Junior Flames
This year-long student-centered leadership, academic, and social-personal development program is grounded in solidarity, justice, love, community, intergenerational, intersectional, and multi-racial activism. We are committed to providing young people with opportunities to increase self-efficacy, to lead, and to increase an understanding of self in relation to school, family and community. We hope, as they expand their understanding of their own power and development of tools to become critical thinkers and doers, they will find ways to lead the changes within their communities.
Junior Flames 2023-24
Ashley Yang
Junior Flame | She/her/hers | ashley@ariseducation.org
My name is Ashley, I am in 6th grade and I go to Nathanael Greene Middle School. I am Hmong American. My hobbies are drawing and playing video games. I joined Junior flames to learn how to advocate for myself.
Breylon Huorth
Junior Flame | he/him/his | breylon@ariseducation.org
Hey! My name is Breylon Huorth. I am Now officially 13 years old and I attend Paul Cuffee Middle School. My hobbies include watching anime, playing tennis and football, and spending time with my friends and family. I am also super competitive. I joined ARISE because I want to learn more about activism, my Southeast Asian identity, and what’s currently going on around the world. And now I have officially been in ARISE for 3 years.
Chinu Yang
Junior Flame | He/him/his | chinu@ariseducation.org
Hey! My name is Chinu Brady Yang. I’m a 6th grader at West Broadway Middle School. I am Hmong. My pronouns are he/him/his. I like to play soccer and play video games. I joined ARISE because I wanted to learn more about civics and anti-racism acts. I am twelve.
Dahnya Nicholson
Junior Flame | She/her/hers | dahnya@ariseducation.org
Hello my name is Dahnya Nicholson and I'm 14 years old. I am from Providence Rhode Island. I like drawing and playing sports. I found out about ARISE during the R.E.S.P.E.C.T summer program, and I am in the 8th grade. Some things I’m passionate about are drawing and reading.
Lana Chuon
Junior Flame | She/her/hers | lana@ariseducation.org
Hi, my name is Lana Chuon. I am Cambodian American. My family is from Cambodia. I'm 13 years old. I am in the Junior Flames program. I'm in the 7th grade. What I like to do in my freetime is spending time with family, playing volleyball, badminton, and also doing art and crafts.
Michael DiMartino-Martin
Junior Flame | he/him/his | michael@ariseducation.org
Hello my name is Michael DiMartino-Martin my pronouns are he/him/his and I go to Deering Middle school in West Warwick. I am a youth leader with ARISE. I joined ARISE to learn more about my Bhermease heritage and I want to become a more vocal member of my community. I play soccer and watch it and support Crystal Palace.
Jailyz Medina
Junior Flame | She/her/hers | jailyz@ariseducation.org
My name is Jailyz Medina, I’m from the Dominican Republic and I am 13 years old in the 8th grade. I do cheerleading and I love what I do. I joined ARISE because I want to learn more about this rough world and the environment that I live in, especially now in the world with the among of discrimination and racism.
Jennifer Yang
Junior Flame | She/her/hers | jennifer@ariseducation.org
My name is Jennifer Yang. I'm an 8th grader that goes to Gilbert middle school. I am a Hmong American and I live in Providence. My hobbies include drawing, listening to music, playing video, and lastly watch analog horror. The reason I joined Junior Flames is to learn more about ethnic studies. I’ve been in ARISE since 6th grade.
Samuel Aruwajoye
Junior Flame | He/him/his | samuel@ariseducation.org
My name is Samuel, I am 13 years old. I am from Lagos, Nigeria. I like to hang out with friends and play video games. I found out about ARISE from Niamiah, one of ARISE’s Lead Organizers. She told me ARISE was one of the ways that I could grow to be a leader. I am an 8th grader. I am most passionate about going into healthcare because I feel like I could really make an impact on others and help protect people around me from sickness and viruses.
Naima Basse
Junior Flame | She/her/hers | naima@ariseducation.org
Hi! My name is Naima Basse, I go by She/They pronouns and I go to Barrington Middle School. I'm a youth leader in Arise, and I joined to learn about speaking and using my voice. I hope to learn how to build a better leadership, and a good leader. I’m into music, fashion, art, theater, and movement events.
Wang Meng Yang
Junior Flame | He/him/his | meng@ariseducation.org
Hello! My name is Wang Meng Yang. I was born in Laos and I speak Hmonglish (I combine English with Hmong at home). I’m currently a seventh grader in West Broadway Middle School. My hobbies are listening to music, playing with friends, practicing the violin, and maybe playing Volleyball if I have some time to. I joined ARISE to learn what is happening to my Asian community and in the “outside” world. A quick fun fact about me is that I used to play the clarinet and I’m 13.
