About Us
NEW VOICES FOR YOUTH (NV) empowers young people from under-represented communities to speak out on issues vital to them and their future, giving them the confidence and knowledge that their perspectives–and their voices –– are important.
Say Hi to our Team.
Anahi De La Cruz
Program Manager
Anahi De La Cruz is an undergraduate majoring in Anthropology at Stanford University. As a first-generation college student, she is interested in helping address educational inequities and motivating students to pursue their passions. She hopes to combine her interests in community and storytelling to help uplift the stories of the community.
Adrian Afif
Program Manager
Adrian is a Bay Area screenwriter who inspires to spread positivity and promote social change.
Adrian has written and directed multiple short films, including his award-winning short, “I Do Not Fear You”, which was invited to the Cannes Film Festival.
Adrian has received his Associate’s Degree in Film & TV Media from the College of San Mateo in 2021 and is working to receive his Bachelor’s in Screenwriting from Chapman University Dodge College of Film & Media Arts.
Jimmy Tamimi
Program Manager
Jimmy is a writer and award-winning poet who believes film is a great vehicle for telling the stories of communities whose voice goes unheard.
Jimmy has self-published two collections of poetry.
Jimmy has an Associate in English from the College of San Mateo and graduated with a degree in Creative Writing from University of California East Bay in 2021.
Sanjana DeSilva
Co-Director (2018 - 2020)
Sanjana DeSilva is a filmmaker who creates socially and culturally aware content. She received her B.A in Film, Theater and Digital Production at UC Riverside in 2017 and now freelances as an Assistant Director on film sets.
Her short film ‘Not Forever’ has received several awards- such as an honorable mention at the Hollywood New Directors film festival in 2018. She hopes to eventually create a production company dedicated to providing support to filmmakers of all backgrounds.
The NV4Y Steering Committee
The NV4Y steering committee has worked together for fifteen years, since the beginning of New Voices. Steering Committee members are interested in bringing the voices of youth in underserved communities to a broader audience, including, but not limited to, the League of Women Voters. The Palo Alto and South San Mateo County Leagues jointly won the State League's Yellow Rose Award at Convention 2015 in honor of NV4Y's tenth anniversary!
Ana Angel Avenado
Director 2010-2016
Ana Angel Avendaño is a first generation Chicana/Latina born in the Bay Area and raised between borders. Her childhood experiences with her grandmother in Michoacán, Mexico, not only shaped her identity but her everyday work as a community leader, activist and mama scholar. Ana has worked in the non-profit sector with youth and community development programs in leadership, advocacy, and cultural awareness.
Recently, working in the public sector, as a Human Services Coordinator, Ana works directly with the community and develops partnerships and programs that address the community's needs. Her community leadership includes co-funding a cultural coalition for the preservation of community based art, organizing art focused events and co-facilitate a young women’s circle, Xinacthli- an indigenous based coming of age curriculum.
Ana holds a Bachelor’s degree in Ethnic Studies and a Master’s in Mexican American Studies. She is currently working on my doctorate in Racial Justice in Education at the University of San Francisco.
When not working or studying, she is exploring museums, parks, and eating her way through the Bay Area with her husband and daughter. Ana was NV4Y program director for 10 years before transitioning to join the steering committee to help elevate the programs mission in the community.
Nimsi Garcia
Co-Director 2015-2019
Nimsi has been working with New Voices since June 2017 acting as Program Co-Director. She previously was a participant in the program from 2012-2013 and later worked as a Program Intern during 2014-2015. She has been integral in adding databases of class lesson plans, materials, student participation data and class evaluations to the program. Nimsi graduated from UC Berkeley with a BA in Economics in 2017.
Kathleen Weisenberg
Co-Founder
Kathleen Weisenberg co-founded New Voices for Youth in 2004 working to develop the program as a member of the Steering Committee. She previously worked as an RN, League of Women Voters volunteer leader and founder of the League’s online election guide - VotersEdge.org, and has been integral in fundraising for New Voices and generally supporting the program in any way needed.
