ABOUT MARCH FOR OUR LIVES SAN JOSÉ

Ben Nikitin

Lead Coordinator

Ben Nikitin, Associated Student Body President and senior at Westmont High School, is an ardent proponent of the urgent battle against gun violence. He has tackled this issue daily as a member of Congresswoman Anna Eshoo’s Student Advisory Board, the vice chair of the Campbell Youth Commission, and editor of his high school newspaper. He is overjoyed to lead the youth forward in this very cause through San José’s branch of March For Our Lives. Deeming both gun violence and environmental protection as his primary motives in pursuing a career in politics, Ben aspires to someday run for Congress.

Anu Srikanth

Interscholastic Coordinator

Anu (pronounced as uh-noo) is a senior at Basis Independent Silicon Valley. After she graduates, she plans to go into medicine and then public health! Besides being Interscholastic Coordinator for MFOLSJ, Anu is the co-president and co-founder of Basis’s Social Education and Awareness Club, where she and her members regularly discuss and debate social issues. In 2018, she and her classmate led her school’s walkout, which is what inspired her to apply for her MFOLSJ position. Fun fact: Anu knows all the words to Fergie’s hit song “Fergalicious”!

Jessica Silva

Outreach Coordinator

Jessica Silva is a high school senior. At school, she’s the president of the Intersectional Feminist Club, which has inspired her to fight for equal representation of every community. Therefore, as the Outreach Coordinator for March For Our Lives San Jose, she plans to represent every community that is affected by gun violence. Last year, through March For Our Lives, the country witnessed a powerful movement by young people. Jessica hopes that young people leave this year’s Rally For Change motivated to create change within their communities and continue that movement until the government takes real action. She’s honored to be part of this movement, but most importantly, she’s proud to be working alongside great and inspiring people!

Hiwad Haider

Collegiate Coordinator

Hiwad Haider re-joins the MFOLSJ team in an advisory role as the Collegiate Coordinator in 2019, having been the Media Coordinator of the founding group. He brings a breadth of experience from working on campaigns for school board, city council, and state assembly, and serving as an officer on Congresswoman Anna Eshoo’s Student Advisory Board in 2018. Hiwad is a freshman at Santa Clara University, where he studies Economics and History while serving his peers as a First-Year Senator in Student Government. In his spare time, Hiwad enjoys exploring the Bay Area, learning languages, and competing on the SCU debate team, for which he is nationally ranked.

Julie son

Lead Coordinator

Julie Son is a current senior at Prospect High School. She was a part of last year’s March For Our Lives San Jose team as the Finance Coordinator and is excited that MFOL is continuing to operate for its second year now. When she is not civically engaged, her favorite scholastic extracurricular is overseeing her high school’s Associative Student Body as the executive president. In the future, she dreams of becoming the senior event coordinator for Disneyland Parks. Julie hopes to see you at the Rally For Change on March 30th!

Hana Tzou

Media Coordinator and Webmaster

Media Coordinator and Webmaster Hana Tzou is a senior at Branham High School. Her venture into activism started spring of 2018 when she and fellow MFOLSJ team member Danika Cho organized Branham’s participation in the National School Walkout. That experience landed her an internship at a local campaign for city council. When she’s not scheduling social media posts or designing our website, she can be found editing her high school yearbook, dancing, inhaling black coffee, complaining about her chronic back pain, or giving unsolicited grammar corrections. Hana will be studying English at Tufts University in the fall and hopes to one day correct grammar for a living (aka become a book publicist and editor).

Mitali Khanzode

Fundraising Coordinator

Mitali Khanzode, the Fundraising Coordinator for March For Our Lives San Jose, is a junior at Basis Independent Silicon Valley. Mitali got her start in activism by speaking at city council as a child, fundraising for her local Audubon Society chapter, and raising money for Swim Across America. Apart from activism, Mitali enjoys writing, swimming in the San Francisco Bay, traveling the world, and creating lasting experiences! 

Danika Cho

Logistics Coordinator

Danika is a senior at Branham High School. Her political repertoire includes leading Branham’s walkout in 2018 with fellow MFOLSJ member Hana Tzou, interning on a local campaign for city council, and taking a class in international human rights at Cornell Summer College. Additionally, she is the president of Branham’s Best Buddies and actively fights for inclusion for individuals with intellectual disabilities. She is an avid fan of Legally Blonde, the color red, Charlie Puth, RBG, Korean yogurt drinks, Hana’s brother Zac, and social justice. This fall, Danika will be attending Cornell University and eventually hopes to become a civil rights attorney.

Erin Campbell

Volunteer Coordinator

Erin Campbell is a current senior at Westmont High School.  She is editor of the school newspaper, Vice President of her school’s Gay-Straight Alliance, and a LIFE Crew captain (Leaders Inspiring Freshman Excellence).  She plays competitive soccer and has run varsity track at Westmont all four years. In her free time, she loves to read, draw, and pet dogs. After graduating, she plans to study calculus or chemistry in college.  Erin is excited and proud to be a part of March For Our Lives San Jose and will continue advocating for gun control in college and beyond. She hopes to see you at the Rally For Change on March 30th!

William Caraccio

Rally Coordinator

Rally Coordinator William Caraccio is currently a sophomore at Westmont High School. Although only a recent member of March For Our Lives San Jose, Will’s passion for political activism has taken him across the globe to Catalonia, Spain, where he participated in protests and rallies in support of Catalan Independence last year. Outside of the political arena, Will is captain of Westmont’s Parliamentary Debate team and enjoys swimming for his school as varsity captain. Also active as a hospital intern, Will hopes to pursue a career in the medical field. His goal for the Rally For Change on March 30th is to make it a beacon of change that will lead the charge towards a better future.