Lindsey Aquino-Robles (she/her/hers) graduated as a first-generation student from Saint Mary’s College of California with a BA in Politics and a BA in Spanish Linguistics, Alpha Mu Gamma. 

Born in Santa Cruz, California, her roots are native indigenous from the state of Oaxaca, Mexico. Raised in a predominantly white community, she has seen the injustices BIPOC communities face on a daily basis, especially those who migrate from other countries. Lindsey has always been proud of and connected to her origin which has allowed her to advocate for the Latino community by being an active member of Senderos, a non-profit organization in Santa Cruz, that works on creating pathways for the Latino community in the County.

Lindsey looks forward to continuing her work and deepening her knowledge on how to best support underrepresented communities. After Coro, Lindsey will pursue a Master’s degree in Diplomacy and International Affairs.

Government Placement – Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Office of Equity and Engagement 
Nonprofit Placement – Neighborhood Legal Services
Business Placement – Bridging the Gap Development, LLC
Innovation Placement – Idea Foundry
Final Placement – Welcoming Pittsburgh

Ilan’s (he/him/his) commitment to social justice and fascination with language, storytelling, and education began with his upbringing in Amherst, Massachusetts. Ilan is a graduate of Vassar College, where he majored in Media Studies and Hispanic Studies, and enjoyed a semester in Valparaíso, Chile. His college career culminated in a thesis examining identity and immigration discourse through the lens of bilingual children’s television. 

Ilan has worked as an educator in a range of contexts. He has taught English in Spain, filmmaking in California, Ultimate Frisbee in Israel, and writing at the Common School, the Vassar College Writing Center, and the Great Books Summer Program. An avid language learner, writer, and digital media producer, Ilan is dedicated to making multicultural learning universally accessible, and connecting people across territorial, linguistic, and cultural borders. 

Ilan’s tireless curiosity spans across disciplines. He devotes his free time to studying languages (Spanish, French, and Hebrew), practicing photography, videography, graphic design, and creative writing, and learning new instruments. Ilan enjoys developing the cross-sectoral leadership skills necessary to create a more globally-minded and equitable United States.

Government Placement – City of Pittsburgh’s Office of Community Health & Safety
Nonprofit Placement – Arts Ed Collaborative
Business Placement – Digital Dream Labs
Innovation Placement – Pittsburgh Hispanic Development Corporation
Final Placement – Entertainment Technology Center – CMU

Derek Blackwell (he/him/his) is a native of Washington D.C., but Prince George’s County, MD is the place he likes to call home. Blackwell’s professional journey began with attending Bowie State University in Bowie, Maryland. 

Derek’s time working for state and local officials catalyzed his love for Prince George’s County. He developed a key understanding of how leadership and policy affect peoples’ lives; those experiences also showed him that there is room for growth within himself. This is what prompted Blackwell to apply to the Coro Fellowship in Pittsburgh, PA. 

Blackwell had the opportunity to enhance his soft skills and learn hard skills at his Coro placements while building communities and assisting vulnerable populations in the process.

Upon completing the fellowship, Blackwell aims to continue his education in a graduate school or law program. Blackwell hopes to use his newly gained knowledge and skills to build communities and bring out the best in people. In his spare time, he enjoys playing cards with friends, reading, and exercising. Blackwell’s passion for helping people and making a change is a welcoming challenge he takes on every day in his life.

Government Placement – City of Duquesne, City Manager’s Office
Nonprofit Placement – Action Housing
Business Placement – UPMC
Innovation Placement – MSA Safety, R&D Department
Final Placement – City of Pittsburgh Controller’s Office

Jonathan (he/him/his) is a recent graduate of Cornell University, where he studied Government and History. Jonathan focused his studies on international affairs, national defense policy, and foreign conflict. While completing his degree, Jonathan worked as a National Security Intern at Government Accountability Project, and was heavily involved with the Cornell Army Reserve Officer Training Corps Program. Throughout his time at Cornell, he developed a deep passion for public service and veterans’ issues. Jonathan hopes to utilize his time as a Coro Fellow to explore his interests and gain the tools necessary to grow as a public servant. In the future, Jonathan is committed to tackling the challenges facing America’s veterans and military personnel.

In his free time, Jonathan is an avid outdoorsman. Originally from Colorado, he enjoys backpacking, rock-climbing, and skiing. He also has an interest in travel, and he loves exploring cultures and worldviews different from his own. After the Coro Fellowship, Jonathan hopes to continue his studies in a graduate program.

Government Placement – The People’s Office
Nonprofit Placement – NAMI Keystone
Business Placement – Whistle
Innovation Placement – City of Pittsburgh Department of Innovation & Performance,  CityLab Program
Final Placement – Zero Fossil

Sushmita (she/her/hers) is a community-driven emerging professional. Her Bengali roots and first-generation work ethic have enabled her to succeed in both her personal and professional goals.

Sushmita’s unique perspective has led her to pursue a career in the legal advocacy field, combining the challenges she saw in her community with a passion for solving complex social dynamics. Her path led her to be the first in her family to pursue a degree, graduating from Temple University. Sushmita holds a BBA in Legal Studies and a minor in MIS with a focus in data analytics. While pursuing her education, Sushmita took advantage of opportunities to volunteer and intern with government agencies, legal associations, and nonprofits to ensure a well-rounded perspective of the industry.

Government Placement – The People’s Office
Nonprofit Placement – Global Pittsburgh
Business Placement – Common Cause Consulting
Innovation Placement – City of Pittsburgh Department of Innovation & Performance
Final Placement – involveMINT

Noah (he/him/his) is a recent graduate of the University of Southern California where he studied environmental history with a focus on its implications for modern land management. At USC, Noah served as co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Scroll Historical Journal and studied abroad at the University of Cambridge, where he developed his passion for protecting American landscapes.

