The GCI Summit is the launchpad for the 10-month GCI Fellowship. Each year, the Fellows are welcomed to the GCI Community by Teaching Assistants (TAs). This year, for our third program in a row, all 9 TAs were once themselves GCI Fellows!
Many are also involved in leadership roles in our global community as members of the Ambassador Advisory Council (AAC), our alumni leadership group, and as Class Agents, representatives for their respective cohort years.
TAs are proactive leaders who are enthusiastic about other cultures and making a positive change in the world. They put their communication, ethical leadership and problem-solving skills to the test each day at the Summit through mentoring and direct teaching responsibilities. As the Fellows begin to develop their Glocal Service Project (GSP), tackling a global issue in their local community, the TAs provide critical guidance and invaluable support in small groups.
We would like to thank all of our TAs who make it possible for both GCI to engage, educate and empower and for our Fellows to begin their hard work on their GSPs.
Continue reading to learn more about each TA and read their stories.
Alvin
GCI Ambassador 2015, TA 2021, AAC
Citizenship: Hong Kong
Secondary School: St. Joseph's College
University: University of Hong Kong
Alvin graduated from the University of Hong Kong in 2021 with a double degree in Arts and Law. He is currently studying for the Postgraduate Certificate in Laws, and is a Training Contract holder. The 2015 GCI Summit gave Alvin the tools and words to think about effecting social change in local communities. He has been able to put these tools to good use as co-founder of a startup developing navigational aid for the visually impaired, working to narrow Hong Kong's Digital Divide. This hands-on experience has fuelled Alvin’s passion for social entrepreneurship. Alvin is also a part-time videogame designer, fuelled by his love for gaming. Basketball, Wing Chun, and movies are his other go-to hobbies.
David
GCI Ambassador 2016, TA 2021, AAC
Citizenship: United States
Secondary School: Animo Jackie Robinson Charter High School
University: Georgetown University
David Gomez is a current union representative at SEIU United Service Workers West where he provides union representation for members in the janitorial industry throughout all Southern California. Originally from South Central Los Angeles, David attended Animo Jackie Robinson Charter High School and was accepted into the GCI summer program in 2016. In the same year, he was awarded the GSP Seed Funding Competition Award to develop portable shower systems supporting the homeless community in Los Angeles. David is currently on the GCI Ambassador Advisory Council where he assists GCI in outreach and ambassador engagement. Throughout his undergraduate career at Georgetown, David has dedicated his efforts to furthering workers’ rights and uplifting the voices of underrepresented communities.
Eita
GCI Ambassador 2018, TA 2021
Citizenship: Japan
Secondary School: Tenafly High School
University: Babson College
Eita just finished his sophomore year of college. He is currently concentrating in entrepreneurship at Babson as has always had a passion for learning about business. In the fall, he will be studying abroad at Lund University in Sweden. He was originally born in Japan, but grew up in the United States. Eita was a fellow at the 2018 summit in Cambridge, MA. Since then he has been able to expand his knowledge about different cultures around the world through the diverse GCI community. In his free time, you can find him playing soccer, working out or playing electric guitar.
Kemmia "Kem"
Co-Head Teaching Assistant
GCI Ambassador 2017, Head TA 2021, Class Agent
Citizenship: United States
Secondary School: Ravenscroft School
University: North Carolina State University
A North Carolina native, GCI Ambassador, and Class Agent from the 2017 cohort, Kem is thrilled to be back as a TA! She is a rising senior at North Carolina State University, double majoring in Sociology and Communication with minors in Psychology and Parks, Recreation, and Tourism management. At NCSU, Kem is also an intern in the Office of Global Engagement, an executive board member of the Phi Sigma Pi National Honor Fraternity, and Vice President of the National Communication Honor Society. Kem is also currently interning with a wedding planning company to work towards a future career in the event planning industry. When she finds the free time, she also enjoys traveling, cooking, and embroidering. Because of her background as a first-generation Iranian-American, she is also extremely passionate about advocating for religious freedom, as well as the environment. Kem very much looks forward to working with the 2022 cohort!
