OUR MISSION
To empower students as changemakers for an anti-racist future through education.
Executive Operations
Da’Taeveyon Daniels
Chief Operating Officer
Da'Taeveyon Daniels, COO of Diversify Our Narrative, is a passionate advocate for border issues and believes in the transformative power of civic engagement led by the youth. A dedicated reader, he champions, FReadom to read, youth visibility in adult-dominated spaces, and is an enthusiastic public speaker. Da'Taeveyon's commitment lies in fostering positive change and amplifying the voices of his generation to become the change they want to see.
ddaniels@diversifyournarrative.com
Anusha Nadkarni
Transitioning Chief Executive Officer
Anusha Nadkarni (she/hers) is the proud daughter of two Indian immigrants. Anusha represented the State of Illinois in the 2023 United States Senate Youth Program, and believes that equitable education is integral to fostering empathetic, justice-driven communities. Now, Anusha studies Public Policy and Education at Stanford University, where she is continuing her advocacy work in education equity, community-building, and public service.
anadkarni@diversifyournarrative.com
Marketing and Branding
Katelin Zhou
Chief Executive Officer
Katelin Zhou is the co-founder/co-CEO of Diversify Our Narrative and has been with the organization since its inception in 2020. She is a senior at Stanford, and studies Management Science and Engineering. She grew up in a school system with minimal exposure to topics of race and identity for BIPOC students, and strives for a future where students of color are represented, taught about, and celebrated — whether its through english books, history classes, or anywhere else. As a result, Katelin is very passionate about anti-racism and specifically, its intersection with the education system in order to elicit positive change in society. In her free time, you can find her bowling, frequenting a local coffee shop, or going to a comedy show.
kzhou@diversifyournarrative.com
Maggie Xie
Assistant Director of Marketing and Branding Co-Chair of Storytelling Committee
Maggie Xie is the Assistant Director of Marketing and Branding at Diversify Our Narrative. A sophomore at Castro Valley High School, Maggie works within her community and nationally to motivate students into intersectional activism and provide equitable education to all.
mxie@diversifyournarrative.com
Charlize Ko
Chief Brand Officer
Charlize Ko is the Director of Marketing and Branding (Chief Brand officer) at Diversify Our Narrative. Lover of books and films, Charlize has always believed in inspiring diversity and change within youth media. Alongside working at DON, Charlize explores her passion of racial justice and human rights issues through the official Amnesty (USA) youth leadership program. In her free time, you can catch her animating, writing, reading or drawing!
cko@diversifyournarrative.com
Julianna Garcia
Chief Marketing Officer
Julianna Garcia is a recent graduate at the University of California Irvine and is the Director of Chief Marketing Officer at DON.
jgarcia@diversifyournarrative.com
Livs Sun
Graphic Designer Co-Chair of Storytelling Committee
Livs Sun is a Graphic Designer with DON. She is a first year at the University of Virginia studying Commerce and Data Science. Outside of organizing, Livs is a big fan of digital art, running, motorsports, and noodle soup.
osun@diversifyournarrative.com
Melodie Mwangi
Outreach Marketing Coordinator
Melodie is a Content Creator for the Marketing and Branding department. She is a rising sophomore at the University of Chicago. This will be her third year being a part of DON and second year on the National Team!
mmwangi@diversifyournarrative.com
Khanh Nguyen
Social Media Coordinator
Livs Sun is a Graphic Designer with DON. She is a first year at the University of Virginia studying Commerce and Data Science. Outside of organizing, Livs is a big fan of digital art, running, motorsports, and noodle soup.
knguyen@diversifyournarrative.com
Martina Schönfeld
Graphic Designer
Martina Schönfeld is a new member of the department, she is a graphic design student of Argentina
mmwangi@diversifyournarrative.com
Storytelling Committee
Xiomara Lopez
Graphic Designer
TBD
xlopez@diversifyournarrative.com
Abigail Atuana
Storytelling Committee Intern
TBD
aatuana@diversifyournarrative.com
Johanna Vu
Storytelling Committee Intern
TBD
jvu@diversifyournarrative.com
Curriculum Council
Ivanna Ruiz
Storytelling Committee Intern
Ivanna Ruiz is a current junior, passionate about political issues, primarily immigration policy. Ivanna is excited to expand her knowledge on educational diversity as storytelling intern. She is hopeful of making a positive impact in her community by mobilizing fellow youth.
iruiz@diversifyournarrative.com
Mackenzie Rice
Curriculum Council Member
Mackenzie Rice is a current high school senior, and this is her second year with DON's Curriculum Council. She volunteers with many small-scale community education initiatives but sees her work with DON as an incredible avenue to effect lasting, large-scale changes—creating a more equitable and culturally-sustaining education for students across the country.
mrice@diversifyournarrative.com
Lily Caldwell
Curriculum Council Member
Lily Caldwell is a current high school student (Class of 2025), and is a Curriculum Council Member. Lily is passionate creating anti racist curriculum and creating change within the current school system. She loves the beach and being outdoors with friends, and can always be found reading a book somewhere!
