Luthfun J. Nahar is a student in English and Secondary Education. She is originally from Bangladesh, enjoys hiking and writes short stories. In addition to providing diligent minutes and organization, Luthfun aspires to employ her personal experience as an immigrant and her training as a teacher to not only spread Atlas to more youth but also to help Atlas become part of a bigger force for the much-needed changes in the United States and worldwide

Luis Quindi was born in Ecuador and migrated to the United States when he was 7 years old. During his middle school and high school years he received awards as one of the best students in Brooklyn. While at high school he interned at the Children’s Law Center, a legal center that represents children going through a legal procedures. He also was part of La Union, a program that was designed to motivate, encourage, and inform immigrant students, particularly the Latino community, so they could attend college. In school he was part of the science team, which competed in the Science Olympiad, as well as in Student Organization which was a club that organized activities, programs, and clubs. He currently works at a construction company, and is enrolled in Lehman College. He plans to double major in history and accounting and be able to go to law school. 

His goal is to help the underrepresented individuals in society who sometimes don’t have a voice, or a fair trial in the legal system.

Jake Brooks is an associate professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center, where he teaches tax law and writes about the legal and policy aspects of taxation, public finance, and social insurance. He also writes about the law and economics of higher education and student loans. Prior to teaching, his legal practice included advising non-profit and tax-exempt institutions, as well as pro bono asylum and immigration matters. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and two children.

David Austerweil co-manages an Emerging Market bond fund for VanEck that invests in both sovereign and corporate debt. He considers himself a global citizen, traveling regularly to Mexico, Brazil, Argentina and beyond. He holds a M.S. and a B.A. from Columbia University in the City of New York. Sunset Park, Brooklyn, has been his home for the past 15 years. He lives there with his wife, Rovika, and their two sons, Noah and Leo.

Joselyn Guaman was born and raised in Ecuador till she was 11 years old and then migrated to the United States so that she could be reunited with her parents and sister that she had not seen for eight years. In the United States she learned how important education was, and thus getting a higher education became her goal. However, there was an obstacle that she knew would prevent her from achieving that goal, she was undocumented. But even then she did not give up on her dream of going to college. Thanks to all her hard work to maintain high grades, the extracurricular activities and programs she was part of, and the help of many people from her high school she was able to received scholarships and grants and attend St. Joseph’s College. She is now in her second year of college planning to major in Mathematics and Computer science. She loves giving back to her community and learning new things, and Atlas DIY became the place where she was able to do so. She wants to be able to inspire others to not give up on their dreams and work hard to achieve them because it is not impossible and she is clear proof of that.

Suraj Patel is a graduate of Stanford University and holds both a JD from NYU School of Law and a Masters of Public Policy from Cambridge University in England. He currently serves as the President of Sun Group of Companies, a national real estate development and investment firm specializing in the hospitality industry. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Business Ethics at NYU’s Stern School of Business, teaching Professional Responsibility focusing on Markets, Ethics, and the Law. Suraj has also worked as an Advance Associate at The White House, in various capacities on both Obama Campaigns, and researched policy for the US Office of the Trade Representative. He served as Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff of the 2013 Presidential Inauguration and has work experience at McKinsey and Company and in several technology-related startups.

Karina Paredes was born in Ecuador. She migrated to the United States in 2014, which was one of the biggest and toughest changes in her life. She loves interacting and getting to know people so on 20-- when she found Atlas DIY, she knew she had found a place where she belonged. Atlas opened many doors for opportunities and changes, which made it easier for her to assimilate to her new life in the United States, and at the same time enjoy all of it.