The Young Women’s Cabinet

Reauna is a first–year law student at the University of Minnesota Law School and hopes to use her degree to practice civil rights litigation and eventually, serve in public office. Reauna is a graduate of Minnesota State University, Mankato, with degrees in political science and mass media. During her senior year at MNSU, Reauna served as student body president, implementing the first basic-needs platform in the school’s history. Reauna is a former board member with Students United and intern with The Nature Conservancy.

Itzayan is an employment and career counselor at the Primero de Mayo Worker’s Center. A 2022 graduate of the College of St. Scholastica, she received her degree in business & technology with a minor in communications. Itzy currently works for COPAL, an organization leading social impact initiatives to improve the quality of life for Latin American families. With immigrant parents who moved to Minnesota from Mexico in hopes for a better future, Itzy strives to create that future for herself and have a positive impact on the immigrant community in Minnesota.

Richnetta (she/her) is a graduate of Augsburg University, where she studied political science and international relations. As a first generation Liberian American and daughter of refugee parents, Richnetta has a passion for advocating for the safety and empowerment of immigrant and refugee communities, particularly undocumented Black communities. As the program assistant for the International Justice program and the Women’s Human Rights program at The Advocates for Human Rights, she deeply engages in research and writing for UN reporting and international human rights monitoring. She is committed to pushing for the liberation, empowerment and advocacy of those who have experienced human rights violations. 

Jessy Palmer is a junior at North Woods School and a PSEO student at Minnesota North College. She is an enrolled member of the Bois Forte Band of Chippewa and the secretary of the Native American Student Association (NASA) at North Woods, which aims to bring Native American culture and equal representation to her school. She is also a member of the Art Club at North Woods and the North Woods Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) club. When she graduates, Jessy plans to receive a bachelor’s degree in nursing so she can work for her local tribal clinic.

Oluwatomi (Tomi) is a junior at Woodbury High School. Through school activities, service projects, and church-led volunteer work, she has grown a passion for public service and community outreach. As a district ambassador for south Washington County, Tomi works to improve school systems in her district. She leads a campus clean-up initiative for her National Honor Society and is a member and co-leader of the Healthy Minds Club. Tomi has achieved competitive success in speech, where she shares her experiences as a woman of color and African descent. She plays for Salvo soccer club and competes on varsity soccer and track teams. She hopes to pursue a career in pediatric medicine or law.  

Oluwatomini (Tomini, she/her) is a senior undergraduate studying applied science in psychology with a concentration in computer analytics and programming. She is also a first-year student in the Master of Public Health in Global Health program at St. Catherine University. Tomini as a program coordinator at Restoration for All Inc., a community-based nonprofit that partners with individuals and communities to restore their cultural connections and heritage by addressing trauma and promoting sociocultural well-being and resilient connections. She instructs the general psychology lab and participates in student-led organizations like the Student Senate as an organizational affairs chair at St. Catherine University. 

Gay Ka Mwee is a member of the Karen Indigenous ethnic minority group. After moving to Minnesota from Burma, now known as Myanmar, Gay graduated from Metropolitan State University with a degree in human services. Gay currently works as a mental health practitioner at Steps Care LLC and as a Karen interpreter at University Language Center. When her heart finds enough rest, Gay enjoys writing poetry, where she seeks to evoke the brutality and suffering of the Karen people (autonym “K’Nyaw”) in Burma.

Amal is a senior at Jefferson High School and plans to continue her education in public health after graduation. As a Somali-Indian-Yemeni-American, Amal is especially passionate about celebrating joy and creating equitable opportunities for recreation in the BIPOC community. She is an active member of the debate team, loves to read, and spends as much time as she can in the pottery studio. She finds strength in passion and is excited to serve another year on the Young Women’s Cabinet.

Mariah holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in social justice from the University of Northwestern St. Paul. Mariah received the 2020 President’s Student Leadership Award from the Minnesota Campus Compact and was chosen for the University of Northwestern’s Leadership Development Program and scholarship. Mariah currently works as a family support specialist and plans to pursue a Master of Social Work. As a transracial adoptee, Mariah is passionate about addressing the racial disparities in the child welfare system and growing as a culturally responsive, trauma–informed mental health professional. On the weekends, you will find Mariah spending time with her dog, Nala Obama, exploring the Twin Cities trying to find something sweet to eat or reading a good book.

A senior from Cold Spring, Nora attends Saint John’s Preparatory School in Collegeville. She volunteers as a youth basketball coach, serves as a member of the executive council in her school’s National Honor Society, is a class ambassador for the school’s college counseling department. Nora’s deep commitment to serving others has included leading a successful fundraising effort for the people of Ukraine, coordinating a toy and book drive for families living in a local shelter, as well as a hygiene product drive for mothers and children living in a local women’s shelter.

