PHOENIX

I am Sarah Khaled, an incoming freshman to UCLA, and i’ll be studying psychology! I am incredibly passionate about the arts and music, and am a pianist, songwriter, vocalist and producer for my own original songs. Additionally, I enjoy expressing colorful synesthetic views of the world through sketches, photography, writing, and film, illustrating symbolic alternate interpretations of life’s moments and experiences. I am very strongly drawn to advocating for social change and alleviating mental health struggles, ultimately seeking to utilize my arts as a tool to speak these messages to an audience. In the future, my dream is to become a clinical psychologist specializing in memory, dissociation, and trauma recovery, while simultaneously producing music on a professional scale.

I’m Phoenix Inaya, and I’m 14 years old. I’ve experienced trauma at a young age, and so has my mom, but her resilience has made her a strong, hardworking, and inspiring single mother. Seeing her overcome so much motivates me to believe that I can do anything. If someone who faced fewer challenges can succeed, then I can spread my wings and fly. The only limits are the ones I set for myself.

I’m someone who listens more than talks, observing and gathering information to help me create natural, authentic characters in my writing. Life is full of lessons, sometimes painful ones, like falling while running with socks on. I’ve made many mistakes, some repeated, and that made me hesitant to try new things. But I’m learning to take risks again. I live by the idea that “you don’t only live once, you only die once,” so every day matters. I want to live a life I’m proud of, no matter what others say or think. I’m me, a kind, funny, art- and music-loving person who’s ready to keep learning, growing, and taking chances.

Chylier Williams is a raising sophomore attending City Honors Preparatory High school. She has spent her time participating programs like Girl Scouts, google code next, youth Orchestra, Girls Voices Now, and student government as the freshman class president at her school. While Chylier is attending Girls Voices Now, she plans to broaden her knowledge in film making and media production. Chylier has always had a passion for change and fighting for marginalized groups rights. She has a belief that she can do this through media whether that be through film or art.

Ava Brenner is a rising junior at Marymount High School with a strong interest in film, writing, and media. Raised around the film industry through her father, a producer, she developed an early passion for storytelling. At age 9, she wrote a treatment for a film idea called Dr. Donut, which was later sold to a producer, solidifying her interest in screenwriting. By 11, she was assisting with post-production tasks and script coverage.

Ava has interned with The Gotham Group and Girls’ Voices Now, where she gained experience with literary coverage and contributed to the production of a social impact documentary. She is involved in several film-based extracurriculars, including an honors visual media course, and plans to work as a production assistant. Outside of film, Ava writes for her school newspaper, serves on the editorial board, has participated in a poetry ensemble, and contributes to the school’s literary magazine. Although not creative, she is a varsity tennis player as well. She also actively volunteers with organizations such as: Aidan’s Place, A Place Called Home, and Learn To Be.