Sienna Shah and Nakul Bhat of Sunny Hills High School are joining nearly 200 high school students from across the country for the opportunity to receive first-hand experience from lawyers, lobbyists, community activists, and other experts dedicated to defending our constitutional rights.

From June 30-July 6, participating students will engage with lawyers and political activists to build expertise and knowledge in advocating on issues such as criminal justice reform, voting rights, and religious freedom. They will also participate in debates and develop successful media and social networking strategies, all while observing policy development on Capitol Hill.

The students will also take part in a day of action during the Institute. They will take to the steps of the Capitol on July 5th to fight for trans justice and gender-affirming care.

This year’s Summer Institute speakers include:

• Anthony Romero, ACLU Executive Director
• Amber Hikes, ACLU Deputy Executive Director for Strategy and Culture
• David Cole, ACLU National Legal Director
• Louise Melling, ACLU Deputy Legal Director
• Cecillia Wang, ACLU Deputy Legal Director
• Yasmin Cader, ACLU Deputy Legal Director
• Jeffery Robinson, Executive Director of the Who We Are Project

Students will also attend a young influencer panel entitled “Social Media Change-Makers: The Power of Online Activism.”

The panel will be moderated by Schuyler Bailar, the first transgender athlete to compete on an NCAA Division I men’s team at Harvard, and feature: Jameelah Jones, Interim Audience Editor at Scalawag Magazine, with a focus on social media and inclusive content creation; and Annie Wu Henry, Creative Director at AAPI Victory Fund and Digital Consultant for the Working Families Party.