Avia Anderson – Writer for Current Affairs
My name is Avia. I was born in the beautiful island of Jamaica but was raised in New York City. I am currently a freshman at Pace University majoring in Communication Arts and Journalism. I like to keep up with the news especially those that affect my generation. I am introverted but I am learning how to speak up. Writing through this medium is helping me do just that. I love to read and I enjoy a good movie. I am a proud Disney Dreamer!!!! and I am Disney's number one fan. I like to learn fun and interesting facts In the future I want to be a broadcast journalist for E News!, executive produce and write television shows and movies. I look forward to connecting with all you guys! Make sure to follow me on instagram: @xoxoluvavi and on twitter: @xoxoluvavi to share with me your thoughts and opinion on the articles!
Reshini Premaratne – Writer
Reshini Premaratne is a rising junior at the Maggie L. Walker Governor's School in Richmond, Virginia. She has been a competitive figure skater for the past 12 years and even won the 2013 U.S. Figure Skating Intermediate Solo Dance Championships. In school, Reshini is on the honor roll and participates in multiple school clubs, including Model United Nations, Debate, the Education Political Advocacy Club, Spanish Club, the Forensics Club, and Global Citizens Corp. Outside of school, Reshini has earned over a thousand community service hours working for various organizations, such as The Daily Planet, The Community Foundation, the Learn-to-Skate Organization, and Virginia Commonwealth University. She also is fortunate enough to intern with Delegate McClellan, Representative for the 71st District of Virginia. Currently, Reshini serves on the Teen Advisory Board for MissHeard Magazine and is an alumnus of both the Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership's High School Leaders Program and the High School Diplomats Program through Princeton University. In 2010, after recognizing the same issue of homelessness in the United States as in her parents’ home country of Sri Lanka, Reshini started X-Out Homelessness, which is a youth-led service campaign dedicated to raising awareness about and funds for the homeless. In Sri Lanka, Reshini felt like a foreigner, but the United States is her home and she wants to make sure everyone else has a home, as well. Over the past 4 years, X-Out Homelessness has spread to over 20 schools, reached more than 15,000 students, raised almost $10,000, and donated about 350 pounds of goods to the homeless. Because of her efforts, Reshini was selected to be a 2014 Three Dot Dash Global Teen Leader for the We Are Family Foundation and a 2013 Peace First Prize Finalist. Reshini is passionate about figure skating, youth changemaking, community service, and helping the homeless and will continue to strive to make the world a better place for her generations and for the many generations to come.
Khalee Rhine –Writer
(Khalee) Berlin Rhine is a 17 year old high school senior on the Current Affairs team. She is definitely a dreamer, but she knows when to make those dreams a reality. Although she appearsto be very deep in thought most of the time, she loves to laugh and brighten other people’s day. Ever since the day she learned to write, she’s loved telling stories through paper and pen. However, Berlin’s passions extend past writing. She enjoys martial arts and kickboxing, sculpting, singing, baking, painting, learning new languages, and helping others. She is so very excited to be a part of the SheSpeaks team and hopes that she possibly inspires others to pursue their passions. Being a girl who has also been told there is only so far to go in life because of her gender, she is also extremely excited to prove people with that mindset wrong. In the near future, Berlin hopes to be able to pursue her interest in writing and English either studying to become a professor in literature or by becoming a freelance journalist and hopes to volunteer at hospitals and shelters during her off time.