The Daily Tar Heel is pleased to announce the second cohort of Sharif Durhams Leadership Program, a talent and leadership development course for DTH students from underrepresented groups.

The program's goals are to create equity, inclusion and opportunity at The Daily Tar Heel and to connect students to professional opportunities upon graduation.

In the 2019-20 school year, the program accepted a cohort of 10 students from all class years, and added two additional students in spring semester. That group of exceptional student journalists created Elevate a new print and online section of the DTH with a focus on uplifting marginalized voices. 

For the 2020-21 school year, the cohort includes five returning students and 10 new students from the classes of 2021, 2022 and 2023. There are also seven first-year students representing the class of 2024.

The program will include virtual programming throughout the school year, mentorship, relationship-building and career prep. Members of the cohort will also work with the Elevate project.

The program is named for Sharif Durhams, an editor for the Washington Post who was honored as the DTH Distinguished Alumnus in 2019. Sharif was editor-in-chief of the DTH in 1998-99. Watch this video about Sharif. 

Here are the students in our 2020-21 cohort: 

Julian Berger is a junior majoring in Media and Journalism with a minor in Hispanic Studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.He is a team member of UNC Hussman’s daily news shows, Carolina Now and Carolina Ahora, as well as works at the Daily Tar Heel as the Promotions Manager. In 2020, he joined La Noticia, a Spanish-language newspaper in North Carolina, as a reporter. In August of 2020, Julian co-founded the National Association of Hispanic Journalists at UNC-Chapel Hill. After graduating from college, he would like to become a TV news reporter or anchor, covering news involving the Latinx community.

Anwar Boutayba is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Pursuing a degree in Advertising & Public Relations with a double major in Global Studies, Anwar is committed to working with a societal, culturally sensitive lens. Anwar is currently a campaign strategist for the 1893 Brand Studio and an associate style editor of Coulture Magazine. Other than that, he serves as a Campus Y Bonner Leader--working closely with Blackspace and the Chapel Hill Teen Center. In his spare time, Anwar enjoys cooking, collecting vintage cologne bottles, thrift shopping, and traveling.

My name is Charity Cohen and I am a junior majoring in journalism and media in the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Hussman School has afforded me many unique opportunities and I am grateful to have the opportunity to give back to this school. I serve the Hussman School as a Hussman School Ambassador and as a student representative on the Hussman Curriculum Committee. I got my initial exposure to journalism as a student reporter for Sports Xtra, a student-run sports news show at UNC-Chapel Hill. From here, I went on to anchor for this show for a semester. I am now a staff writer for the Arts and Culture Desk at The Daily Tar Heel. As a journalist and a creative, I want to amplify the voices of marginalized groups. I would love to work at the intersection of entertainment and politics. I am uncertain of where journalism will take me, but I am so excited to enjoy the journey to my final destination in journalism.

Maydha Devarajan is a junior studying journalism and medical anthropology at UNC-Chapel Hill. She’s been at The Daily Tar Heel’s University Desk since her first year, working as a staff writer, senior writer, and most recently, as desk editor this summer. She hopes to expand on her interests in the intersection of identities in her reporting, particularly for underrepresented groups. In her free time she works as a research intern examining news deserts, dances with UNC’s Indian folk team, Bhangra Elite, and is in the process of reviving UNC’s South Asian affairs magazine and advocacy group, Monsoon. Most recently, she’s been enjoying the comeback of Harry Potter fanfiction on TikTok.

Abbas Hasan is a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill, majoring in American Studies and Political Science. Abbas has been a member of the Daily Tar Heel’s Editorial Board since his first semester at UNC. Along with writing at the DTH, Abbas also writes for the Carolina Political Review. This year, Abbas interned with the Southern Oral History Program and the Washington D.C. Public School System. Abbas’ goal is to combine his interests in history and education in his future writing. Outside of writing, he enjoys spending time with his dog Argo, talking walks around Chapel Hill and eating great Tex-Mex food.

