Rehan Sheikh
is a second-year medical student from Georgia, with a neuroscience degree from Emory University. He’s currently working toward a specialization in neurology. Growing up attending both public school and Sunday school, Rehan often found himself navigating the challenges of balancing different parts of his identity—an experience that helps him connect deeply with the boys in the Sunday Boys Breaking Through program. He has spent time teaching Sunday school and tutoring at his local masjid, which sparked his passion for mentoring young people. Rehan is also very close to his 10-year-old brother, a relationship that continues to inspire how he shows up as a facilitator. In his role, Rehan strives to create a supportive, safe space where boys can explore who they are, build confidence, and develop the character and resilience they need to thrive.
Hello, my name is Rehan Sheikh. I’m a second-year medical student with a strong passion for youth development and leadership cultivation. I’m especially interested in how early developmental experiences shape the way individuals think, lead, and interact with the world later in life. I believe that empowering youth, by nurturing emotional intelligence, leadership skills, and identity formation is one of the most powerful ways to build resilient and thoughtful communities. My passion for this work is deeply personal. I have a 10-year-old brother whose evolving perspective on the world has greatly influenced my understanding of youth development. Growing up in a digital age with constant exposure to social media and internet culture, I’ve seen both the positive and challenging effects on his mindset and behavior. Watching him grow has inspired me to explore how specific developmental traits influence decision-making, self-esteem, and long-term growth and especially how we can guide young people to become compassionate leaders. Outside of academics, I enjoy working out and playing basketball, both of which keep me grounded and help me connect with others in meaningful ways.
Muniba Anwar
My name is Muniba Anwar and I am currently majoring in Public Health at Georgia State University. After graduation, I plan to pursue both a Juris Doctorate and a Master’s in Health Administration. My goal is to practice health law and advocate for individuals who have been harmed by the very systems meant to protect them. I am passionate about becoming an attorney who uses the law to create accountability and help build more just and supportive systems.
I’m excited to be stepping into my role as a Program Facilitator because it connects deeply to the work I care about, especially around leadership, mentorship, and growth. I’ve previously served as an Intake Intern at Georgia Justice Project, supporting individuals involved in the criminal legal system and connecting them with legal resources. I also volunteer at the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation where I assist people at the courthouse experiencing housing instability or domestic violence. These experiences taught me how to communicate with care, build trust in difficult moments, and stay grounded in service.
Through my work I have learned that adaptability and empathy are just as important as any technical skill. I have developed the ability to meet people where they are listen deeply and lead with presence and patience. I hope to bring these qualities into my role as a facilitator this year, and support youth as they explore their identity and leadership potential.
I believe real leadership starts from within. I look forward to helping students build confidence emotional awareness and a strong sense of purpose that will carry them far beyond our sessions.
Mehad Sarhan
is a dedicated college student currently pursuing a degree in Biology. With a strong background in youth programming, Mehad has worked in various community settings including masjid summer camps, Islamic studies classes, and Quranic study programs. Her experience reflects a deep commitment to nurturing spiritual growth and strong character in young Muslims.
CPR certified and always prepared, Mehad brings a calm, compassionate, and patient presence to every environment. She is known for her honesty, loyalty, and kindness — values she strives to model and instill in others.
In her free time, Mehad enjoys reading, exercising, cooking, and exploring new experiences. She is passionate about building meaningful relationships and creating a safe, uplifting space where young girls can grow in confidence, character, and faith.
Mehad looks forward to supporting your daughters on this journey and working together to help them thrive.
Daiyzah Glenn
About Me My name is Daiyzah Glenn, and I am deeply passionate about youth empowerment and cultivating real leaders who are equipped to stand in truth and lead with intention. I graduated from Clark Atlanta University in 2021 with a degree in Psychology, originally pursuing a path in juvenile justice reform. However, my journey shifted as I found a greater calling in homeless outreach and youth development—spaces where transformation begins and leadership is truly shaped.
