Colin Powell Fellowship in
Leadership and Public Service

Ainesey Arevalo is currently a junior studying psychology. She is a Bronx native interested in providing diverse communities with resources related to mental health services, food insecurity, and housing. She has supported and worked among distinct individuals through her volunteer work and is looking to further her role in helping others as part of the CASAC BA/MA Program. She acknowledges that there are many populations facing different stigmas and neglect and seeks to work towards a goal of providing resources to underserved communities. Her long-term goal is to obtain her PsyD. and become an advocate and supporting figure in young people’s lives, ensuring that individuals who have difficulty accessing mental health resources are being acknowledged and provided with services.

Arifa Nurjahan is a current sophomore majoring in sociology and minoring in health justice at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership, with goals of working in public health and healthcare. Raised in New York City by her Bangladeshi immigrant parents, she learned the value in remaining strong in the face of adversity while leading with compassion, integrity, and kindness. She also credits her own community for shaping her identity and motivating her interest in sociology as a lens for understanding patients, systems, and health disparities. Through witnessing how systemic barriers within her own community influenced whether individuals and families felt safe seeking medical help, she learned that access to healthcare is not simply about availability, but whether systems are designed to include the people they’re meant to serve. Through studying sociology, she seeks to gain a better understanding of why disparities exist and how systems can be redesigned to better serve individuals and communities. She is extremely passionate about social justice, advocacy, and advancing equitable access to healthcare. In the future, she hopes to work at the intersection of medicine and public health to address systemic inequities embedded within healthcare systems and inform policies that drives change to reduce disparities. Outside of school, Arifa enjoys painting, doing pottery, and solving puzzles!

Dana Ayoub is a junior and CCNY Honors student pursuing a dual major in Sociology and Psychology. Born and raised in Queens, New York, she is Palestinian and the daughter of Palestinian refugees, whose experiences have shaped her commitment to justice, public service, and community advocacy. Witnessing the intergenerational psychological effects of displacement and genocide within her community has guided her interest in trauma-informed care and mental health advocacy. Alongside her studies, Dana has deepened her commitment to civic engagement through organizing efforts for Palestine and her work in CCNY’s Leadership for Democracy and Social Justice Fellowship, where she has developed experience in community organizing, movement-building, and leadership. She plans to pursue a career in clinical Psychology focused on expanding equitable mental health support for refugees and communities affected by violence and displacement.

Gianni is an undergraduate student at The City College of New York, where he double majors in Sociology and Political Science and minors in Law and Psychology. A first-generation college student and proud member of the Mixtec Indigenous community, he is the son of Mexican immigrants from a small, economically disadvantaged town in Guerrero, Mexico. When he arrived in the United States speaking only Mixteco, an Indigenous dialect, he later learned both Spanish and English, an experience that shaped his resilience and broadened his perspective. He has faced many challenges, but also his family’s journey has deeply influenced his commitment to racial justice, public service, and community advocacy. Through his work as a fellow in the Racial Justice and Social Change Fellowship and his internships at the Office of Senator Robert Jackson and Paralegals FTC, Gianni has gained experience in legislative and legal settings. He plans to attend law school and become an immigration attorney dedicated to serving immigrant communities. In his free time, he enjoys studying government and public policy, supporting FC Barcelona and Chivas, and embracing new challenges that foster growth.

Kamilu is a psychology student at City College of New York for the 2026-2027 academic year. Born in Peru, she immigrated to the United States with her mother and siblings, all of whom are neurodivergent. Her personal experiences have inspired her passion for public service, especially in defending neurodiverse communities. Kamilu has been actively involved in volunteering and community service throughout her life, combining empathy with activism. In her free time, she enjoys reading and creating TikTok videos on news and current events, with the goal of making people think while having fun. She hopes to use her education and experiences to create inclusive spaces and opportunities for everyone.

I am a Puerto Rican and Trinidadian American studying Anthropology and Sociology at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership at City College, CUNY. Being born and raised in The Bronx, I have seen the many ways systemic racism affect my community. I don’t only want to develop solutions to dismantle the ways America has kept marginalized communities in perpetual struggle, but I also want to create actionable, sustainable, and equitable solutions to help my community thrive. I am dedicated toward challenging our nation’s systems to create the most equitable world for all people.

Mayesha Fahmida is a junior majoring in Computer Science. Born and raised in Bangladesh, she moved to the USA three years ago and has always been passionate about supporting underprivileged communities. Through her previous internships, she discovered how data can be used to understand people, solve problems, and drive impactful decisions, which inspired her to pursue a career in data engineering. Beyond tech, Mayesha is passionate about advocating for women’s rights and immigrant rights, especially for underrepresented communities navigating new opportunities. She enjoys traveling, swimming, and reading books in her free time. She hopes to combine technology and social impact to create solutions that make people’s lives more connected and accessible.