My name is Jeremiah Holloway, and I'm a junior majoring in journalism with a minor in Hispanic studies. I've been writing for the Daily Tar Heel since January of 2020, as I write for the sports desk. I also am the managing editor for Black Ink at UNC, as I have been involved with it since my freshman year. I enjoy both writing about and discussing sports while recognizing the relevance of athletics to society. Outside of writing, I enjoy playing basketball, listening to rap, and going on long walks. 

Isaiah Lucas I am a Junior Journalism Major from Wendell, North Carolina. I have been on the Sports Desk at the DTH since last semester. I want to pursue a career in sports writing or sports broadcasting. I enjoy playing and watching sports, traveling and listening to music in my free time (not pictured).

Ramishah Maruf is a senior from Coral Springs, Fla., majoring in journalism and political science. She's the arts & culture editor as well as the co-diversity & inclusion officer at the DTH. Previously, she was opinion editor and a senior writer, as well as the print editor-in-chief of the Durham VOICE. She was selected for the 2020 Washington Post internship and spent summers interning at CNN and The Sun Sentinel. Outside of journalism, you can find her at the beach or trying to make the lastest Tik Tok coffee recipe. 

Brittany McGee is a senior from Richlands, N.C. majoring in journalism and economics. She is currently an assistant city and state editor and is one of the first co-diversity officers at the Daily Tar Heel. She hopes to pursue a career in writing and reporting.

Hi, my name is PJ Morales, and I'm super excited to be joining the Sharif Durhams Leadership Program this year! I'm a sophomore from Miami, FL currently double majoring in journalism and history. In the future, I hope to become either a sports columnist or a long form feature writer. 

Heidi Perez-Moreno, 20, is a staff writer on the Daily Tar Heel’s University desk. This is her first semester at the paper as an incoming transfer student from Miami Dade College. There, Perez-Moreno served as editor-in-chief of MDC’s student newspaper, The Reporter, for more than a year. Growing up in a Nicaraguan household in Miami, Florida taught her the importance of highlighting and preserving the culture and issues within marginalized groups, something she hopes to achieve in her reporting. 

Sophia Ramirez is a junior majoring in Journalism with a minor in global health and a certificate in documentary studies. She is particularly interested in healthcare reporting and audio journalism, and hopes to pursue one or both of these interests in her career. COVID era hobbies include rearranging her room, trying to make her mom's recipes, rewatching childhood tv shows, and highly anticipated weekly trips to Trader Joes.

Mingxuan Shen is a graphic designer and an artist from Shanghai, China. She came to the United States two years ago to take a step further to her design works. Mingxuan started developing her interest in design and art since she was four. She does not only enjoy traditional art forms like Chinese calligraphy, drawing and painting, but is also passionate about using her designs to communicate. Mingxuan sees design as a means of expressing herself and telling powerful stories. She considers herself an information communicator. She designs logos for local businesses that show their values to help them reach their potential audiences and sustain. Mingxuan is a culture and diversity enthusiast. A good portion of her design works are dedicated to these two topics. Mingxuan envisions a career as an art director in an international design agency. She is also interested in establishing her own branding agency.

Praveena Somasundaram is a junior, journalism and biology double major at UNC-Chapel Hill. Currently, she is the online assistant editor at The Daily Tar Heel, as well as the producer of the DTH’s podcast Heel Talk. She has previously been published in the Charlotte Observer,  the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and The Guilfordian.

My name is Brandon Standley, and I am an undergraduate at the  University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in Journalism and Media, with a concentration in Advertising and Public Relations, and Psychology. I work for Carolina Housing, and I am the Managing Editor of The Daily Tar Heel. Originally, I am from Kinston, a small town near the coast of North Carolina and lived there for  most of my life. When I’m not working or visiting with family and friends, I enjoy  baking, taking lengthy naps and marathoning any and all Netflix shows  that I can. My experiences at UNC-Chapel Hill have combined with my upbringing in  a rural, eastern North Carolina town to create an eye-opening  experience for me in college and my adult life.  Not only have I been  challenged day-in and day-out to remove ideologies with  negative-connotations like unconscious and implicit bias from my life;  but I have also been thrown into an environment where I stand-out in  more than one way — for better or for worse — and have been made to  navigate the tides associated with that, alone.

