OUR board of directors

 Culture Talk's origination began during the summer of 2020, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. While many experienced loss, confusion, and a multitude of various emotions, there was something that had to be done. With only 3 months of creating, team-building, and learning, Culture Talk became the organization that is today. Not only does it serve to educate, promote, and cherish our world's diversity, it also is a community of intelligent and innovative minds-- people who are passionate about making the world a better place. Rather than sitting idle, Culture Talk members strive to push for knowledge, change, and unity on all local and global scales. While the world might be hard to understand, we hope that we can bring insight and sentimentality to your journey. 

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Anusha Natarajan (Founder) / board of directors

Anusha Natarajan (she/her) is a student at Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University, majoring in Sociology and History. She has been passionate about celebrating cultural diversity since a young age. Coming to college, Anusha has been passionate about improving civic and cultural education. She wants to practice human rights and constitutional law with the hopes of serving in the International Criminal Court or the U.S. Foreign Service.

Trends leader / magazine editor / board of directors

Milla Nguyen

Milla Nguyen (she/her) is a student at Arizona State University where she is majoring in Fashion Design and Film and Media Production. She looks forward to discovering what the world has to offer in terms of global fashion studies, trends, and entertainment news. She's excited to discuss topics of cultural diversity, women's rights, and societal limitations related to impoverished communities. In her spare time, she loves to curate photoshoots, paint, and listen to music. Her advice is to love those around you and see the world in a kaleidoscopic lense - by taking the scenic route.

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OUR Branch leaders

Heritage leader

Nita Kulkarni

Nita Kulkarni (she/her) is a student at Arizona State University. She is majoring in Psychology and minoring in Family and Human Development. She hopes to become a clinical psychologist who focuses on depression/anxiety disorders among adolescents. In her free time, she enjoys theatre, baking, writing, reading, listening to music, and playing the guitar/ukulele. She's excited to make a difference in her community! Her motto is: "Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always."
- Brad Meltzer

history leader

Anupama rao

Anupama Rao (she/her)  is a college student from Bengaluru, India. She loves reading, writing, listening to music, and cooking. She has had the opputunity to live in three different countries, she loves traveling and learning languages through culture. Despite the uncertainty of the future at the moment, she hopes to attend college in the United States next year.

law + Government leader / Co- magazine editor

katherine chou

Katherine Chou (she/her) will attend Yale University, where she is excited to explore the intersection of science and law. Her writings - which center around human intersections with cultures and systems - have been nationally recognized. She works on the staff for The Adroit Journal and Polyphony Lit. She is perpetually obsessed with em dashes and is currently obsessed with the word "polyploidy."

outreach leader / history member

Charleigh Reid

Charleigh Reid is majoring in English with an emphasis in Creative writing. She also minors in Women & Gender Studies. Her hobbies include listening to music, reading, writing, and coloring in adult coloring books, During quarantine, she has been busy in writing, working virtually through Arizona State University, and hanging out with her family/ dogs. 

Geography leader

Celeste Zuniga

Celeste Zuniga (she/her) is a student at Arizona State University (Barrett, the Honors College). She is majoring in Philosophy and Justice Studies as a first generation student and is planning to attend law school. She'd also like to work in sustainability economics. She loves watching the Lord of the Rings and finding new music on Spotify in her free time. Fun fact: she loves cats!

Law + Government leader

Stormy light

Stormy Light (she/her) is a published journalist, activist, and founder of an online writing forum called "Our Visible Voices". Through her writing, she focuses on empowering youth to become storytellers and bring awareness to social and political issues. In the past, she has had the opportunity to interview politicians, business leaders, and students across Arizona who have inspiring stories to share. She is very excited to be a member of Culture Talk, writing about law and culture.

podcast leader / Trends + heritage member

ananyaa mahajan

Ananyaa Mahajan (she/her) is a student attending Arizona State University (Barrett- the Honors College) who is passionate about the world cultures and trends. Her hobbies include dancing, reading, and writing. She always hopes to learn more through her day to day experiences!

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OUR Key team Members and contributors

HISTORY

ISRAA JAHAN

Israa Jahan (she/her) is a student at Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University, studying Microbiology. In the future, she plans on joining the medical field to become a physician but takes a liking to culture, history, religion, and language. She is a Bangladeshi American and enjoys learning about her own culture as well as that of others. She loves spending time with family and friends and reading her favorite series, Harry Potter (just the books themselves!). 

Heritage / Trends

Camila cutillo

Camila Cutillo (she/her) is 16 years old and a high school senior. She is from and lives in Guatemala. In her free time, she loves to listen to music, watch Grey's Anatomy, play Among Us, and study languages. She would like to enter the psychology field and is hoping to be a neuroscientist. Her goal at the moment is to be admitted to in college with the hope of gaining scholarships. She has joined Culture Talk because she wants to have a better understanding of cultures around the world. She hopes to gain this knowledge so she can understand why people from other countries do what they do and be respectful towards them.

trends / heritage

ruben arteaga 

Ruben Arteaga (he/him) was born in Newport Beach and was raised in Irvine, California. He is a first generation student and identifies as Mestizo (Indigenous/ Spanish). He is currently enrolled in Santa Ana College, and majors in Ethnic Studies. His end goal is to join the United Nations and help create more cultural programs for youth.

