Cohort 2024 SJR Readers + Mentors
Thank you to the Supporters of the Social Justice Reader Program at the Institute Library
SJR Readers 2024
Aleisha Luna, New Haven, CT
“I would like to focus my SJR project on the harm that is done to women of color at the hands of white feminism. White feminism is a type of feminism that primarily focuses on white middle class women and the “issues” that may arise within their community. White feminism intertwines with white supremacy because it is used to wield more power to a community of white women while blatantly oppressing and opposing the voices of women of color for their own benefit. Women of color are harmed by white feminism in dawn and dusk. You would think that they share similar needs such as equal child care, equal pay, and of course equal treatment, but white feminism doesn’t aim for equality, or even equity, but to harvest the perks and privileges that they already obtain, going beyond the limits of general feminism. Instead of sharing the grounds for aspirations within the feminist community, white feminists blame incarcerated, queer, colored, and even poor women for simply “not meeting the requirements” when it comes to feminist goals. Being a woman is already a disadvantage, but colored women are treated like the bottom of a food chain. Constantly attacked, ridiculed, and put at a disadvantage to fend for themselves. An example would be how women already make 79 cents out of every dollar a man makes, but black women earn 64 cents of that dollar, and latin women earn 54 cents of that dollar. Feminists should be aiming for generalized equal pay. All women are women, but white women are seemingly content with their existing advantages, using any excuse to keep the lead they have.
After not knowing what direction I wanted to take with my project, I was told to look into the possibility of a podcast. A simple presentation didn’t seem adequate enough for my topic, and a film wouldn’t capture the message I wanted to put out. My topic is something that has been so dismissed to the point where many gasp and lose their train of thought when I mention it, simply because they thought “all women are women” was a message the world took literally. A podcast would allow me to have an extensive amount of time to express my thoughts, present the facts, and get the opinions of others, all to raise awareness on this issue.”
Mentor: Zino Adjroud
Zino Adjroud (they/he) is an Innovation Fellow at Tsai CITY, where he develops programming for the Innovator’s Toolkit and Creative and Civic Innovator pathways. Most recently, Zino was the Senior Development Writer at the International Festival of Arts & Ideas where he managed the organization’s grant portfolio. Previously, Zino was a Transgender Employment Project Research Fellow at the DC Office of Human Rights, during which time they spearheaded a survey and focus group research project on employment discrimination against DC’s transgender and/or nonbinary community. Zino holds a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, where they majored in Culture and Politics.
Aquellah Irshad, New Haven, CT
“For discrimination against natural hair, particularly towards textures associated with Black people, persisting in professional settings, schools, and everyday life, I hope to fight back against biases that reinforce Eurocentric beauty standards and harms mental health and self-esteem. As a novice coder and someone who loves all things Black hair, I decided to fight back, through software. I will program Natural Haven, a website empowering individuals to embrace their natural hair in all its glory. The website will feature: a blog with informative articles tackling hair discrimination and its historical roots, a forum or chatroom as a safe space for individuals to share experiences and connect with a supportive community, around their natural hair, a gallery to celebrate the beauty and diversity of natural hairstyles through user-submitted photos, and a haircare resource page with curated resources on healthy hair practices, product recommendations, and tutorials for various hair types and styles. With my website I hope to encourage self-acceptance and cultural pride, inform the public about natural hair discrimination, promote inclusion, and connect people to a community that is encouraging and empowers them to express themselves.The final project will be a live demonstration unveiling of the website, showcasing its features and its potential for impact.“
Mentor: Isaac Bloodworth, New Haven CT
Isaac Bloodworth is a New Haven native and Black Artist. He is a graduate from the University of Connecticut’s Puppet Arts Program. Bloodworth’s works center around his blackness and the experiences of the black community in America. He envisions a world in which his original characters not only survive, but thrive.
