FRESHTA TORI JAN, 20

Freshta Tori Jan is a first-year bilingual student from Kabul, Afghanistan, now living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She has been greatly involved in various communities through the YWCA, Grand Rapids Initiative for Leaders, the City of Grand Rapids, Students Against Sexual Violence as well as other organizations. She serves as a mentor for other youth and as a public speaker at events including the Department of Civil Rights, Ecumenical Advocacy Days on Capitol Hill, the YWCA, radio stations, news platforms as well as other local organizations for marginalized groups. Tori Jan’s commitment to leadership from a young age has enabled her to advocate for human rights and other social issues facing today’s society.

As an ethnic, religious, and gender minority in Afghanistan, Tori Jan was persecuted, a state which she still feels even to this day, though she no longer resides in the country. Her family members faced kidnappings and daily murder attempts on the bus, on the way to school, in the work place, and beyond. Tori Jan’s school was shut down by the Taliban, and many of her friends were murdered and shot. Tori Jan’s journey through poverty, terrorism, and different forms of injustice have enabled her to be a voice for those who are not able to share their stories and those who are not able to receive the opportunities she has sought. She believes in empowering youth in order to bring change and be the leaders of today and tomorrow.

Tori Jan majors in International Relations and Pre-Law at Calvin College. She plans to pursue internships at the United Nations, and American Enterprise Institute, among other organizations in DC. After graduation, she will attend law school to equip herself to advocate for international human rights.