Noah Lettrick is a second-year undergraduate student in the Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture at The City College of New York. Born in New York and raised across multiple states along the East Coast, he developed an early awareness of how policy decisions shape access to education, housing, and stability. These experiences grounded his conviction that the built environment is inseparable from questions of equity and justice.
His focus centers on the intersection of architecture and public policy, with particular attention to sustainable building practices and community empowerment. He approaches design as an active instrument of social change, one that can expand access, foster belonging, and challenge entrenched patterns of urban inequality. He intends to pursue a career integrating design thinking with policy analysis, whether through practice, advocacy, or placemaking, to reshape how cities are built and who they serve. To him, architecture is not merely an aesthetic discipline; it is a means of creating stability and agency in an uncertain world.
In his free time, he paints, reads, and plays pool at Dyckman Billiards Cafe.

Raeesah Brown is a student at the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. She is currently majoring in Political Science. Her areas of interest include international affairs, housing, and immigration policy. Coming from a Jamaican background, she learned the importance of hard work, dedication and perseverance. Her experiences in both the U.S. and Jamaica have shaped her views on justice while also fueling her appreciation for different cultures.
In her free time, Raeesah enjoys learning different languages (currently Mandarin, and Spanish), discovering different genres of music and communicating with people around the world/making penpals. Raeesah aspires to become a lawyer and community organizer that uses her experiences to advocate for change while addressing issues with empathy. She hopes to amplify the voices of marginalized communities not just on a national scale but a global scale.

Rehianna Sidbury Moore is a Sophomore double-majoring in Psychology and Business & Admin, with a Minor in Studio Arts. She was born in Brooklyn, NY, and has lived in all five boroughs of New York. She grew up in a Jamaican and Dominican-American Household. She hopes to strengthen the healthcare system in New York for lower-income communities and help lower-income New Yorkers more broadly. In her professional career, she hopes to work in a management position at a nonprofit organization, possibly incorporating her love for art and nonprofit work. She loves all arts and crafts, including painting, drawing, and crocheting, as well as other hobbies like reading, juggling, and cooking. Her favorite color is purple, and she loves styling and caring for her coily hair.

Ruhama Siddiqui is a junior at the Grove School of Engineering, where she studies Environmental Engineering with a minor in Psychology. As the first-generation eldest daughter of Bangladeshi immigrant parents, she was born and raised in New York City, an experience that has deeply shaped both her academic and personal aspirations. Her passion for environmental engineering comes from her commitment to sustainable practices and water remediation, inspired by her own lifelong struggles with skin conditions that heightened her awareness of environmental health and water quality. She recently declared a minor in psychology to further explore her interest in healthy behavioral practices, family dynamics, and to better understand the people and communities she hopes to serve. After graduation, Ruhama aims to work for a government agency, hoping to improve New York City’s water filtration systems to ensure clean water is more accessible and affordable for all residents. Outside of her academic pursuits, she enjoys reading fantasy and dystopian fiction, as well as sewing and crocheting her own clothing.

Tashfiah is a first-generation Bengali-American student attending the Spitzer School of Architecture at the City College of New York. She is currently in her second year, majoring in Architecture with minors in Public Policy and Studio Art. Raised in the Bronx, she grew up in under-resourced communities that shaped her understanding of the built environment. Through these experiences, she witnessed how small urban changes, such as the addition of parks or neighborhood renovations, could significantly improve safety and quality of life. Her perspective was further shaped by experiences with housing instability, including periods of displacement due to domestic violence that led her family through New York City’s shelter system. These transitions exposed her to a wide range of living conditions and highlighted how policy decisions directly shape the built environment. Experiencing these contrasts deepened her understanding of the relationship between design, policy, and social equity. Through her work, Tashfiah aims to use architecture as a tool to create more equitable environments and hopes to design spaces that support and empower underserved communities. In her free time, she enjoys going to museums, exploring cities, trying new coffee spots, and listening to music.

Victoria is currently a sophomore at The Colin Powell School, double-majoring in Political Science and Science Learning & Public Engagement. She grew up in Queens, New York, and comes from a Trinidadian family. She shifted her focus from Business Administration to Political Science & Sci Learning when she realized her interest was in governmental policies and the environment. She had taken an environmental course during the Spring 2026 semester that opened her eyes to a world of environmental issues and how it affects us worldwide. During the 2026 summer semester, she traveled abroad to Brazil to participate in an environmental policy course led by Dr. Jean Krasno and Professor Ana Carnaval. Victoria hopes to get more involved with the environment and learn more about public service and policymaking within sustainability governance.