Group 3

Hello! My name is Leylany Rivera, and I am a student at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana, where I am pursuing a double major in Political Science and Economics. As the daughter of Mexican immigrants, my academic and professional interests are deeply connected to migration, democratic legitimacy, representation, and public policy. These experiences have inspired my goal of becoming an immigration lawyer grounded in democratic accountability and advocacy for vulnerable communities.

At Saint Mary’s and the University of Notre Dame, I have engaged in research and community work related to democracy and migration. As a member of the Student Policy Network at Notre Dame, I research how inaccurate census data affects political representation and public policy, particularly within immigrant communities. Through partnerships with community organizations in Chicago, I have contributed to research addressing barriers to financial literacy and civic participation.

I also volunteer at La Casa de Amistad, where I support immigrant families and tutor students, and I participated in a Service Experience trip in Tucson, Arizona, partnered with a nonprofit to learn more about migration and life at the U.S.–Mexico border. In addition, I write for The Observer, the tri-campus newspaper serving Saint Mary’s, Notre Dame, and Holy Cross. Through my academic work and community engagement, I hope to better understand how democratic institutions can respond more effectively and humanely to the challenges facing diverse communities today.

Hello everyone, my name is Sayoko Yamada, and I am originally from Gunma Prefecture in Japan. I am currently a student at International Christian University in Tokyo, majoring in International Relations with a focus on East Asia. As part of my studies, I am participating in a one-year exchange program at Nanjing University in China, which has given me invaluable on-the-ground perspectives on regional politics and history.

My academic and personal journey has been deeply shaped by the complex legacies among China, Japan, and South Korea. Last year, I organized a discussion event that provided a safe, student-led space where peers from all three countries could come together to openly discuss controversial historical issues—from wartime narratives to textbook disputes. The goal was not to force agreement, but to foster empathetic listening and challenge the stereotypes we often inherit.

Through this experience, I learned that dialogue is the first and most critical step toward reconciliation. That is why I am truly honored and excited to participate in this forum. I look forward to learning from everyone’s perspectives and sharing my own experiences with grassroots dialogue.

Looking forward to meeting you all!

Hi everyone! My name is Eshaa Setty, and I am from Bangalore, India. I am a third-year undergraduate student at FLAME University, Pune, majoring in Public Policy with a minor in Environmental Studies. My interests lie in community conservation, climate resilience, heat mitigation, urban studies, and social policy.

Over the past two years, I have worked in the conservation policy sector advocating for the customary rights of indigenous peoples and local communities engaged in the conservation of the endangered Olive Ridley Turtles in India. My time working in the field reflected that our current governance system is framed as an antithesis to local communities, marked by a lack of receptive feedback mechanisms that can counter top-down policy agendas. There is a growing need to shift this system to work for the people rather than against them, noting their everyday motivations, aspirations, and needs. Premised on these experiences, I firmly believe that the Forum’s overarching goal of enhancing citizen engagement and building an inclusive governance system must embody democratic values of justice and participation.

At the Forum, I am excited to share my own experiences while learning from others around the world. I hope to add to our discussion with informed perspectives from my country, the Global South, and the environmental space. I hope to exchange ideas that will help me better understand the challenges we are facing today and contribute positively to their solutions. Looking forward to meeting everyone in Athens!

Hi everyone! My name is Noufil, I am a rising sophomore at Albion College studying Mathematics and Economics with concentrations in Public Policy and Business. I am originally from Lahore, Pakistan.

At Albion, I am involved in the Student Senate, Union Board and Investment Club. I am also on the equestrian team at Albion. A lot of my work on campus has been focused on bringing students together through events, off-campus trips and new student initiatives. I’m interested in social entrepreneurship too and just recently joined CSE (The Center for Sustainability and the Environment) at my college! I will be interning at the Albion Economic Development Corporation over the summer.

Growing up in Pakistan, a developing democracy, has significantly shaped how I think about economic development. It gave me a firsthand look at how policy, industry, and local businesses interact in real life. I have also researched Pakistan’s automotive sector and the challenges local suppliers face when trying to grow.

Through the Athens Democracy Forum, I hope to learn from delegates with different backgrounds and better understand how young people can take part in democratic life. I am especially interested in how democracy can respond more directly in developing countries where the transmission mechanisms for policy are not as straightforward as expected elsewhere.