As a Youth Program Director, I’ve had the privilege of teaching and facilitating workshops on powerful and often difficult topics such as human trafficking, teen dating violence, and child safety. These sessions weren’t just educational—they were transformational. They gave young people the tools, language, and confidence to confront life’s realities while learning how to lead themselves and others with awareness and strength.
My passion for this work is rooted in my belief that leadership starts early and is built through experience, mentorship, and truth-telling. That belief has carried into my work with organizations like Kate’s Club, That’s My Child, and Seed Life Foundation, where I’ve mentored young girls through life’s challenges, helping them uncover their voice and discover their potential. Through Elevate Adolescence, I continue this mission with even greater purpose—empowering youth to rise above, embrace who they are, and become the kind of leaders the world truly needs: honest, resilient, and rooted in purpose.
Joshua BankMy name is Joshua Banks, I am a senior at Morehouse college studying Sociology with a minor in Psychology. With this degree I’m not sure what I will ultimately end up doing but my plan is to go to grad school and pursue my Doctorate degree. My passions are to teach, to write, to share my faith, and counseling. With all of my different interests what ties in all of it is the idea of being a life coach. Both the career path and the everyday embodiment of helping others develop both spiritually, mentally, emotionally, and professionally in a world that desires us to be one dimensional. I studied Sociology because I believe it informs the paradigm that I see the world through and it provides intellectual language to the possibilities I see when I look at my local neighborhoods and communities that are desperately searching for men with skills. My goal over the next 4-5 years upon graduating is to not just get another degree, but to develop skills that make me an effective leader in the pulpit, in the classroom, in my house, in my local grocery store, and in every area of the world. Dr. King changed the world, not with eloquence of speech, qualifications, or a large church; but with a message. My prayer is that the message God has given me and the rest of us is so deeply engrained within my soul that I both embody and exemplify that message to the next generation. Maya Nazeha Shweiky is a Syrian-American Muslim woman born and raised in Saint Helena, California. With a BA in Philosophy, teaching credential through the California Teaching Commission, and M.Ed, she focused her research on how environments impact learning in inner-city schools. Maya taught public high school in Oakland for five years and held the title as English Department Chair. She was a participant of the Hollyhock research fellowship at Stanford Graduate School of Education. In 2014, she began building the youth initiative at Ta’leef Collective, a non-profit which strives to bring content and companionship to Muslim youth through the balancing of sacred knowledge and social agility. She left the Oakland school district in 2018 to join Ta’leef full-time. After starting a family and moving to Atlanta in 2020, Maya has focused her work on instructional and graphic design, working as a contract designer and consultant for the North Georgia Hospital System. She’s also held leadership positions for the last few years at Oakhurst Cooperative Preschool and currently serves as VP of the Board of Directors. Maya brings creativity, cultural awareness, and a deep commitment to education in all her endeavors. Jaanaki
Bio: Jaanaki Radhakrishnan is a student researcher, community organizer, and Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellow at Emory University, where she studies Anthropology and Religion
with a minor in Neuroscience. From Detroit, her work is grounded in a commitment to
racial and environmental justice, youth empowerment, and community-rooted care.
Jaanaki brings years of experience across research, education, and organizing spaces,
having most recently worked as a researcher & curriculum evaluator for Teach for
America’s R&D engine. Her focus remains on building structural change through holistically
educating young people as empowered, justice-oriented participants in the construction of their future.
Noor Iqbal NOOR F. K. IQBAL is a co-founder of Atlanta Forest School. She grew up experiencing monsoons in Pakistan and snow in the Himalayas, raising chickens and goats in rural Alberta, and paddling the rivers of western Canada. Noor is an artisan handweaver (Olds College, AB), and holds degrees in History and German Literature (University of Alberta) and Outdoor and Experiential Education – Primary/Junior (Queen’s University). She has experience as a homeschooler, elementary teacher, doula, and afterschool educator for refugee students. Her passions include holistic education, living close to the land, and helping children be in touch with themselves as part of the living world. Noor is trained as a Forest School Practitioner (Child & Nature Alliance of Canada) and trained in Wilderness First Aid. Along with her husband and two young children, she currently tends a garden and home in Atlanta, GA.
