group, Asian-American young women learn the skills and tools they need to break into civic leadership and encourage each other to run for leadership roles in their schools and communities.

JODY CORDERO – Senior at NYC iSchool. Developed “Breaking Chains,” a workshop series that supports teens living in shelters to envision and attain educational and career aspirations. In the group, youth work together to stay positive, excel in school, and explore opportunities for active engagement in their communities.

JANAE CUMMINGS - Junior at Adelphi University. Through, “Seeds of Justice,” Janae is working to call attention to issues around food justice. With transformative learning as a central tool, the workshop series helps participants to better understand the connection between our relationships to food and the history of urban farming.

VERONICA HOOPER – Freshman at Borough of Manhattan Community College. Created an empowerment group for LGBTQ youth entitled, “The New Wave.” In the group, LGBTQ youth have the opportunity to express themselves, share experiences, build confidence, learn to confront bullying and harassment, and identify safe spaces in New York City.

MANPREET KAUR TEJI – Senior at St. Louis University. Developed “Combating Bullying,” an interactive youth group for Sikh children in St. Louis, Missouri. The group supports Sikh children as they learn to confront bullying in their communities, overturn stereotypes, and advocate for themselves. As SNLP’s first ever National Fellow, Manpreet is running her project in St. Louis, while SNLP trains and supports her from New York.

FANNY MEI – Freshman at New York University. Concerned about negative beliefs surrounding cancer in Chinese communities, “Chinese Cancer Initiative,” challenges cultural stereotypes and assumptions about cancer. The groups seeks to inform Chinese and Chinese American teens and young adults about the causes of cancer, preventative measures, and encourages them to participate in actions that promote positive social change in their communities.

HEATHER RAMIREZ – Junior at Hunter College. Through “Reproductive Justice Now!,” Heather is building a network of college student activists that learn, strategize, and work together to address issues of Reproductive Justice & sexual health through community action.

KATHERINE TRIUNFEL RODRIGUEZ – Junior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Created “Breaking Language Barriers” to support immigrants as they simultaneously pursue their goals of learning English and advancing their educational and career prospects. The group seeks to build confidence and provide information regarding college and job skills.

NATHALI ROMERO – Freshman at Barnard College. Through interactive workshops, her group, “Sister to Sister,” seeks to empower middle school girls by building their self-confidence and developing their leadership skills.

MUNEEBA TALUKDER – Senior at Hunter College. Developed “DREAM ACTivism,” a workshop and panel discussion series aimed at increasing awareness about issues affecting undocumented immigrants, especially the DREAM act. Discussions highlight the perspectives of student activists, professionals invested in transforming U.S. Immigration policy, as well as immigrant and undocumented youth.