Noah’s honors thesis analyzed the impact of Henry David Thoreau’s writings on the current stewardship of Maine’s North Woods. While researching the region, he took note of the way outsiders often had more say over the landscape’s future than the local residents most affected by their decisions.

Inspired by the lessons from his thesis, Noah wants to spend his career helping communities revitalize towns affected by the dual crises of industrial decline and environmental exploitation. After the fellowship concludes, he will attend law school this fall.

Government Placement – Pittsburgh City Council District 4
Nonprofit Placement – Landforce
Business Placement – MSA Safety
Innovation Placement – Civic Champs
Final Placement – Roots of Faith

Jakob (he/him/his) attended Orange Coast College and studied Economics and Sociology while working a myriad of odd jobs. He transferred to Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, where he served as an executive member of the Mills Series, led the College Democrats, and earned statewide recognition with the Speech and Debate Team. He joined Organizing Corps 2020, a DNC-sponsored effort to recruit staff for the 2020 presidential election, and worked on the Biden-Harris campaign as a Field Organizer in eastern Pennsylvania. Following the election, Jakob graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Law and a minor in Anthropology and Sociology. After Coro, he hopes to work on a 2022 state-wide race and eventually earn a joint degree in law and public policy to inform his future public service.

In his free time, Jakob enjoys watching superhero movies, occasionally cashing in poker tournaments, and listening to political podcasts at 2x speed.

Government Placement – City of Pittsburgh Commission on Human Relations
Nonprofit Placement – Trying Together
Business Placement – Ampersand Political Consulting
Innovation Placement – MSA Safety R&D Department
Final Placement – 

Jasmine Mao (she/they) is a community builder and student of abolition originally from Virginia, unceded Manahoac land. 

Between their academic years at the University of Virginia, Jasmine served as a senior orientation leader with their university’s Summer Orientation Program, through which they grasped, for the first time, what community looks and feels like. Grounded in the power of community care, Jasmine organized students on campus and formed Asians Revolutionizing Together (ART), a political collective of Asian/Americans which centers love and care as the basis of radical transformation. 

Currently, Jasmine focuses on deepening their study and practice of transformative justice and (prison) abolition as a means to expand their capacity for care. After Coro, Jasmine hopes to pursue a Master of Social Work and continue their commitment to building a better, more just, more life-affirming world. 

Government Placement – Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Office of Equity and Engagement
Nonprofit Placement – YouthPlaces
Business Placement – A. Martinez, Works
Innovation Placement – Riverside Center for Innovation
Final Placement – Sprezzatura

Tatiana V. Martínez (She/Her/Ella) emigrated at age 20 from southern Perú. Upon graduation from the University of Vermont (UVM), Tatiana joined the UVM’s Mosaic Center for Students of Color (MCSC) as their Office Manager. During her tenure, she supported and empowered several generations of students of color. She created and developed multiple community programs and staple events for the benefit of marginalized communities. She spearheaded the relocation, renaming, and rebranding of the center and was the “nuts and bolts” person of the operation being budgetary, HR, and operations guru at the center. Always wearing multiple hats simultaneously, Tatiana oversaw capital expenses that led to needed ADA renovations at the center while she mentored students. Those students also became her mentors.

Tatiana holds her MBA from Champlain College. Her Capstone project was a proposal for a study abroad program managed by the MCSC in collaboration with the College of Arts and Sciences with a curriculum focused on students of color. 

Tatiana is a traveler who loves getting lost in unknown cities and finds Pittsburgh quite charming. She believes that the best community building and business deals happen around food. She becomes friends with those who love Cheetos and/or Chocolate. 

Government Placement – City of Duquesne, City Manager’s Office
Nonprofit Placement – New Voices for Reproductive Justice
Business Placement – Self-Care Senoritas
Innovation Placement – Connect Wolf
Final Placement – Pittsburgh Metropolitan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Khadajah Muhammad (she/her/hers) is a graduate from the University of Pittsburgh where she graduated with a bachelors of the arts in Political Science, a minor in Administration of Justice and a Global Studies certificate in Peace, Conflict, and Security. Khadajah originally hails from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and exhibits passions and a commitment in social justice for marginalized communities locally and internationally.

Khadajah’s interest in local politics and public affairs has been showcased through her work within the Pittsburgh City Council under councilman R. Daniel Lavelle. Her interests also encompass foreign policy and international development as she has worked as a virtual intern with the U.S. Agency of International Development (USAID). While there, she collaborated on a project that analyzed the state of racial justice both domestically and transnationally. 

Government Placement – City of Pittsburgh  Commission on Human Relations
Nonprofit Placement – YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh
Business Placement – MSA Safety, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Office
Innovation Placement – The Forbes Funds
Final Placement – Deep Local

Ryan (he/him/his) is a New Jersey native and a recent graduate from New York University’s Stern School of Business. There, Ryan investigated the relationship between businesses and society before transitioning to a more intensive focus on marginalized populations. He prized being able to interact with the beneficiaries and victims of social policies that influenced options for humane living. Through is work as a small-business consultant, sociologist, and GED tutor, Ryan observed the direct impact of policy on individuals.

After graduation, he worked for two years in various capacities within fashion merchandising. Each of these experiences expanded Ryan’s capacity to act with a morally sensitive conscience. In the coming months, Ryan wishes to leverage Coro’s partnerships with social institutions as he transitions to a career that broadens the nation’s commitment to scientific literacy within its most underfunded locales.

Government Placement – City of Pittsburgh’s Office of Community Health & Safety
Nonprofit Placement – Pennsylvania Environmental Council
Business Placement – Fourth Economy
Innovation Placement – Stronghold Digital Mining
Final Placement – The Forbes Funds