Emily Axelrod is a junior at Georgetown Day School in Washington, DC. When not discussing politics, she can be found running, climbing, rowing, or registering voters. In addition to leading a volunteer group through her school at an assisted living home, Emily is also a member of her school's Model UN club, math team, and non-male affinity group. Emily is also her temple youth group's Social Action VP. She enjoys playing with her puppy, watching the West Wing, and talking about Camp Chimney Corners, where she's found many of her female role models.

Nina Baran is a sophomore at Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy in Overland Park, Kansas where she enjoys tutoring younger students, working in the library, and debating issues like G-d, gender roles, and sexuality with peers and faculty. Nina loves reading - especially John Grisham novels and feminist and political literature - and babysitting, bike riding, listening to NPR, and watching endless Grey's Anatomy re-runs. Nina's second home is Camp Daisy & Harry Stein in Prescott, Arizona, where she spends a month every summer, and she is always happy to show off her collection of activist t-shirts and stickers.

Ava Berkwits is a sophomore at Walter Payton College Prep in Chicago, IL, where she is involved in musical theater, the female a cappella group, and the golf team. She serves as the co-communications vice president on her local USY chapter board, and is passionate about learning, social justice, reading, traveling, and the arts. She is periodically subjected to existential crises and enjoys thinking philosophically. Ava is the loving sister of a cavapoo named Suki and a human named Talia.

Naomi Bethune is a sophomore at Boston Latin Academy. She enjoys writing, reading, and listening to all types of music. Social justice and advocating for a better world is very important to her. She believes that every day we should wake up and make some change.

Phoebe Chapnick-Sorokin is a senior at Iowa City High School in Iowa City, Iowa. She is the executive editor of her school paper, The Little Hawk, president of her youth group, plays violin, and runs cross country. She enjoys volunteering, spending time outside, playing with her dog, and cooking. She is always available to talk about her point of view on feminism, gun control, and many other social issues she’s passionate about.

Emma Cohn is a senior at the School of Inquiry and Life Sciences at Asheville in Asheville, NC. Through her synagogue, she serves as the Secretary and Social Action Vice President of the NFTY chapter and an assistant teacher at the Sunday religious school. She also does volunteer work for Carolina Jews for Justice and serves on the board for Asheville's Jewish Community Relations Council. Besides work at her temple, Emma runs an organization for teenage girls called Girl Speak (@girl.speak on Instagram) and enjoys reading, writing, watching comedy and mystery TV shows, and listening to music.

Hannah Downing is a senior at Alamo Heights High School in San Antonio, Texas. She is a drum major for her school's marching band and an editor for her school's literary magazine. When she's not writing or conducting the half time show at football games, she enjoys playing ultimate frisbee, writing songs, playing Super Smash Bros with her friends, and indulging in her secret pleasure: Korean pop bands. She loves engaging in political discourse surrounding domestic and international issues, learning about social justice as it relates to Judaism, and educating her friends and family about feminism.

Lily Drazin is a senior at Shalhevet High School in Los Angeles, California, where she’s captain of the varsity basketball team, president of the GLI (Girls Learn International) club, and a dedicated AP Art student. Each summer she attends Camp Ramah in California where she further explores her Jewish identity and learns how to enrich her leadership skills. When she's not exploring thrift shops on Melrose or binging Broad City, Lily enjoys cuddling with her dogs, strengthening her passion for feminism, and discovering new Indie/Alternative music.

Madelyn Gelb is a senior at Central Bucks High School East in Doylestown, PA. She is passionate about feminism, Judaism, environmentalism, and social justice. She is an active congregant at her synagogue, where she volunteers. She also spends time volunteering at A Women's Place and is the co-president of the Women of the World club at her school. She spends her summers at Camp Ramah in the Poconos, where she has found some of her best friends. Mady enjoys dancing, comedy, reading, and spending time with her friends.