Lori is a junior at the University of Minnesota, where she studies communication and biology, society & environment. Lori is an enrolled member of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in Northern Minnesota and an integral part of her community. She proudly serves as the co-chair of the Leech Lake Twin Cities Local Indian Council, representing her Indigenous community while promoting her personal social impact initiative, “Water You Doing?” Advocate of Mother Earth’s Natural Resources. She hopes to bring light to the Missing Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and Two-Spirit Relatives (MMIWG2S) and continue her advocacy for a sustainable environment for future generations.

Solana is an Afro-Indigenous single mother, born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In high school, she was very active in protesting and working with city council members to make Minneapolis a safer place. After high school, she continued to protest and fought to expose sexual abusers throughout Minnesota. These efforts included working with Congresswoman Ilhan Omar in the opening of the first memorial for survivors of sexual violence, located in Minneapolis. Now, Solana is a full-time mom and spends most of her time with her son.

Stephany is a first-generation college graduate and community convener. She graduated from the University of Northwestern St. Paul with a double major in politics, history, & economics and youth & emerging adult studies, with a concentration in social justice. Currently, she is the program coordinator for Girls Getting Ahead in Leadership at Women’s Initiative for Self-Empowerment (WISE), a nonprofit dedicated to empowering and uplifting students from immigrant and refugee communities. Stephany enjoys spending time with her loved ones and reading a good book at a coffee shop.

Madisen is a sophomore at Roseville Area High School where she plays an active role on the student council as sophomore class representative. Prior to high school, she was involved with Support Our School (SOS), where she collaborated with her classmates to develop ways to protect her peers from the dangers of nicotine and tobacco use. Madisen hopes to attend college on the West Coast and pursue a career in psychology or family medicine. Outside of school, Madisen enjoy competitive dancing and creating equitable opportunities for young women of color.

Riss (they/them) is the program coordinator at Wilderness Inquiry. Riss graduated from the University of Minnesota Duluth with a BAS degree in Environmental and Outdoor Education. They are a DeafBlind individual and have been involving in the Deaf, DeafBlind, Hard of Hearing, People with Disabilities, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Riss was part of the Access For All organization in the university, and they have worked with outdoor recreation programs to make the outdoor programs accessible for people with disabilities. Their passion is to improve the accessibility of the wilderness, and they believe that wilderness should not be limited to all communities.

Sabrina is a recent graduate of St. Catherine University where she studied public health education and completed her masters in global health. Sabrina was part of the Antonian Honors program, the International Student Organization, and has worked as a peer health educator. Public health allows her to work with diverse communities and contribute to health equity, racial equity, and social justice. She plans to work with local public health organizations and later join an international nonprofit organization. Sabrina keeps deepening her interest in all things international by working at Global Minnesota. 

Iman Ibrahim is a junior at Eagan High School and Inver Hills Community College. She is actively involved in advocacy work, co-founding the Tobacco-Free Society to prevent youth access to flavored tobacco products and to improve communities affected by industry marketing and health disparities. Outside of school, she has hosted vaping prevention workshops in local middle schools and serves on the Racial Health and Equity Committee for the Minnesota Coalitions for a Smoke-free Generation. After graduation, she aspires to go to college to study public policy or political science, with an intent to pursue law.

Lanaya is a senior at Woodbury High school and a student at Minneapolis College of Art and Design. After high school, she plans to pursue a career in marketing and entrepreneurship. She is involved in advocacy and activism as the public relations chair at her school’s Black Student Union and is a student ambassador at 916 Career and Technical Center, where she gives campus tours. Lanaya enjoys playing the guitar, photography, and developing environmentally friendly clothing designs using upcycled materials.

Scout (she/her) is a freshman at Macalester College. Scout hopes to major in Political Science or American Studies. She is a proud member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation. She is interested in the power of public policy and in how legislative action can be combined with community activism to create community-centered solutions to the problems facing Minnesotans and the world. She is especially passionate about LGBTQ+ issues, Native communities, and health and education disparities in Minnesota. She is a member of the Ethics Bowl team at Macalester.

Sophia (they/her) is a Minnesotan with a global background, having lived in three countries before moving to her home state in 2017. They are passionate about defining home, community, and what makes a great place to live. Sophia lives in Mankato, and works as a local organizer for Minnesotans for Fair Lending, a coalition dedicated to ending the practice of predatory lending. They are an extroverted musical-theater-nerd with interests in democracy, economic justice, and her cats.

Kayley is a senior at May High School in Rochester and also attends Rochester Community and Technical College. Upon graduation, Kayley hopes to obtain an associate degree and to become a Registered Nurse with Mayo Clinic. Kayley volunteers with a nonprofit called Joy, where she helps raise money for local charities to assist individuals and families in need. Kayley aspires to help many people within her community and increase opportunities for Spanish-speaking individuals. In her free time, she enjoys spending quality time with friends and visiting family in Mexico.

