Johari Iraan Hemphill is a peace advocate in his high school community. As a Student Government Association officer in the school’s leadership program, he has had opportunities and resources to organize and participate in school-wide events. Iraan says, “It has also shaped my character, work ethic, and understanding on my project management and maintaining relationships.”

These characteristics and skills have come into play in his involvement in Woodson’s Black Student Union. In response to this past summer’s Black Lives Matter protests, he organized and led a “Runathon,” which raised money by obtaining pledges for each mile run. Despite the difficulties of virtual gatherings, they raised $3,000 which they donated to NAACP’s Legal Defense and Educational Fund.

The success of the Runathon encouraged Iraan and his fellow leaders to pledge service hours to continue the effort during this school year. They are currently creating resource pages to educate and promote empathy, advocacy, and peace. Iraan says he also enjoys being a part of the international-focused Culture Club, celebrating diversity among his peers.

Having lived in several places due to his father’s military career, Iraan has had opportunities to see and live in different types of communities. His early years in Peru and his mother’s Colombian heritage helped form his wider view of the world. Both of his parents are fluent in Spanish, and he is working to regain the fluency he had as a young child. He credits his family’s long line of service in the military, law, and education as his inspiration which he shares with his younger brother.

Iraan plans to study International Relations at college, hoping to effect policy changes at the international level through a career with a nonprofit or the State Department.