John Gao is a junior at River Hill High School in Clarksville, Maryland. He was the founding member of the Yuan Media Youth Reporting Club. When he has the time, John enjoys reading the news (especially the political section), walking through nature, and traveling. John is deeply passionate about working at The AAPI Angle because he believes in helping pave the way towards a more civically engaged Asian American youth, starting with his local community.

Eileen Wu is a junior at the Bryn Mawr School. She enjoys reading fiction and solving math problems. She is an associate editor of her school newspaper, The Quill, and has had previous experience as a member of Yuan Media’s Youth Reporting Club. Eileen writes for The AAPI Angle because she is proud of her Asian-American identity, and wants to share news related to her community.

Hansen Zhang is a junior at River Hill High School. He currently serves as the President of the Student Justice Alliance and has previously written for Yuan Media. In his spare time, Hansen enjoys working out, reading, and playing baseball on his school’s varsity team. Hansen writes for The AAPI Angle because he is passionate about public policy, government, and the affairs of the Asian-American community, and hopes to inform and educate in an unbiased manner through his journalism. 

Melinda Liu is a junior at McDonogh School and the Chief Correspondent for The AAPI Angle. They have written creatively as a hobby for many years, including three novels, as well as research papers, with some of their work published in magazines. They are also the leader of the Students Providing First Aid chapter at McDonogh School. Melinda writes for The AAPI Angle to increase awareness of the issues, leaders, and goings-on of our community.

Ethan Zou is a sophomore at River Hill High School. He currently serves as Co-President of MET Excellence, a nonprofit organization based in Minnesota providing free tutoring services to students. He volunteers on political campaigns and tries to remain civically engaged. In his free time, he enjoys playing tennis and writing articles on his Substack. Ethan writes for The AAPI Angle because he is passionate about public policy and government and hopes to amplify youth perspectives in politics and empower youth civic engagement.

Mehwish Jinnah is a senior at Atholton High School. In her free time, she enjoys writing short fiction stories, traveling, and playing the violin. She volunteers for a psych program helping young children and also works a job with kids outside of school. Mehwish serves as Vice President of her school’s Cybersecurity Club. As an Asian-American, she writes for The AAPI Angle because she believes in keeping others informed about the issues and events shaping our world, and wants to use journalism as a tool for awareness and understanding.

Hamza Siddiqui is a junior at River Hill High School. He enjoys learning about different STEM topics and has experience in spacecraft design, organ modeling, public health, and cancer research. In his spare time, he likes fishing and playing baseball. He also strongly believes in being a part of his community and is passionate about uplifting younger students. He hopes to educate about the influence of Asian-Americans in science and the hidden players behind our greatest achievements.

Jaden Han is a junior at Glenelg High School. He is an avid advocate for mental health, health equity and the environment. Outside of being a student, Jaden volunteers for political campaigns, reads short stories, listens to classical music, and writes. Jaden writes for The AAPI Angle because he is enthusiastic about writing about public policy, and connecting with his cultural identity. He hopes to write impactful pieces that elevate Asian American Pacific Islander voices, connect cultural divides, and inspire meaningful advocacy within his community.

Alan Luo is a junior at River Hill High School. He enjoys analyzing and writing about subjects in weather and politics, playing the clarinet, and skiing; he also serves as the Vice President of his school’s Chess Club. Alan writes for The AAPI Angle because of his passion for public policy and electoral outcomes that impact the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. Through his writing, Alan hopes to empower AAPI communities in political matters, increase awareness about current events, and bring people together.

Ashwin Sama is a junior at River Hill High School. He is interested in military affairs, politics, and aerospace, and enjoys learning and writing about issues that shape the United States and the world. Ashwin writes for The AAPI Angle because of his interest in public policy and his desire to represent the perspectives of Indian Americans, Asian Americans, and the broader Asian community. Through his writing, Ashwin hopes to raise awareness about important political and global issues, encourage greater civic engagement, and give a stronger voice to Asian communities.

Ankit Sama is a junior at River Hill High School. He is interested in geopolitics, military affairs, and aerospace-related topics. In his free time, Ankit likes to play video games, read the news, and learn about new things. Ankit chose to join The AAPI Angle because he would like to improve his writing skills and gain experience in journalism, which he is interested in considering. Through writing articles, Ankit hopes to spread his perspective on society and raise awareness about issues affecting both the United States and the broader world.

Michael Wu is a 7th grader at Clarksville Middle School. He enjoys playing the oboe, reading about politics, and doing math in his free time. He writes for The AAPI Angle because of his interest in the AAPI community and its impact in the world. Through his writing for The AAPI Angle, he wishes to inform people about the AAPI community.

Lillian Chen is a junior at Glenelg High School. She has an interest in public health reform, medical ethics, mental health, and anthropology. Lillian writes for the AAPI Angle to develop her writing skills, engage with the community, and broaden her worldview. In her free time, she enjoys creating art on multiple mediums, volunteering, and playing video games.

Alina Sitwat is a junior at Towson High School where she is a member of the school’s Model Congress and Model UN teams. She enjoys reading, working out, and playing guitar, occasionally accompanying local choruses and bands. Alina writes for The AAPI Angle because she believes that it is imperative to share stories covering every aspect of the Asian-American experience, and is passionate about advocating for mental health and amplifying particularly marginalized voices within the Asian-American community.