Students Demand Action Announces 2021-2022 National Advisory Board

New National Advisory Board Includes 19 Student Leaders, Helps to Lead More than 400 Students Demand Action Groups Across the Country

NEW YORK — Today, Students Demand Action, a grassroots network of Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, announced its 2021-2022 National Advisory Board, made up of 19 dedicated student leaders and gun violence survivors from across the country. Students Demand Action is a grassroots movement, created by and for teens and young adults, to channel the energy and passion of high school and college-aged students into the fight against gun violence. There are more than 400 groups across the country and active volunteers in every state and the District of Columbia. 

“Young people have witnessed the impact of the gun violence crisis in our schools and communities, and we refuse to back down,” said Flynn Williams, high school senior and a Students Demand Action leader in Lake Oswego, Oregon. “With more than 400 student groups across the country, Students Demand Action is a demonstration of the power of young people in the fight against gun violence. After working within our communities to prevent gun violence, we are ready to take our activism nationwide.”

The 2021-2022 National Advisory Board Members are:

• Maddie Ahmadi, a high school junior in Essex Junction, Vermont, and founder of her school’s Students Demand Action group. This will be Maddie’s second year on the National Advisory Board. 
• LaTayla Billingslea, a high school senior in Georgia and group lead of the Atlanta Community Students Demand Action, and a gun violence survivor whose cousin, Jasmine, was shot and killed in 2016. This will be LaTayla’s second year on the National Advisory Board. 
• Anvitha Doddipalli, a first year student at Arizona State University and leader in her local Students Demand Action group. This will be Anvitha’s second year on the National Advisory Board. 
• Megan Dombrowski, a third-year student at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan where she co-founded a group of Students Demand Action. This will be Megan’s second year on the National Advisory Board. 
• Katie Ellison, a third-year student at Central Michigan University and founder of the university’s Students Demand group.
• Laurence Fine, a first-year student at Wesleyan University in Connecticut, and a founder of Students Demand Action in Bergen County, New Jersey. This will be Laurence’s second year on the National Advisory Board. 
• Chloe Gayer, a gun violence survivor and high school senior in Iowa and volunteer leader with Iowa Students Demand Action. 
• Avery Hamill, a high school student in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and co-founder of their local chapter of Students Demand Action.
• Jayla Hemphill, a first-year student at Carnegie Mellon University, and the founder of their high school Students Demand Action group in Denver, Colorado. 
• Celeste Iroha, a gun violence survivor and student at Trinity Washington University in Washington D.C.
• Makayla Jordan, a first-year student at University of Alabama, and a leader in the Alabama Virtual Field Office. This will be Makayla’s second year on the National Advisory Board. 
• Anna Logan, a first-year student at University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and a leader of one of the first Students Demand Action groups nationwide in her home state of Florida. This will be Anna’s second year on the National Advisory Board.
• Zack Maaieh, a first-year student at Vanderbilt University in Nashville who co-founded a city-wide Students Demand Action group in his hometown of Toledo, Ohio. This will be Zack’s second year on the National Advisory Board. 
• Ade Osadolor, a second-year student at University of Chicago, and leader of the Texas Virtual Field Office in her hometown of Dallas. This will be Ade’s second year on the National Advisory Board.
• Celena Schmolzi, a first year student at Macalester College in Minnesota, and founder of her high school’s Students Demand Action group in Columbia, Missouri. This will be Celena’s second year on the National Advisory Board.
• Jeannie She, a gun violence survivor and incoming first-year student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She started her activism in the gun violence prevention movement when her hometown community in Virginia Beach suffered a mass shooting on May 31, 2019. This will be Jeannie’s second year on the National Advisory Board. 
• Roan Thibault, a high school senior in La Crescenta, California and founder of his local high school chapter. 
• Cordelia Van der Veer, a high school senior in Toledo, Ohio and the leader of her local Students Demand Action. 
• Flynn Williams, a high school senior in Lake Oswego, Oregon. They are the co-leader of their local group. 

Students Demand Action National Advisory Board members grow and strengthen their leadership skills through training, mentorship and public speaking opportunities. National Advisory Board members lend their voices and passion to the gun violence prevention movement, shaping the strategy and direction of Students Demand Action. Members of the National Advisory Board train and mentor leaders of local Students Demand Action groups across the country, drawing on their own leadership experiences. 

Young people have grown up in the midst of a gun violence crisis, and they’re rising up and organizing in their schools, universities and communities. Gun violence is the leading cause of death for children and teens. Every day, 100 Americans are shot and killed and hundreds more are wounded. 

More information about Students Demand Action here. To speak with a Students Demand Action National Advisory Board Member, please do not hesitate to reach out.