Trinity is a freshman at Carleton College and a prospective political science major. She is a member of her college’s Title IX community board and an intern with elected officials to get equity focused legislation passed at the state capitol. She has also worked on campaigns to inform policy stances and write speeches. Trinity strives to promote social justice through grassroots activism and policy.

Grace is a student at Concordia College where she studies political science and philosophy. She is the civic engagement advocate for student government and captain of the mock trial team. Grace has interned at the Jeremiah Program, a nonprofit working to disrupt the cycle of poverty for women, and currently interns at a criminal defense firm. She has volunteered on political campaigns, coordinated get-out–the-vote initiatives, and served as a clinic escort at North Dakota’s only abortion clinic. Grace hopes to attend law school and fight for equitable, compassionate, pragmatic solutions to our justice system. In her free time, you can find Grace at a coffee shop with a book.

Jennifer (she/her) is the manager of volunteer services at CLUES, an organization dedicated to ensuring the advancement of social and economic equity and wellbeing for Latinos in Minnesota. With over 4 years of experience, she is a leader in volunteer engagement, managing over 500 volunteers. Jennifer holds an Associate of Arts degree and is a certified professional project manager. With an interest in public policy, Jennifer uses her lived experiences as an undocumented migrant/Dreamer and passions for volunteerism and advocacy to drive systems change.

Tam (she/her) is a master’s in education candidate at the University of Minnesota and aspires to become a social studies teacher. Tam is a student teacher in Minneapolis Public Schools, where she designs and develops sound pedagogy and curriculum alongside a community of teachers, scholars, and leaders. Her areas of interest lie in culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogy, ethnic studies for all, and nurturing epistemic virtues. In her free time, she enjoys doing DIY projects, reading books, and exploring the world.

Born and raised in Saint Paul, Reyna identifies as Indigenous, specifically Bois Forte Band of Ojibwe and Mexica-Nahua. As the oldest of five, she has always found herself in leadership roles and loves being of service to her family and community. She has worked within the Native community as a youth mentor, project manager, administrative assistant, and cultural consultant. Reyna previously worked at a cultural center for three years, where she gained experience working with a variety of artists in Minnesota. Recent accomplishments include becoming a mother and a graduate from Hamline University with a degree in business administration.

Achsah is a senior at Maple Grove Senior High School where she will graduate this year. Following graduation, she plans to attend college and hopes to major in business and political science. In high school, she is active in many extracurriculars including R.E.A.L. Talk, Green Club, the basketball team, and the Black Student Union Board. Achsah loves being involved in community events whether at church or school. Her main goal is to address the injustice and issues that happen to minorities in Minnesota. 

Kinzie (she/her) is a senior at Owatonna High School where she is captain in speech and mock trial and serves as senior class president. She is a member of the National Honors Society, volunteers for Big Brother Big Sisters, and is the secretary of Youth Oriented Leadership Organization, a grant initiative to reduce substance abuse and promote mental health. Last summer, Kinzie was one of two girls to represent Minnesota in the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State and Girls Nation programs. Through this experience, Kinzie discovered her aspiration to attend college and major in political science, history, or criminal justice.  

Monali is a first-year student at the University of St. Thomas School of Law, and has a degree in political science and English from Gustavus Adolphus College. During her senior year, Monali served as the co-president of the Gustavus Student Senate, making diversity, equity, and inclusion an institutional priority and fundamental aspect of her platform. She has interned with high-ranking elected officials, including U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar, providing immigration casework assistance to 200+ constituents across Minnesota. While serving as a Minnesota IGNITE Fellow, she has collaborated with political candidates and elected officials to educate women to become civically engaged, making them comfortable with the political process.

Sita (she/her) is a Dakota, Lakota, and Anishinaabe woman from southside Minneapolis, currently on a gap year at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. She is passionate about giving a voice to and remembering Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives. Her passions are made possible through the Wikoskalaka Omniciye, a young women’s group in Minneapolis at the Division of Indian Work (DIW). She is also an ambassador of the Red Ribbon Skirt Society based in Rapid City, South Dakota. Baker also volunteers at the Youth Leadership Development program at DIW. 

Rayaan is a senior at Edina High School, pursuing online courses through Northern Star Online, Rayaan works with Hennepin County as a library specialist and previously worked as a Teen Tech Squad intern with Hennepin County. She was awarded the MN Science Museum Grant for a project that centers Indigenous youth. She led Be The Dream, focusing on providing accessible social justice education to students, which received the Minnesota Youth Council grant for Social Justice Through The Humanities. She hopes to major in public health, dental hygiene, or social work to continue to pursue social justice, and community outreach.