Aviva Flechner is a junior at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, California. She is the founder and president of Club Unity, a student-led organization dedicated to fostering cross-cultural understanding and combating hate through storytelling. Club Unity hosts monthly meetings featuring guest speakers from diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds who share their life experiences and family histories. Through these conversations, Aviva hopes to help students move beyond tolerance to a true celebration of diversity. Aviva was inspired to start Club Unity in response to acts of hate in her community, including incidents of racism and antisemitism on school campuses. She believed that open dialogue and personal storytelling will drive positive change. Since its inception, Club Unity has welcomed a wide range of speakers, including Sen. Ben Allen, Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, veteran Raymond Jackson and Rabbi Joshua Kalev of Congregation Tikvat Jacob. Aviva has worked continuously to grow the club, securing grants and organizing outreach efforts. Beyond Club Unity, Aviva is deeply involved in public speaking and advocacy. As a leader in Model United Nations and a member of the Beach Cities Health District Youth Advisory Council, she is passionate about communication as a tool for social change. She also serves as an ambassador for the Manhattan Beach Education Foundation, advocating for the arts and music programs that have been pivotal in shaping her identity. Aviva hopes to continue using storytelling to build bridges, amplify marginalized voices and inspire future generations to become upstanders in their communities.