Get to know the Team

Harriet Dadzie 

Hello! I am from Greenbelt, MD and a Freshman Finance major. While at University of Maryland, I have joined the University Student Judiciary, Advisory Board for the Office of International Affairs, and the Honors College Ambassadors just to name a few. I chose to volunteer for this trip because I am very passionate about education and strongly believe that getting a good, applicable education can create infinite opportunities.


John Joseph

Hi, my name is John and I’m currently a freshman at the University of Maryland, College Park. I haven’t decided of a major as of yet, but I’m taking pre-med courses in hope of becoming a doctor. I’ve lived in Olney, MD pretty much my whole entire life and went to Georgetown Prep for high school. Since my family originates from India, I visit there every summer with my parents in order to spend time with my relatives and get accustomed to our culture. While there, it is quite easy to see the basic necessities that many people lack and so, over the years I’ve been able to spend some time there doing service for those who are less fortunate. With this in mind, I’ve chosen ASB Philadelphia in order to help the inner city kids obtain a valuable education that will assist them in their future. Many of the kids are from low-income areas of Philadelphia and have been going to a less than mediocre school system. As a result, I hope that the week I can spend with them will not only change their perspective on learning, but my perspective on others.

Larisha Winley

I am a junior at UMD, pursuing a major in Communication and a minor in Second Language Education. I was involved in a community activist organization on campus called Community Roots, which sparked my interest in educational disparities, as well as many other social justice issues. I hope to become an ESOL teacher after graduation. I tutor kids from PreK to 7th grade and I love all of my students. This is my first AB trip and I am so excited for this experience! 

Clare Wise
Hey peeps! I'm Clare, a third time Alternative Breaker! I am an intern with the program and I am so excited to be able to spend my last AB in Philly. I have previously participated on and led the experience to Huntington, WV focusing on childhood health and food security. Next year, I will be moving to San Antonio, TX to teach middle school with Teach For America, and I'm so thankful to be on this experience, learning more about the root causes of educational inequity and working with like-minded students to learn about our role in this issue. Some unrelated info about me: I cry when I see adorable dogs, I am very emotional about movie scores, and I'm pretty sure my blood is mostly caffeine. Thank you for following along on our experience!!!

Cyrus Sadeghian 

Yo, I'm Cyrus. I'm a senior Ecology & Evolution major at UMD with the hopes of becoming an adjunct professor. Besides science, there are only a few other things that my life revolves around. 

My happiness is sustained as long as at least of these conditions is met:

- There is a Halo game I can play

- There is a Chipotle in the area

- The Redskins are on TV

- There is a National Geographic program on

- I'm at a comedy club 

- I'm playing poker 

- There is a stiff glass of Pinot Noir or a bold amber ale near me

Should none of these conditions be met, expect a heavy dose of sarcasm.


Emily Liang 
I'm Emily Liang and I am a first time Alternative Breaks participant. I'm a junior Physiology and Neurobiology major. While this is not my first experience with education, I'm looking forward to learning more about educational disparities and policy on this trip. My future goals aren't nailed down yet, but I would love to pursue a career in education! In my spare time, I am active in my cultural organization and love doing service with Circle K International. I'm so excited to get to work with my team members!

Joy Henry

Hi my name is Joy Henry aka Joibella. I was born and raised on the island of St. Thomas, USVI. I am a returning student which means that I am a tad bit older than my fellow ABers, so basically I am the Grandma of the team! LOL! I am a junior and my major is Multi-Platform Journalism. Along with being a full time student, I also work full time at WUSA9-TV and I am a mother to a beautiful, smart and sassy 6-year old girl named Milana.

This is my first Alternative Break trip. I chose to participate in the Philadelphia Urban Education trip because education is very important to me. My mom only has her high school diploma, but she made it very clear growing up that education is the most important thing that you can attain for your life. She often said, “If you can read and write no one can take advantage of you.” With her words in my head,  it made me realize that I needed to go back to school to finish my degree. On this trip I am hoping that I will be able to share my life experiences and be an inspiration to a student. Hopefully I will be able to show them that yes-- life is hard and filled with many challenges but you have to dust yourself off and keep going!

I am so excited to be on this trip with my team! I am looking forward to making new friends and inspiring some young minds. Plus, I've never been to Philly before so I am really excited to eat an authentic Philly cheese-steak and to see the Liberty Bell!