An experienced muralist, Bloodworth collaborated with Citywide Youth Coalition to paint a permanent installation at their Black and Brown Power Center on Chapel Street. His latest mural was installed by The City of New Haven’s Department of Arts Culture and The Town Green Special; Services District at City Hall. One of his favored methods of storytelling is through puppetry, using a style called “Crankie.” He has performed his puppet works for the Lineage Group at Art Space and at City-Wide Open Studios. Through his murals and puppet performances, he hopes to inspire youth in the black community to see themselves in a positive light and help them understand their lived experiences.
Bloodworth is on staff at the Yale Center for British Arts. He is also a member of A Broken Umbrella Theater.
Elissa Matthews, New Haven, CT
“My project, “Shading Medicine” aims to diversify medical imaging by allowing for people of darker skin tones to be included in medical textbooks. The present lack of “color” in many widely used medical textbooks leads to a limited view of the diseases that affect everyone, as diseases do not discriminate. The truth is many of these issues look different on people with melanin, and ignorance of this fact can lead to misdiagnoses which furthers the countless health disparities that Black people face every day. I will complete my project using a film format, documenting how to integrate a more diverse palette to assist in medical training recognition. I plan to interview medical students and patients to understand how this lack of representation perpetuates an inadequate system. I hope to also complete a young adult graphic novel displaying how these issues affect brown skin to hopefully “shade” the field of medicine. I will provide a brief description of my “why” for the project, hopefully conveying more knowledge to those who are unaware of these inequalities. By amplifying these voices and perspectives, I aim to foster greater understanding and accuracy in medical education, ultimately contributing to more equitable healthcare outcomes for all.“
Mentor: Etana Solomon, New Haven, CT
Etana Solomon is a social impact strategist that is dedicated to creating more equitable and sustainable social change. She leads her own firm focused on developing partnerships and identifying resources across sectors to empower communities and create positive social change.
Before starting her own firm, Etana spent most of her career at Mastercard. She held multiple positions at the company which included supporting Mastercard’s philanthropic arm – the Center for Inclusive Growth (CFIG). While at CFIG, Etana owned the Business Unit Charitable Support program that deployed millions of dollars in donations to organizations across the world. She also supported the North America Social Impact team through project management, grant support and metric tracking for key initiatives related to small business, racial equity and government engagement.
Etana is from New Haven, CT where she currently resides. She got a B.S. in International Business and Marketing at Georgetown’s McDonough School of Business and is passionate about the intersection of business and social good.
Ibrahim Bello, West Haven, CT
“The prison system has not completed its obligation of rehabilitation. The prison system continues to fail to foster the incarcerated population to reenter society, often causing relapse in criminal behavior or recidivism. The incarcerated population is also forced to enter a workforce that perpetuates the legacy of slavery. These incarcerated employees are offered wages below the minimum wage. These institutions can contract with corporations to provide services for their prisons. These subcontracted prisons frequently provide subhuman conditions for the incarcerated population. The prison system continues to interfere with the rehabilitation of its convicts. Law enforcement continues to be a system of pure violence, especially against BIPOC communities. Throughout the history of the United States, reforms to the prison system have been implemented; however, these reforms failed to complete the system’s obligation of rehabilitation. Often, these reforms are more focused on enhancing the reach of industries and agents of oppression.
My proposed project researches the abolition of the prison/policing institution. I intend to research different theories of disarming these institutions and the reasons these institutions do not complete their obligations to the people. Also, I intend to research community measures that can replace these institutions. I plan to investigate corporations and legislation that abuse the incarcerated population. Once I complete a thorough report of these institutions’ damages to BIPOC communities, I intend to produce, edit, and record a cinematic essay. A cinematic essay is similar to a written essay, but it will allow me to use the video structure to make the project entertaining and interactive. A cinematic essay will guide me to use concise and brief language when explaining these issues. To execute this project, I need a proper setup for video and microphone recording, editing software, and background. I will utilize the stipend towards these resources. Some project limitations might be understanding how to use these video production tools effectively for the project. Also, I want to deliver at least three references throughout the cinematic essay.“
Mentor: Zanaiya Léon, West Haven CT
Zanaiya Léon is an innovator here to make groundbreaking strides in business, entertainment, and in her everyday life.