heritage

Herlina widodo

Herlina (Lina) Widodo (she/her)  is a student pursuing B.S in Informatics with Game Development focus and a certificate in Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Barrett, The Honors College under Arizona State University. Her long term goal is to develop software applications that can help in solving problems related to education, social justice, and poverty. She joins Culture Talk as she believes that her passions for justice and equality should start with learning and sharing about the beauty of the diversity in the world. During her free time, she loves to hangout with her family or friends to do their hobbies together, such as playing badminton, traveling, eating, and hunting for new things. She would love to share those passions and hobbies with new friends.

heritage / history

Elisabeth "liz" Johnson

Elisabeth "Liz" Johnson (she/her) is a first generation indigenous college student from the Diné (Navajo) tribe. Liz is a Master's student at Arizona State University in the science of healthcare delivery program She graduated with Cum Laude from Barrett (ASU) with a bachelors degree in forensic science. Her goals include becoming a medical examiner of the Navajo Nation and create a national board of Indigenous medical examiners. Her passions include Indigenous education, representation, and preservation. In her free time, she works on her YouTube channel, perfecting her coffee, and helping students with financial aid.

Geography

Patrick flaherty

Patrick Flaherty (he/him) is a student at Vanderbilt University studying Economics, Spanish, and Business. He began to develop an interest in anthropology in the second grade, which later grew into his passions for linguistics, vexillology, history, and geography. In his free time, Patrick enjoys travelling, practicing his Spanish skills, listening to Irish folk music, exercising, and trying new foods. Most of all, he is honored to be working with such a dedicated group of people!

Trends

Maryssa Orta

Maryssa Orta (they/ them) is a proud Mexican-American student currently attending the University of Arizona as a sophomore who majors in English and Classics with a minor in Film & Television. During her free time, she likes to write fiction about vampires, fantasy, etc., and indulge in cheesy 1980s vampire films, e.g., The Lost Boys. She loves reading and reviewing her discoveries on her bookstagram, @planetwithoutanatmosphere.

trends

zara jahan

Zara Jahan (she/her) is a student at Hamilton High School. She enjoys watching shows on Netflix (especially The Good Place), drawing, and spending time with family and friends! She has always been interested in learning about culture, history, and trends around the world. She is looking forward to contributing her perspective and gaining insight into new perspectives regarding these topics as a member of Culture Talk!

Geography

Sanjith prabhu

Sanjith Prabhu (he/him) is a student at New Trier Township High School in Illinois. He loves STEM and quantitative challenges, as well as strategic thinking such as football analysis and chess. He is excited to participate in Culture Talk and learn about various cultures across the globe, sharing interesting elements that he discovers along the way.

history / law

Anirudh srini

Anirudh Srini (he/him) is a student at Hamilton high school in Chandler, Arizona. He is an Indian American and his hobbies include basketball, watching Netflix, and researching the origins of various cultures. He wants to better understand the history of regions to understand why things are they way they are.

podcast Editor

alina christi

Alina Chisti is a student at Cornell University. She is part of Culture Talk’s podcast team. Alina is also the Editor-In-Chief of the Ink & Feather Literary and Arts Magazine. Her poetry has been featured in the Blue Guitar Literary Magazine and ASU Piper Center’s anthology. She is currently the program lead for the PeerSquared public benefit corporation. Alina is also an active volunteer, a theatre geek, photography lover, and writer. You can find her photography on her Instagram page: @photography_alinazohra.

History

Cassidy moore

Cassidy Moore (she/her) is a student at Arizona State University and is majoring in Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership. She has a minor in history because ever since she was young, she's enjoyed learning new things. In her free time, she enjoys reading, listening to podcasts, playing video games, and gardening. She's had an immense pleasure of being a part of Culture Talk and loves every moment she spends on the project.

Heritage

Divya Natarajan

Divya Natarajan (she/her) is a student attending ACP. She has volunteered in various philanthropies and is passionate about helping her community. Her hobbies include playing the violin, playing volleyball, and participating in school activities. She is also involved in robotics and Indian classical dance. Her motto is: "A nation's culture resides in the hearts and soul of its people."
​- Mahatma Gandhi

Geography

Aishu senthil

Aishu Senthil (she/her) is a student at Allen High School. She is an optimistic person hoping to make the world a better place in every way she can. She loves science, theatre, and travelling. She has visited many different countries and has lived in India and Ireland. Her experiences have widened her perspective of the world. She is eager to contribute her knowledge to Culture Talk, and can't wait to see where this new adventure takes her!

heritage / trends

Afua siaw

Afua Siaw (she/her) is a rising senior in high school from New York City. She wants to be a child psychologist due to her love of children, mental health, and medicine. Her hobbies include researching social justice issues, photography, creative writing, and volunteering. 

history / trends

Quincy lee

Quincy Lee (she/her) is a  student at the University of Arizona. There, she will be majoring in Pre-Nursing with an aspiration of entering the medical field. Her dream is to eventually work for a humanitarian organization such as Doctors Without Borders or the International Medical Corps. In her free time, she enjoys traveling, reading, listening to music, and watching classical movies.

history

amaury gilmaire

Amaury Gilmaire (he/him) is a 17 year old living and studying in Paris, France. He has 3 core passions which include cinema, philosophy, and history. He has joined Culture Talk in order to share his knowledge and to learn from the cultural exchange among international students.

Government

Roxanne Holder - kumer

Roxanne Holder-Kumer(she/her) is a student at Arizona State University and a co-founder of Culture Talk. She is pursuing a Political Science degree with a minor in Civic and Economic Thought and Leadership. From a young age, she has always been interested in understanding complex issues such as systemic discrimination, poverty, and climate change. She believes that if we seek to understand each other, courageously and with kindness, that we can make a difference. She hopes to pursue a career in law and hopefully to one day run for office.