Please meet STF Alumna Leela C., who first discovered STF while searching for meaningful avenues to engage with human rights and social justice work. Leela started as a member of the STF Team in 2022-23 and remains involved by volunteering at leadership workshops and events from New York City. Continue reading to learn more about Leela’s journey in advocacy.
Name: Leela C.
STF Title: Administrative Assistant
STF Team: August 2022 – May 2023
STF Team: What drew you to work with STF?
Leela: I was immediately drawn to STF’s mission and knew I wanted to contribute to this vital work. I had long admired HRW but had no idea they housed a program specifically dedicated to youth advocacy. That alignment felt like exactly what I’d been looking for.
STF Team: What do you do now?
Leela: I’m working at the New York City Commission on Human Rights, where the connection to my STF experience is unmistakable. At STF, we emphasized the critical importance of students understanding the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Now, at a city agency tasked with enforcing human rights law, I see firsthand how essential adequate funding and resources are to protecting New Yorkers’ rights.
My work with STF students provided invaluable insight into the real challenges young people face today. Currently, I conduct direct community outreach, primarily with justice-impacted individuals. The listening skills and understanding I developed through engaging with STF students directly inform how I approach this work and connect with the communities we serve.
STF Team: What did your time in STF mean to you? What was the most memorable experience you had while working with STF?
Leela: On a professional level, STF was transformative. I developed essential skills like tailoring presentations for specific audiences and articulating why our work matters. The team welcomed my questions and helped me navigate unfamiliar territory, which established incredibly high standards for what a workplace should be. That experience taught me the importance of working alongside mission-aligned colleagues, something that continues to guide my career choices.
As an administrative assistant, my direct student contact was limited, which made the Leadership Workshops all the more meaningful. I vividly remember working with one particular student and witnessing his confidence grow with each interaction. Watching his transformation exemplified the profound, tangible impact STF has on young people’s lives. Being part of that change and creating spaces where students feel affirmed, where they learn they’re capable of taking up space and advocating powerfully for their communities remains one of the most rewarding aspects of my STF experience.
STF Team: What’s one thing you want future and current STF members to know?
Leela: Recognize the immense value of staying connected to this community. STF is a space worth investing in. You can return to this community and witness the evolution of your own work and impact over time.
For high school STF members specifically: Don’t underestimate what you’ve accomplished. The event planning, advocacy campaigns, and community organizing you’re doing right now are genuinely remarkable achievements. When you transition to college, it’s easy to enter new spaces and immediately compare yourself to others, but remember that your STF experience has equipped you with sophisticated skills that many of your peers won’t have developed yet. The work you’re doing is unique and substantial, give yourself credit for it and carry that confidence forward.