A graduate of the University of New Haven with a B.S. in Business Management and an MBA in Strategic Leadership, she has pursued professional opportunities that align with her dynamic interests.
She has spent time in a variety of sectors including arts administration and higher education, and she takes joy in using the lessons from her past experiences to shape her future.
Her current role as Assistant Director of the Office of Inclusion and Diversity at the Yale School of Management allows her the unique opportunity to incorporate her personal values into her work that serves a variety of populations.
Additionally, Zanaiya works with Kulturally LIT – a New Haven based non-profit that cultivates awareness around the Arts within the African Diaspora, with a focus in literary arts. She is also the founder and manager of Richvlle Management and Creative Consulting – an artist management company to support artists and creatives in achieving their professional goals.
Zanaiya enjoys spending her leisure time in good company with her wonderful friends and family, tasting and enjoying delicious foods, hosting her podcast, studying Spanish, French, and Haitian Creole, or resting.
Rania Mrinaalini Das, New Haven, CT
“My project delves into the profound impact of arts-based intervention programs within the juvenile justice system, with a focus on conveying its transformative potential through the medium of a short film. The objective is to bring to light the positive influence of creative expression on the lives of young individuals entangled in the justice system, fostering a deeper understanding of the rehabilitative power of the arts.
The visual medium is chosen deliberately, as it possesses a unique ability to capture emotions and narratives in a compelling manner. By showcasing the personal stories and experiences of participants, the film aims to emphasize the positive influence of arts-based programs, ultimately contributing to a broader awareness of their role in rehabilitation. Through the lens of filmmaking, the project seeks to vividly portray the positive impact on the lives of juvenile offenders, advocating for the integration of arts-based approaches in the juvenile justice system.”
Mentor: Kelly Brown, New Haven, CT
Kelly Brown also known as Kelly Michael is a multi-hyphenate creative. Her most recent expressions of creativity include producing and directing a documentary film, writing and performing poetry, and creating content, with many upcoming projects in the works. By day she is the Creative Content Manager at Long Wharf Theatre, a Tony-award winning regional theatre, where she writes diverse marketing copy, captures and produces photo/video, and manages their social media. Kelly also serves as a youth leader at her local church.
Prince Davenport, New Haven, CT
“For my Social Justice Reader Project under The Institute Library of New Haven, I would like to begin and present a visual story on the history of Jazz in New Haven. As a musician playing violin,viola,steel pan, and other forms of percussion I would like to begin exploring the history of New Haven’s Jazz roots. I would enjoy connecting with modern day jazz artists in New Haven and begin creating marketing profiles on them. I would also like to continue this in exploring the jazz artist back in the day as well. Ultimately I would like this visual artistic piece that will not only include profiles on these artists and different styles of jazz music but as well as compose work under inspiration of these artists. My plan is to select artists that I aspire to learn and research about for my project and create small music compositions to essentially tell their stories as a musician through composed songs. I am looking to present this in an interactive format of a website or publication so that my viewer can have an experience anywhere. I would like for my viewers to not only enjoy the written compositions but also enjoy learning about the many jazz artists and rich history New Haven has to offer from it.“
Mentor: Raheem Nelson, New Haven CT
Raheem Nelson is an Artist based in New Haven, CT. He went to the School of Visual Arts and completed his education with a BFA in Cartooning. He has a background in traditional cartooning and oil painting. Currently he creates his personal and professional work on an iPad using the Procreate app. He specializes in Graphic Recording, Portraits and Pop Art. Raheem’s work has been featured by NFT NYC 2023, Arts and Ideas, The Shops at Yale, New Haven Cultural, The Arts Council, The Tie Bar and Power to The Patients.