lcaldwell@diversifyournarrative.com
Rose Clubok
Chair of Curriculum Council
Rose Clubok is the Chair of the Curriculum Council at Diversify Our Narrative. She is a sophomore at Barnard College and the Jewish Theological Seminary, where she studies History, Education, and Jewish Philosophy.
rclubok@diversifyournarrative.com
Charlotte Cao
Curriculum Council Member
Charlotte Cao (she/her) is a freshman at Stanford University studying English. She is passionate about representation in education, and works as a reporter and managing editor of DEI at the Stanford Daily, Stanford’s main student-led journalism group.
ccao@diversifyournarrative.com
Asna Feroz
Curriculum Council Member
Asna Feroz is a senior at high school in Karachi. Asna plans to study Political Science and Education in the future and since 2020 has been acting as the Creative Head for Narrative Revisited, a digital platform that aims to educate its viewers on a host of social and historical issues. Passionate about social and educational equality, her main goal is to empower students and create communities that raise each other.
aferoz@diversifyournarrative.com
Andrew Lanpouthakoun
Curriculum Council Member
Andrew Lanpouthakoun (he/him) is a freshman at Stanford University studying Computer Science and Math. He is interested in education technology, and hopes to be a classroom teacher someday.
wlamberto@diversifyournarrative.com
Policy Mobilization
Natalia Roman
Director of Policy Mobilization
Natalia Roman is a senior located in Southern California. She has been a Chapter Lead for her local DON chapter since 2020 and now is looking forward to expanding her passion to the national scale. She intends on pursing her passion by majoring in Political Science/International Relations, in pursuit of becoming a lawyer.
nroman@diversifyournarrative.com
Kennedy Kyle
Director of Policy Mobilization
Kennedy Kyle is a second year public affairs major at UCLA and is continuing her third year as part of the Diversify Our Narrative National Team. She is a passionate advocate for racial justice, participating on Executive Boards of school clubs and non-profit organizations to ensure this conclusion is a possibility.
kkyle@diversifyournarrative.com
Chapter Mobilization
Kaviya Chidambaram
Executive Director of Policy Mobilization
Kaviya is a Boettcher and El Pomar scholar at Colorado College ‘27 studying international political economy and environmental science. They are a firm believer that education is the basis of equity and strive towards institutional reform through community centered organizing.
kchidambaram@diversifyournarrative.com
kchidambaram@diversifyournarrative.com
Cherie Animashaun
Department Vice Chair
Cherie Animashaun is the Vice Chair of the Chapter Mobilization department at Diversify Our Narrative. She is a freshman at Cornell University and the President of Her Rising Initiative. Since publishing her first book at 12, Cherie has gone on to advocate for and work with children around the world.
canimashaun@diversifyournarrative.com
Luika Rohy
Executive Director of Mobilization
Luika Rohy is a Regional Director of Chapter Mobilization at Diversify our Narrative. A freshman at Tulane University studying Political Science and Social Policy, she has spent the past few years working as a community organizer around the US, fighting for both social and educational equity. Passionate about empowering students and creating safe and representative communities, she believes that positive change starts with education. Luika is an avid coffee drinker, thrifter, and tv show binge-watcher.
krohy@diversifyournarrative.com
Abigail Lee
Executive Director of Mobilization
Abigail Lee is the Co-Executive Director of Mobilization at Diversify Our Narrative. She is a senior at Yorba Linda High School and has been an organizer with DON since 2020. After founding her local DON chapter, Abigail spearheaded a movement to oppose her district's Critical Race Theory Ban and mobilized students, teachers, and parents in the community to fight against extremist policies. She is passionate about promoting anti-racism and inclusivity among youth and hopes to pursue a career in public policy.
alee@diversifyournarrative.com
Swapnil Gandhi
Regional Director of Chapter Mobilization
Swapnil Gandhi is a college freshman and Director of Chapter Mobilization for DON. He started working with DON at his own local chapter in Massachusetts and eventually moved on to work with the national team. Outside of his DON work, he has extensive experience engaging in environmental advocacy throughout high school and college.
sgandhi@diversifyournarrative.com
Sheila Menon
Regional Director of Chapter Mobilization
Sheila Menon is the East Regional Director of Chapter Mobilization at Diversify Our Narrative. She is a senior in high school passionate about social justice, equitable education, and healthcare reform. Sheila has been part of DON on the local level first as a member and as the District Lead of her chapter. Within DON, she has spearheaded various initiatives including a project where she and her team developed and taught diverse curriculum to over 700 local middle and high school students. Outside of DON, Sheila is also the Co-Chief of Partnerships at Generation Up, a member of the California Youth Advisory Council under the Department of Education, and a Live Well Youth Leader in San Diego county- she is also involved in neuroscience research and loves all kinds of tea!
