Multimedia Team
Film Lead Cece Mou
My name is Cecilia Mou, but everyone calls me Cece. As of right now, I am a junior attending Portola High and I am a Film Lead with Stories Empowered! Growing up, telling stories through a visual medium was always something that grabbed my attention, especially with the help of my friends and family who were always encouraging me. I joined Stories Empowered in order to use my filmmaking abilities for something that I truly believe in, which is creating an environment in which diversity is of the utmost importance. I am so excited for the projects to come and to be working with a group of such talented individuals!
Photography Lead Esha Ananth
Hello! My name is Esha Ananth, and I am currently a junior at Portola High School. Since the moment I picked up a camera in elementary school, I have been fascinated by the idea of sharing my view of the world with others through photography. It is amazing how a single photo really does convey a thousand words, words that tell viewers not only about the photo and its meaning but also the photographer. That single photo speaks to the photographer’s personality, stories, and aspirations. Although the significance of diversity in photography is largely overlooked, I believe it is important not only to have meaningful and diverse photographic compositions but also to extend the diversity to the photographers themselves in order to better understand certain groups of people whose artistic voices have been previously silenced. In Stories Empowered, our mission is to increase diversity in storytelling of all forms, and I am so proud to be part of a team that cares about making all voices heard in so many different avenues of media. If I am not working with the Stories Empowered team or taking/editing photos, you would likely find me writing stories, dancing, reading, or organizing things.
Visual Perspectives Member
Sam Maradani
Hi! My name is Sam Maradani and i’m a junior at University High School. Ever since I moved to Irvine, I’ve been looking for ways to get involved and hear people’s stories and perspectives outside my own. Stories Empowered was an amazing way for me to connect with people outside my own school. A little about me...I love anything photography and graphic design based! I’m editor for our yearbook and I’m a hired photographer as a side job! I absolutely love working with new people and I look forward to working with Stories Empowered!
Multimedia Team Member
Sharon Chen
My name is Sharon Chen, and I am a sophomore at Portola High School. I joined Stories Empowered because I was drawn to its mission of spreading personal stories through media forms to create an impact. I have always loved broadcast journalism and found it to be such a powerful medium to share stories to create an impact. I am excited to be able to use my passion in filmmaking to tell compelling narratives in Stories Empowered. Besides filmmaking, I enjoy traveling, eating fried rice, and listening to podcasts.
Multimedia Team Member
Sophia Steinert
My name is Sophia Steinert and I am a junior at Portola High School. From the moment I took my mom's phone to take a picture of a plant, I knew photography was for me. Being a photographer I capture the special moment that holds powerful meanings to many to later share with others. I first found Stores Empowered on Instagram and fell in love with them and their mission statement. Breaking down cultural stereotypes is very important to me. Growing up many of my friends and I faced racial discrimination whether it was other kids making fun of the way I look or people assuming I'm smart because I look Asian. With Stories Empowered, I hope to bring a stronger sense of community and compassion to show future generations that no matter where you come from or who you are, you matter.
Multimedia Team Member
Megan Sha
My name is Megan Sha and I’m a junior at Portola High. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been doing art, and even now I still love the process of creating something that I’m proud of after countless hours of effort put into a piece. Art is everywhere, whether you realize it or not: it’s in music, films, and especially culture. Joining Stories Empowered, I hope my art can help express the beauty of different cultures. Currently, I’ve been getting into film photography and watching old Hong Kong films - my favorite director has to be Wong Kar Wai with his stunning colors and unique directing style. In my free time, I like to watch anime, some of my favorites are One Piece, Kimi ni Todoke, and films by Studio Ghibli :))
Multimedia Team Member
Erin Chung
Hello, my name is Erin Chung and I’m part of the Multimedia team! I love making art and exploring different mediums and genres of art. I deeply value everyone’s perspectives and stories— which is why I joined this team! Outside of art, I’m also a junior at Irvine High, and I enjoy spending time with friends and cuddling my dog.
Multimedia Team Member
Nour Siwar
Hello! My name is Nour Siwar, and my role is being part of the multimedia team. I consider myself to be a graphic designer as well as a template maker. I love playing guitar and I love making To-Do Lists. I also love to learn languages as I already speak Arabic and English, and I am currently learning Turkish, and Spanish. I also consider myself to be fun to chat with along with being an outgoing type of person.