Recognizing that voter turnout is so low in our underserved communities that their voices are rarely heard, Kathleen was excited for the opportunity to teach civic engagement to their children with the expectation that their parents may come to understand the power of participation and that these youth will grow into the community leaders of tomorrow.
Today, she treasures the time spent with the New Voices students and shares great pride with their parents when the students are recognized at the completion of each term. New Voices teaches students skills that help level the playing field for them as they join more privileged classmates in high school, college and future jobs.
Veronica Tincher
Co-Chair, Finance
Veronica Tincher has been working with New Voices on the Steering Committee since its inception in 2004 and have been Co-chair and financial manager since about 2012. Prior to and since retiring from her previous work as Executive Director of University Budget and Planning at University of Southern California, Veronica was an active member of the League of Women Voters. Her financial experience has become an useful element of management of New Voices. Veronica believes that the New Voices’ program is able to guide youth to an understanding of community issues leading to later active civic participation.
Learning to use video to express their experiences, makes the program fun for students and provides them an added skill, as well. Through her own experience in the League of Women Voters, Veronica joined the program because she recognized that young people, especially those in the underserved communities, need guidance to raise awareness and understanding of issues impacting their lives. New Voices for Youth is a perfect example of the League of Women Voters’ slogan: “Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport” Veronica has learned a great deal about the lives of New Voices students and the experiences of their teachers through the program
Sheila Botein
Technology, Strategy
Sheila has been on the New Voices Steering Committee since its beginning, in 2004, so she has participated in the evolution of the program. Before she retired from San Francisco State in 2012, Sheila taught ESL and, before that, she worked as an IT consultant in the US, the Netherlands and Israel.
Sheila cares about New Voices because it encourages young people from underserved communities to share their point of view about what’s going in their communities and because, through New Voices, she has had a chance to meet and work with people in those communities.
Sheila hopes New Voices can continue to evolve, gaining skill, experiences and followers in social media, but it is difficult to remain optimistic when there are so many competing pressures for attention and for funding.
Patty Page
Communications, Publishing, Education
Patty Page has been an active NV4Y supporter since 2012, and joined the Steering Committee in 2016 because she believes in the power of media to amplify the ideas and concerns of youth. As principal of ‘Your Digital Health,’ she runs workshops and produces a public access program to give families and schools the skills and knowledge to use digital technology safely, fluently, and respectfully.
She believes New Voices introduces kids to community issues and gives them the skills and tools to make powerful messages that reflect their own dreams and needs. She loves watching these young people gain confidence when they see how much impact their videos have on their friends, families, and community.
Erika Buck
Youth Education
Erika Buck has been working with New Voices for Youth on the Steering Committee since 2020. She is currently the Executive Director of Youth Science Institute and formerly the Senior Program Director for the Palo Alto Family YMCA managing middle school and high school Model United Nations and Youth and Government programs.
While new to the New Voices program, she is excited to elevate and inspire youth in the community.
2019-2020 Programs:
NV4Youth weekly beginning video classes at Siena Youth Center
Located in the North Fair Oaks Community. Members of the Siena Youth Center can join the SYC/NV4Y video crew. Open to students between the ages 13-19.
The SYC/NV4Y Fall video program begins September, 2019
Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula
NV4Y conducts twice a week classes at the Boys and Girls Club located in the East Palo Alto Moldaw-Zaffaroni Clubhouse. Open to middle school students. In the Fall of 2019, New Voices started working with high school students at the Boys and Girls Club.
NV4Youth weekly beginning video classes at Siena Youth Center
Located in the North Fair Oaks Community. Members of the Siena Youth Center can join the SYC/NV4Y video crew. Open to students between the ages 13-19.
The SYC/NV4Y Fall video program begins September, 2019
Internship Opportunties
Not an SYC Member but still want to learn film production and be part of our program? Contact the program director at nv4youth@gmail.com about an internship opportunity. NV4Y Alumni are encouraged to participate! Expand your filmmaking skills and help us engage upcoming students.
Say hello!
nv4youth@gmail.com
New Voices
655 Oak Grove #848
Menlo Park, CA 94026
United States
