FEATURED SPEAKERS

Mia Liang is an aspiring writer who works with a variety of mediums. Her first experiences with writing and prose were through song, but she has since expanded her repertoire. She has written a couple one act plays based on short stories, and is currently working on a book of prose tentatively titled “Buzz” and an EP that experiments with indie, folk and chamber pop.

Ada Cheng is a storyteller, performer, and artist. Ada was a tenured professor in sociology at DePaul University from 2001 to 2016 but resigned from that position to pursue storytelling and performance. Ada says ,“I took a leap of faith and took a chance on myself to pursue a completely different career in mid-life. Now I tell stories both locally and globally to raise awareness about urgent social concerns of our time as well as for social transformation and healing. My motto is: Make your life the best story you tell. Today the way I live my life is my message: limitless, fierce, and ever growing.”

Naabil Khan is a medical student, advocate, and a creator. Naabil is in the medical field, advocating for ethnic minority representation. Naabil has created a website that allows one to learn about dermatological conditions and a podcast that discusses everything from applying to medical school to resources to support med students. Naabil was recently featured on AIDS map along with industry professionals such as Susan Cole and Dwayne Wilson-Hunt.

Debasmita Laha is a 17-year-old from New Delhi, India. At the age of 15, Debasmita founded PHWD with a vision of promoting HIV awareness and sex education among youth. Currently, Debasmita is the Communication Director at Girl Up Caribbean sponsored by Girl Up under United Nations Foundation. Debasmita is also a core member of Changemaker 20 summit which under G20. Debasmita continues to advocate for LGBTQ rights, sex education, and STEM.