smenon@diversifyournarrative.com
Mariam Mandwee
Regional Director of Chapter Mobilization
Abigail Lee is the Co-Executive Director of Mobilization at Diversify Our Narrative. She is a senior at Yorba Linda High School and has been an organizer with DON since 2020. After founding her local DON chapter, Abigail spearheaded a movement to oppose her district's Critical Race Theory Ban and mobilized students, teachers, and parents in the community to fight against extremist policies. She is passionate about promoting anti-racism and inclusivity among youth and hopes to pursue a career in public policy.
mmandwee@diversifyournarrative.com
Mateo Ramirez-Valentini
Regional Director of Chapter Mobilization
TBD
mvalentini@diversifyournarrative.com
Catherine Tiddy
Regional Director of Chapter Mobilization
Catherine Tiddy is a first-year at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she studies Political Science, Public Policy, and Data Science. She began with Diversify Our Narrative in 2020 as her local chapter's co-founder and co-district lead and has also worked at a Policy Deputy and Assistant Director of Policy for DON. She is passionate about grassroots organizing with a focus on rural communities.
smenon@diversifyournarrative.com
Eya Ibrahim
Regional Director of Chapter Mobilization
TBD
mmandwee@diversifyournarrative.com
Gustavo dos Reis
International Director of Chapter Mobilization (Volunteer)
From São Paulo, Brazil, Gustavo is a rising junior in high school. He is passionate about racial justice, education, politics, and journalism.
gdosreis@diversifyournarrative.com
Finance
Cori Rushdi
International Director of Chapter Mobilization
TBD
crushdi@diversifyournarrative.com
Shivali Vanodia
Deputy Finance Director
Shivali Vanodia is the Finance Deputy at Diversify Our Narrative. She is a rising sophomore at Rutgers University, majoring in Biology and Data Science.
svanodia@diversifyournarrative.com
Emily Kim
Assistant Director of Finance
Emily is a current Senior in high school and the Assistant Director of Finance at Diversify Our Narrative. As a student activist who is driven by her passions and goals of being a change-maker, Emily strives to empower students and dismantle the institutions that uphold racism and injustice. Beyond advocacy and volunteer work, Emily is a lover of dance, all things pink, and poetry.
ekim@diversifyournarrative.com
Jamaica Weaver
Director of Finance
Jamaica Weaver is a current first-year at the University of Virginia and is the Director of Finance at DON.
jweaver@diversifyournarrative.com
Mariam Ndao
Deputy Finance Director
Mariam Ndao is the Deputy Finance Director at DON. She is a junior at Gilroy Early College Academy, currently earning AAs in Health Science and Natural Science. She hopes to spread the DON initiative in her area both through the national team and creating a district-wide DON chapter.
mndao@diversifyournarrative.com
How We Began
Founded in June of 2020 by two Stanford students, DON initially began with one goal: change our high school English classrooms to include diverse texts. Since then, we’ve extended our vision to our four core values in the fight to build antiracist policy: accessibility, curriculum advocacy, centering students and stories and community building .
This campaign, now led by one thousand high school and college students internationally, believes that schools have not only the capacity, but also the obligation to educate its students about race, racism, and anti-racism in America through the right books and curriculum. Currently, the texts we teach in school do not adequately address these prominent issues— and that is precisely what our organization will change.
Our Organizers
Manhattan Beach Unified School District
“Diverse books help people gain a new perspective on social issues. “School is a time where you develop a sense of identity and personality, so learning about other people’s experiences helps us become global citizens who understand that other cultures exist and that it is important to respect them.”
— Hannah Gideon, District Lead of MBUSD.
Placentia Yorba Linda Unified District
“Growing up in America as a young student of color, there were certain negative experiences I had that I had no clue were due to my racial and ethnic identity. When I became older, I started to realize that I was passionate for advocating for diversity, equity, and racial justice, even more so because I started to learn about the deep rooted systemic injustices in our society. I’m currently a DON organizer because I don’t want future generalizations of marginalized students to ever feel the way I did — an outsider in their own country — and help expose others to the beauty of various cultures and identities that aren’t their own.”
— Abigail Lee, District Lead
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools District
“Working with Diversify Our Narrative both as a district lead and a national member has offered me opportunities to engage in my local and national community. While gaining experience with political processes, I have been able to reflect upon my educational experiences and actively work to disparage barriers. I am so proud of my DON family and the progress that we have made together!”
— Catherine Tiddy, District Lead
DON Tokyo: Discussions on Race
"The first international chapter of DON, DON Tokyo-- The American School of Japan, spent last summer creating a compiled interview of how our school has tried to combat racism, and what else we could do in the future.” — @efukumoto
“10 Florida activists fighting for a brighter, queerer future”
From creating safe spaces at their schools to filing high-profile lawsuits, young people are rallying against the homophobic 'Don't Say Gay' law.
“Frisco teen Athena Tseng looks to next chapter after pushing for more diverse classes”
The Liberty High School junior formed the Frisco branch of Diversify Our Narrative and pushed for more ethnically diverse classes in the district.
Chapter Highlights