Kevin
Co-Head Teaching Assistant
GCI Ambassador 2015, Head TA 2021, AAC
Citizenship: United States
Secondary School: Phillips Exeter Academy
University: Yale University
Born and raised in Miami, FL Kevin Zhen recently graduated from Yale University where he majored in East Asian Studies. During college, he cofounded “Homecooked,” a social dining app that organized small, communal meals at the homes of local cooks. A passionate writing tutor and life coach, Kevin has also taught more than 500 students for over 2000+ hours at iLearnWorld and his own tutoring company, ZhenEd Outside of academics and work, Kevin has also won international breakdancing competitions and is one of the chief organizers of the annual Hip Hop Block Party. He is devoted to exploring innovative ways in which technology can be used to disrupt education, real-estate and more.
Lucy
GCI Ambassador 2019, Class Agent
Citizenship: Canada
Secondary School: United World College ISAK
University: College of the Atlantic
Lucy (she/her) grew up on Denman Island, on the west coast of Canada. Raised in a beautiful natural environment with an eclectic community, Lucy cares deeply for social equity and environmental justice. She currently studies human ecology with a focus on film and animation. In her free-time Lucy works to improve bike infrastructure on campus and volunteers with a local NGO that offers services to young adults with disabilities. She also enjoys making stop-motion videos out of plastic trash collected from coastal waterways. Lucy completed the GCI summit in 2019 in Tokyo. Her project, "Small Talk With A Big Impact," came to fruition during the early stages of the global pandemic. Weekly conversation circles hosted in collaboration with guest speakers and a diverse group of students provided space for community members to forge connections through our shared humanity. Fun fact: Lucy wears a flower in her hair every day!
Michi Zaya
GCI Ambassador 2016, TA 2019, Class Agent
Citizenship: United States, Mongolia
Secondary School: The Hobby School
University: The New School
Michi Zaya Tumur (any pronoun) is an award-winning theatre director, actor, designer, and teaching artist. Originally from Mongolia and based in NYC, Michi graduated from The New School with two degrees, a BFA in Dramatic Arts and MA in Arts Management and Entrepreneurship. Most recently, her capstone project for graduate school, THE BOY WHO BURNT HIS VILLAGE DOWN, won an award for impact and adaptability. The project focused on displacement and community in Manhattan’s Chinatown, developing a short narrative media piece based on interviews with residents and workers affected by luxury gentrification and displacement. Known as Michi Zaya in her artwork, she also focuses on experimental, mixed media, and multilingual theatrical productions. In 2021, Michi co-founded Amplify Theatre Collective, and launched an online showcase of multicultural short plays written and directed by BIPOC artists. They also love spooky stories, indie video games, and making up algebra problems for fun.
Sama
GCI Ambassador 2018, TA 2021
Citizenship: Jordon
Secondary School: King's Academy
University: University of Bristol
Sama is a Palestinian Jordanian aspiring lawyer, activist and artist. Born and raised in Amman, Jordan, she graduated from King's Academy in 2019 – where her roles included being the female president of the Student Leadership Council. She is set to graduate from the University of Bristol in 2022, having completed an undergraduate degree in Honours Law LLB. At Bristol, Sama has held several roles and responsibilities, including being a research fellow at Bristol Institute for Learning and Teaching; a student advisor at the Human Rights Clinic and the Law Clinic; President of the Women in leadership and the Friends of Palestine societies; and a Be-More-Empowered (BME) success advocate and ambassador at the university. Additionally, Sama has been carrying out research on decolonization within the contexts of universities, museums, societies and the international legal regime. Sama attended GCI in 2018 and returned in 2021 as a teaching assistant.
Sohini
GCI Ambassador 2016, TA 2021
Citizenship: India
Secondary School: Tagore International School, Vasant Vihar
University: Sri Venkateswara College
After completing her undergraduate degree in Political Science in 2020, Sohini lived, worked & received training in development, at the rural grassroots for a year as an India Fellow. In 2013, she founded Breaking Barriers, the first gay-straight alliance & queer rights awareness program at the school level in India, and has since been deeply involved in intersectional feminist activism & sensitization. As a young advocate of gender equality, she participated in Columba 1400’s Student Leadership Challenge’14 in Scotland & GCI's Global Citizens Youth Summit’16 in Boston and was invited by UNESCO at their Headquarters on the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia’16. In college, apart from establishing herself in the national Debating circuit, Sohini was selected for Royal Commonwealth Society’s Gender Matters! Program’18 in Sri Lanka and the Summer Leadership Academy for Alcohol Harm Prevention’19 in Slovenia. Across her many interests, Sohini has facilitated workshops for over 3000 people.
Thank you for your continued support. We are so excited to share the journeys of these GCI Ambassadors as they start their new chapter as GCI TAs!