Niharika Vattikonda is a junior at UNC-Chapel Hill, studying Business Administration. Niharika is currently a senior writer for the City & State Desk at The Daily Tar Heel, covering education and our local school districts, and this is her second year with the paper. She has also written for The Chronicle and The 9th Street Journal at Duke University.

Nathan Wesley is a senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, from Winston Salem, North Carolina. He is studying public relations and political science. This year he is the Assistant Arts & Culture Editor of The Daily Tar Heel, where his goal is to highlight how underrepresented students are influencing UNC’s culture. During the fall semester, he will be the MBA Career & Leadership marketing intern for the Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Class of 2024

My name is Hannah Collett, and I'm from Long Island, New York.  I'm a freshman majoring in English and Comparative Literature with a Creative Writing concentration, as well as History with a European concentration.  I work as a staffer for the Copy & Online Desk at The Daily Tar Heel and have been loving it so far!  Outside of the DTH, I am a member of UNC's NROTC Battalion, and am interested in joining Women's Club Water Polo once it's up and running again! 

My name is Malak Dridi, my pronouns are she/her/hers, and I am from Raleigh, NC. I’m originally from Tunisia, a small country in Northern Africa, and I identify as Muslim. I love learning languages and can speak Arabic and will be minoring French at UNC. In the future, I aspire to be a journalist, and focus my reporting on African politics and culta staff writer for the DTH, under the University desk. I’m active in theater, and have worked as a teacher assistant in a local theater and competed in an improv troupe since 2017. Political science has been an important part of my life, and I have interned for local campaigns for the past four years. I look forward to being a part ure. I am currently of the Sharif Durham Leadership program!

My name is Nayeli Jaramillo-Plata, and I'm from Clinton, NC. I am majoring in Media and Journalism and received assured enrollment into the Hussman School of Journalism and Media. I am a staff writer for the DTH's U-desk this year, and I'm very grateful to have the opportunity to be a part of this organization. In my free time, I enjoy playing tennis and spending time with my dogs. Even though this isn't how I envisaged my freshman year, I'm very excited and hopeful for this year! 

Twumasi Duah-Mensah is a first-year undergraduate student from Wake Forest, North Carolina. He currently writes for UNC’s student-run newspaper, The Daily Tar Heel. As a person who was heavily involved with “trade not aid” nonprofit work in high school, Twumasi is very passionate about issues of economic and community development, especially in Africa, from where his parents emigrated. If he’s not obsessing over his favorite sports teams, you can find him voraciously reading the news or riding his bike around town.

My full name is Mikaella Travis, but I go by Mika. I’m a multi-ethnic Cuban American who was born and raised in Charlotte, North Carolina. I’m a first year student at UNC, though I received an Associate in Arts at Central Piedmont Community College during my high school years. I’m currently undecided on my major, but I’m leaning towards Journalism. This is my first year as a staffer on the Arts & Culture desk of the Daily Tar Heel!

My name is Elena Tsai, and I am a freshman at UNC Chapel Hill. Currently, I'm a staffer for the University desk of the Daily Tar Heel. Getting to know more about and interact with the UNC community is my favorite part of working with the DTH! I believe that true communication begins through sharing perspectives, so I am always seeking new angles from which to look at the world around me. In my free time, I paint and attempt to bake cakes in a toaster oven.

My name is Chloe Elizabeth Walker and I am a freshman double majoring in English and Neuroscience. I am a staff editor for the arts and culture desk. My hometown is Oak Ridge, North Carolina. This is my first year on staff but writing is both my passion and my concentration in my major. When I’m not reading a Virginia Woolf novel or teaching yoga, you’ll find me cooking vegetarian food or playing with my cats: Oscar Wilde and Ophelia. I’m honored to be a scholar this year and very excited for my future both at The Daily Tar Heel and UNC.