Maiya Doohan

Position
2024 - ROCHESTER
Bio/Description

Maiya Doohan, a senior at Penfield High School in Rochester, New York, is the creator of I Remember. This innovative project provides students with the opportunity to hear firsthand accounts from survivors of hate and participate in related educational workshops that explore the risks associated with hate and inspire actionable impact. In its pilot year, Maiya's project featured testimonies from three Holocaust survivors. In its second year, the focus shifted to a mother who lost her son due to bullying-related suicide. These stories highlight personal experiences of hate and its devastating consequences when left unchecked. Maiya's goal with this program is to provide students with an opportunity to learn about various ways that hate manifests in society, empowering them to combat it after participating. The project aims to educate students on these issues and encourage constructive action against hate within their communities. The success of I Remember has led to its integration into Penfield High School's diversity, equity and inclusion committee, ensuring that future advocates can build upon Maiya's work as she moves on to college and other advocacy projects. She has also designed the project as a template for those who carry it forward — and possibly even a pilot for other communities — by providing logistical and financial plans as well as guidelines to ensure its ongoing success.