Shanell Patterson, New Haven, CT
“My social justice project is going to be about the Beauty standards set for us by people who don’t look like us. I want to capture the beauty of African American people that goes over everybody’s heads because of these standards. For centuries Black people have been criminalized for their features. We have been brought down and told that we are ugly because we’re Melanated . In my project I hope to explain the harmful impact that Beauty standards set by white people affect People of color. Standards set for black people’s hair ranging all the way to the actual pigmentation of our skin affect the way that young black kids see themselves and others. From Abercrombie and Fitch models for men and Marilyn Monroe for women. White has always been seen as pure and perfect and I want to showcase how People of color are also perfect by including the difference between beauty standards here and In other places. I will use photography for my creative portion by creating a collage of photos showcasing the beauty of African American people. I will attach an example of what type of collage i want to do at the bottom.”
Mentor: Damali Willingham, New Haven, CT
Damali Willingham is a conductor, composer, and bassoonist based in New Haven, CT. They recently graduated from the Berklee College of Music, where they made quite the impression as a young conductor. They served as a musical director and guest conductor of various ensembles, including the Berklee Motion Picture Orchestra, the school’s largest student-run ensemble. Damali attended the 2023 Aspen Conducting Academy and received the Robert J. Harth Award with the invitation to return for the 2024 Festival. They currently work as an administrator with the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, and a conducting fellow with the Greater Connecticut Youth Orchestras in Fairfield, CT, and The Chelsea Symphony in New York City. Damali’s work centers on the celebration and liberation of their communities through artistic expression, community engagement, musical innovation, and universal accessibility. Outside of music, Damali enjoys dancing, roller skating, solving jigsaw puzzles, and cooking for their loved ones.
Shana Cordova, New Haven, CT
“Voter Suppression of Minority populations”
Mentor: Shamain McAllister
Shamain McAllister – known to most as Sha, represents Irvington/Newark, New Jersey. In May of 2018, she received a Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Management with a minor in criminal justice from Albertus Magnus College in New Haven, CT. Community is her. Currently, she serves as the Associate Director of Education & Community Impact for the International Festival of Arts & Ideas. Through creativity, authentic partnerships, and innovative ideas Sha delivers poignant programming.
She is also the Program Manager for Kulturally LIT. Our mission is to cultivate awareness around the Arts within the African Diaspora, with a focus in literary arts. With faith, unity, creativity, and determination, we honor and celebrate the African Diaspora and the communities we create.
Sha proudly serves as a Board Member for the Arts Council of Greater New Haven and Best Video Film & Cultural Center in Hamden. She is a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., a sisterhood rooted in scholarship, sisterhood, service, and finer womanhood.
Snigtha Mohanraj, Ansonia, CT
“Currently, many marginalized groups do not have the same access to quality education as others. Especially in secondary schools which prepare students for college/careers, it is essential that all students are on the same playing field and have access to the same opportunities. College resources are very limited to underprivileged students that do not receive guidance within their school.
For my project, I hope to make the college application process easier to navigate and more accessible through students by creating a free database presenting opportunities to students. The college application process is incredibly confusing and hard to access if a student does not have access to any mentorship. My project hopes to address that and make college more accessible to all students.
Resources would include scholarships, Common Application tutorials, connection with experienced mentors, peer review, award opportunities, etc. In the end, I hope this database can be accessed by all students without access to any college preparatory information to make the college application experience easier and more rewarding.“
Mentor: Juanita Sunday Austin, New London, CT
Juanita Sunday Austin is a curator and cultural producer originally from New London, Connecticut. She received her B.A. in Digital Media & Design with a concentration in Interactive Media Design from the University of Connecticut and has been a leader in various grassroots community arts initiatives. Currently, she is the founder of Cultured AF, an arts organization that supports underrepresented artists, particularly Black and Queer individuals, and strives to create safe and equitable spaces for their work to thrive. Juanita transitioned to the New Haven arts community just about two years ago and is currently working as an independent creative along with a few special projects including serving as the Producer for New Haven’s Kulturally LIT. Under Cultured AF, Juanita launched the inaugural 6th Dimension Festival in 2023, taking shape as a two-month deconstructed Afrofuturist art experience in New Haven and Hamden.