SARAE SPEAKS
Co-Creator | she/her/hers | sarae@ariseducation.org
My name is Sarae (suh-ray) and I am a Junior Flames. I am African-American and Cape Verdean. I enjoy food, shopping, and sleeping. I play soccer, basketball, and I run track. One of the reasons I am in ARISE is to be more engaged in my community and to learn more about my culture. I enjoy speaking about diversity and ways in which we can improve our education system.
Krisnee Chuon
Co-Creator | she/her/hers | krisnee@ariseducation.org
Hi, my name is Krisnee Chuon. I am Cambodian American. I am a part of Junior Flames and currently in my 2nd year of middle school at Park View. I enjoy hanging out with family and friends, listening to Kpop, watching anime, and drinking boba. I love being outside and doing arts and crafts. I enjoy traveling while taking pictures and documenting what I do when I travel for memories.
Charlee Burke
Co-Creator | she/her/hers | charlee@ariseducation.org
Hi! My name is Charlee Burke. I am a Jamaican and Cape Verdean sixth-grader. I attend Cole Middle School. I was born in Boston MA but grew up in RI. Some things I enjoy doing are drawing and watching anime, reading, and learning about my people’s history. My goals for ARISE this year are to become more social and make more friends.
Junior Flames Alumni
Robert Daniels Jr.
Co-Creator | he/him/his | robert@ariseducation.org
Hi, my name is Robert Daniels Jr. I’m currently 12 and the school that I’m currently attending is Hugh B. Bain Middle. I am about to be in 7th grade. My favorite hobbies include playing basketball with my little brother Phive and playing video games with him too. I joined ARISE to learn more about things going on in the world like Asian Hate Crimes and other things that are important going on in the world.
Michael Felix
Co-Creator | he/him/his | michael@ariseducation.org
What’s up! My name is Michael. I want to attend Providence Career Technical Academy (PCTA). I have a 3 for my grade which is a B. I like to go to the park and skateboard and play games. My involvement in ARISE is really nice and fun, we do different types of activities like Kahoot and bingo. I really enjoy it personally and it always brings me a happy smile. I hope for the incoming future to encourage other youth to stand up for what’s right especially if they are in any situation that includes their skin color or personality. It’s important to use your voice to speak up, advocate for what’s right, and send a powerful message to impact the world to believe in what’s right.
Nathan Huorth
Co-Creator | he/him/his | nathan@ariseducation.org
Hello my name is Nathan Huorth. I am Khmer, Chinese and a little Vietnamese. I go to Paul Cuffee Middle School and this is my first year in middle school. I will be going into the 7th grade. I am also a part of ARISE and here are a few interesting things about me: I love being with my family and being outside. I love sports, specifically basketball and football. I have done MMA since I was 4 and stopped when I was 11. My favorite food is Pho. I have 2 dogs (Fluffy and Bella). Last, but not least, I am 12 years old.
Savara Speaks
Co-Creator | she/her/hers | savara@ariseducation.org
My name is Savara Speaks, I am a part of the Junior Flames and my pronouns are she/her/hers. I am a seventh grader at the Wheeler School in Providence. I enjoy listening to rap music and spending time with my family and friends. Being a part of the ARISE family is very important to me, I am grateful for all the learning opportunities and new friends that I have made.
Amaya womack
Co-Creator | she/her/hers | amaya@ariseducation.org
My name is Amaya Womack, and I’m currently a 7th grader. I am African-American and Khmer. I enjoy traveling, basketball, and track and field. I am from Providence, RI and my goal in ARISE is to become a junior youth leader, so that I can engage in protests with my other team members. One of the reasons I am in this ARISE program is because I have many family members who are also a part of it. I enjoy speaking about the importance of diversity and ways to improve our education system. I am very passionate about activism and love talking about it to make change.
Gohan Acevedo
Co-Creator | He/him/his | Gohan@ariseducation.org
Hi! My name is Gohan J. Acevedo Murillo, I go to Alfred Lima Charles Fortes Elementary School, and I am 10 years old. I like to play football, soccer, capture the flag, and video games like Fortnite. I excel in reading and math with 3s or 4s on my report cards. Also I can be a good helper, mentor or an inspiration to support kids. I am Hispanic, part Guatemalan, part Dominican, and part American. I was born in Providence and grew up in Woonsocket , my ARISE dreams are to learn how to stop unfairness and racism in RI. I am following in my mother, Sucely Murillos’ footsteps as an advocate and as a proud activist.
Xia Yang
Co-Creator | She/her/hers | Xia@ariseducation.org
Hello! My name’s Xia Yang. I’m 12 years old and I attend Warwick Veterans Memorial Middle School. A few things I like to do are message my friends, play games, listen to music, draw, ride my bike, and play with my little sister. I also love cats and bunnies, they’re super adorable! I’m in ARISE so I can learn more about what the program is and use the helpful things I learn in this program to impact the community.
