Meet our 2022 Summer Publishing Interns
We had a talented, dynamic cohort for our inaugural class of Summer Publishing Interns. Get to know them below!
Portraits by Yifan Luo based on photography by Madison Mattison. Bios written by interns.
AYODELE AYOOLA
Ayodele is a rising junior at the Western School of Environmental Science in Catonsville. Last year, Ayoola’s poem, “I Ain’t Welcomed Here No More,” about the effects of police brutality on African Americans was featured in CHARM’s “Our Voices: Unmasked.” Ayoola serves as the head anchor in his school’s morning announcements and serves as president of his school’s Black Student Association. He will be completing his CHARM internship for the Baltimore AFRO this summer.
Shubhan Bhat
Shubhan is a freelance graphic designer, writer, and producer. Although they really fit as hobbies, he treats them as a job. Shubhan has been an editor for CHARM since 10th grade, writing poems for Filters and Love and doing the cover art for Love. He is currently working on music albums, doing art for websites, and a comic book.
Kendra Bryant
Kendra is a sophomore Journalism major at Towson University. While in high school, Kendra served as a member of the CHARM Editorial Board, Writing Center tutor, and a Girl Scout of Central Maryland. She has received the Girl Scout Gold Award for her project entitled, “She’s Not 4 Sale: Human Trafficking Awareness.” Kendra enjoys fashion, writing poems, and content creating. She is now a CHARM summer intern.
Amaya Burke
Amaya is a CHARM alum and currently a CHARM summer intern at The Baltimore Banner. She has been working with CHARM since 7th grade and has been published in multiple volumes. Her most notable achievements with CHARM are developing CHARM merch (mugs, water bottles) and helping plan and market the Our Voices, Unmasked book tour. She is currently a sophomore Health Science major at Frostburg State University where she swims collegiately. In her free time, Amaya enjoys collecting vinyl records and watching movies.
Antoinette Davis
Antoinette is a 2022 summer intern for CHARM working at Urban Reads Bookstore, and is a rising senior at Stevenson University. Antoinette has experience in creative writing and editing, and is excited to learn everything she can from CHARM about publishing. This fall, Antoinette will be Poetry Section Editor with Stevenson’s literary print journal the Greenspring Review, where she has also published her poem titled Lilac’s Awakening. In her spare time, Antoinette loves to hang out with friends, read, watch tv, and draw.
Kaya Dia
Kaya is a rising sophomore at Johns Hopkins University, where she majors in Writing Seminars. A Writers in Baltimore Schools alumna, she received a Silver Scholastic Arts and Writing Award for her portfolio of poetry and short stories in 2021. Kaya enjoys reading, writing short stories and novels, and making dinner with friends. She is currently a CHARM summer intern with the Johns Hopkins University Press.
DJ (Duane) Grady
DJ is an CHARM Lit magazine intern for the summer of 2022. He is a student athlete at Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and will start his 10th grade journey in August. He likes to listen to music and play lacrosse in his free time. He is working at Charm City Books this summer.
Saniyah Larkins
Saniyah is a CHARM intern and will be working at The Baltimore Banner. She is an upcoming sophomore at Western High School. She enjoys reading, writing poetry, and singing. She published her first poem in the CHARM magazine called “Where I’m From” while in the sixth grade. She owns a business called A Beauties Florals. When she was in the eighth grade she earned the Carson scholarship.
Josette Obeng
Josette is a creative, extroverted Pisces and is also new to CHARM. She recently graduated from middle school (Baltimore International Academy) and is very excited to start high school at Baltimore City College in the fall. Some of her main interests are graphic design, creative writing, film studies and screenwriting. Josette hopes to learn and get more experience in graphic design and writing during her time at CHARM.
Leila Chan Sweenie
Leila is new to the CHARM community and is excited to spend the summer as an intern with them. She is a rising 10th grader at Jemicy Upper School. She has been an entrepreneur since she was little, creating ideas and small businesses and one day hopes to own a successful business herself. In her free time, she enjoys basketball, fashion design, marketing, and graphic design.
Christian Raysor
Christian is in the 10th grade at Baltimore Polytechnic Institute. He is a summer intern at CHARM and looking to be an editor. He plays two sports for his high school. He enjoys watching anime, especially “One Piece,” and his favorite movie is The book of Eli.
Zoe Saunders
Zoe is a 10th grader at the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women and an intern at Charm. She is a Ravenclaw who enjoys writing, reading comics, crocheting, and Marvel. Zoe also won the Emerging Voices Scholarship for her short story titled “I Used to Know Her.” Zoe is placed at The Ivy Bookshop this summer for her internship.
Shawn Ware
Shawn is a summer Intern for CHARM working at Greedy Reads Remington. Shawn has experience in writing, public speaking, and the arts. Shawn is a high school student who attends the Baltimore Leadership School for Young Women and got the chance to virtually interview the current librarian of Congress, Dr. Carla Hayden. Shawn loves to write poetry, watch and discuss movies, and learn and converse about fashion history.
Tayanita Watson
Tayanita is a high school graduate who will be studying Business and Writing at Simmons University in the Fall 2022 semester. She was formerly on CHARM’s student editorial board and has contributed to the journalism branch, The CHARM Report. She has published multiple poems in CHARM anthologies and intends to expand her collection of published works. Tayanita has a love for fantasy novels, anime, and creative writing, and she’ll be spending the summer as a CHARM intern at The Baltimore Banner.