Abigail Glickman is a senior at Ithaca High School, in New York. Prior to moving to Ithaca, she lived in Columbia, South Carolina where she attended a Jewish day school. At IHS, she is a member of the feminist club, the leader of the Social Justice Week planning committee, and an occasional writer for the literary magazine and newspaper. Abigail also plays varsity soccer, writes poetry, and with a grant from Sustainable Tompkins, is co-leading, Keep it Cool, Tompkins!, an initiative to study the effects of refrigerants on climate change. She volunteers at Planned Parenthood and for local political campaigns.

Ilana Jacobs is a senior at Gann Academy in Waltham, Massachusetts. She is the editor in chief of her school's satirical and literary magazines, the captain of the math team, leader of poetry club, assistant editor of a student perspective magazine, a member of the mock trial team, a leader of a feminist minyan at her school, and a student advisor for freshman. She also plays soccer, basketball and lacrosse. In her spare time she enjoys writing, reading trashy YA fantasy, watching Doctor Who, or listening to Passenger.

Amy Jarkow is a senior at Marlborough School in Los Angeles, California. She is the co-captain of her school's Debate Team and competes on the national circuit. She also sings in the choir and loves to play the piano. In her free time she enjoys listening to music, going to brunch, and watching Netflix comedy specials.

Shira Minsk is a senior at Georgetown Day School in Washington DC. She is passionate about theater, politics, writing, and feminism. She is an editor on her school newspaper, the Augur Bit, a member of her school’s chamber choir, and a head of her school’s Jewish Student Coalition. Shira is also a student ambassador and docent at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. She spends her limited free time binge watching The West Wing on Netflix as well as engaging in debates about feminism, racism, the current political climate, and which High School Musical movie is the best.

Emma Nathanson is a junior at West High School in Madison, Wisconsin, where she fuels her passion for politics, running, and music through Model UN, cross country, and orchestra. At her temple, Emma teaches and learns Hebrew, attends NFTY kallot, and serves on the youth group board. Other loves of her life include traveling with her family, trading puns with her friends, frequenting local bookstores, and adding to her sock collection.

Ruby Russell is a poet and activist from Somerville, MA. She is a junior at the Cambridge School of Weston and an alumna of the Alexander Muss High School in Israel. Russell is a fellow with the Jewish National Fund as well as an intern with StandWithUs. She is a published and awarded slam poet who uses her words to contribute to the voice of the female, Jewish, and LGBT communities. Russell is a co-head of her schools Jewish Affinity Club and Interfaith Club. In the future, Russell aspires to work in the field of politics and international affairs.

Mirabel Sandler is a junior at Hunter College High School in New York City. Mirabel participates in a plethora of clubs including Argus, her school's literary magazine; JCAC, the Jewish Cultural Awareness Club; and the term council. When she's not doing homework, researching at the American Museum of Natural History, or interning at a writing organization or at her local assemblywoman's constituent office, she's most likely sleeping or discussing the state of the union. She's a fan of good iced coffee and her birkenstocks.

Molly Weiner is a junior at Lick-Wilmerding High School in San Francisco, where she runs for the cross-country and track teams, writes for the newspaper, and is a co-leader and co-founder of the activism club. She loves to read and paint, and has built her own furniture by hand! When she's not exhausted from track, in her free time she loves to hike. Last summer, she summited the Grand Teton in Wyoming. Molly attributes her love for the natural world in part to her many summers at Camp Tawonga in Yosemite.

Lila Zinner is a junior at Columbia High School in Maplewood, New Jersey. She attends “Hebrew High” at her local temple and has held various positions on the youth board, including Membership Vice President and Religious and Cultural Vice President. Lila is co-president of her school’s Jewish Student Union, and she also indulges herself in Jewish service learning at the Jewish Federation. Lila loves traveling with a purpose and has participated in community service in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Peru. She also enjoys theatre and dance and performs in her high school’s musicals and as part of the dance company.

2020-2021 Rising Voices Fellows

2019-2020 Rising Voices Fellows

2017-2018 Rising Voices Fellows

2016-2017 Rising Voices Fellows

2015-2016 Rising Voices Fellows

2014-2015 Rising Voices Fellows

2013-2014 Rising Voices Fellows