The Frederick Douglass Project

NATNAEL ABATE is a fourth-year student at Penn State majoring in biobehavioral health with a minor in human development and family studies. Abate is interested in pursuing a career in healthcare policy and management to help ensure that marginalized populations have fair access to healthcare. He intends to develop strategies that not only increase health and well-being, but that also address health disparities causing harm in many communities.

ALESSANDRA AYOUB, a first-year student studying criminology at Penn State Wilkes-Barre, is a Lion Ambassador. 

AVERY CHAHL, a Houston native, is a doctoral student of human development and family studies at Penn State. Her research focuses on peer relationships in childhood and early adolescence, namely leveraging peer relationships to improve well-being. She is also passionate about science communication and getting data into the hands of those who can use it to create change. She is co-chair of her department’s graduate steering committee, where she uses her position to advocate for diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice issues. 

JANEL MOORE-ALMOND is a middle- and high-school social studies teacher at the George Washington Carver High School of Engineering and Science. She received her undergraduate degree in Afro-American Studies from Harvard University, and a master’s degree in education as well as a certificate in project-based learning from the University of Pennsylvania. She is pursuing a doctorate in educational policy and leadership with a focus in diversity and equity from the University of Illinois, Urbana Champaign. She was the 2018 recipient of the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching in the Philadelphia School District. Moore-Almond has served as a curriculum writer and reviewer for the Colored Conventions Project since 2020.

AVA STARKS is a third-year student at Penn State pursuing a bachelor of philosophy degree in culturally diverse event management with minors in African American studies and Spanish. A Schreyer Honors College scholar, she is working toward earning a meeting and event management certificate through the Penn State School of Hospitality Management. Starks serves as president of the Penn State Student Black Caucus. Additional campus involvement includes the Filipino Association and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Starks, a native of Brooklyn, New York, has lived in State College for ten years.

JULIO TOUSSAINT, a third-year student at Penn State Abington, is majoring in history with a double minor in African American and Latino studies. A part of the Black Student Union since his first year of college, he has served as vice president and president. He is also a member of the Penn State Abington cheerleading team.  

TERRY WATSON is a professional speaker, author, and trainer specializing in disability equity in education, racial justice, healing, and law enforcement. He is assistant director for Student Disability Services at Penn State World Campus and the founder of Strategies for Justice, a speaking and training bureau. At Penn State, he works with faculty, designers, and student-facing units. He helps to shape practices, procedures, and policies to include individuals with disabilities. His passion for advocacy originates in his work since 2001 with children on the autism spectrum. Watson serves as co-chair of State College NAACP educational planning, chair of Community & Campus in Unity; and co-chair of the Commission on Racial/Ethnic Diversity.