Charlie Barron (she/her) is spending the summer at the National Rural Education Association, which facilitates resources and research for rural schools and communities. She is an undergraduate at Wellesley College studying Cognitive & Linguistic Sciences and Education as well as researching early childhood and neurodivergent literacy at MIT’s McGovern Brain Institute. Charlie also teaches a wonderful Pre-K class, is involved in The Educational Justice Institute, and is a Lupton Scholar. She is an advocate for developing effective, place-based curricula for all students and plans to work toward increasing the accessibility of quality education for rural and disadvantaged communities throughout her career.  

Brooke Blacknall is serving at the Georgia Early Education Alliance for Ready Students ( GEEARS), a nonprofit providing leadership for a statewide movement on quality early learning development for all children ages birth through five. She is pursuing her bachelor’s in Elementary Education at Spelman College. After graduation, she plans to attend graduate school. Brooke is a Bonner Scholar, Girl Scout Gold Award recipient, and a Ralph Lauren Corporate Scholar, titles she holds due to her passion for community service and engagement. She believes that literacy is the foundation for education and that when it is prioritized in early education students will be set up for success.

Justice Hatcher (she/her) is placed at the Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED). CREED is a nonprofit working to close opportunity gaps in North Carolina schools through research and technical assistance. She is a rising senior at Duke University studying Public Policy with a minor in Economics. In her senior year, she will also complete the requirements to receive her K-6 Teacher’s License. She has worked as a classroom teacher through the Children’s Defense Fund’s (CDF) Freedom School program. At Duke, she has assisted with economic research through the Duke Economics Analytics Laboratory and DukeEngage Paraguay. She hopes to bridge these experiences by using economic skills to address racial and socioeconomic disparities within the education system. 

Jae Lockhart (He/Him/his) is serving at Georgia Budget & Policy Institute, an institution dedicated to working to advance lasting solutions that expand economic opportunity and well-being for all Georgians. He is a PhD student at the University of Missouri-Columbia, where he studies Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis. Jae holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Henderson State University and a master’s degree in Higher Education from Arkansas State University. He is an active member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. Additionally, Jae has recently been named the 2024 Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development Russell Scholar Fellow, as well as being the recipient of the Robert R. Ross Fellowship in Educational Leadership & Policy Analysis. Jae values and prioritizes the experiences of Black men/boys in his scholarly work, with a particular emphasis on Black male college students enrolled at Predominantly White Institutions. 

Darieon McFadden (He/Him/His) serves at the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education (SC CHE), the coordinating board of higher education in South Carolina. The SC CHE advocates for the citizens of South Carolina to create greater access, affordability, and excellence in higher education. Mr. McFadden is a PhD student at Howard University studying higher education leadership and policy. Post-graduation, Darieon aspires to research the effectiveness of post-secondary correctional education on post-release opportunities and eliminate the stigma associated with previously incarcerated populations. Darieon holds a bachelor’s degree in public health from the University of South Carolina and a master’s of public health from Morehouse School of Medicine. In connecting education and public health, Darieon’s life goal is to tirelessly pursue equity in higher education by dismantling racist systemic barriers and diminishing disinformation and misinformation about marginalized groups and institutions, instilling hope for a more inclusive future. Darieon’s top three accomplishments are becoming the first PhD student in his family, becoming a duly initiated member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and having the opportunity to work with schools and organizations to continue positively impacting the lives of others.    

Jackson Streit (He/Him) is serving at the Dudley Flood Center, a North Carolina nonprofit that seeks to explore and combat the complex policy and social challenges that contribute to inequality in K-12 education. He is an undergraduate student at Duke University studying Public Policy and Psychology with the eventual goal of practicing family law. Jackson is an assistant researcher of foster care through the Eads Family Undergraduate Research Endowment Fund, serves underprivileged elementary-aged students through Jumpstart, and is the Travel Team Captain of Duke Moot Court. He advocates for the rights of disadvantaged children and believes in an equitable and meaningful childhood for all. 

Tania Trejo-Mendez (she/her/ella) is serving at LatinxEd, a North Carolina educational initiative that works to provide targeted, multi-year support to Latinx students and immigrant families striving for higher education and greater socioeconomic opportunity. She holds a master’s degree in Latin American studies from the University of Florida and a bachelor’s degree in history from Emory University. She has participated in student activist projects, such as the Disruptors Project recording the history of undocumented and working-class student activism at CSU Los Angeles and the Consciousness Is Power movement which championed the development of Latinx Studies offerings at Emory University. She has also engaged in nonprofit and volunteer work with organizations such as Children Beyond our Borders and United Way Miami. Tania is passionate about diversifying educational curricula and making sure that young Latinx students and other students of color see their histories and cultures represented in the classroom.