Meet Jaya, TAF’s New Summer Intern

Jaya Duckworth
TAF Summer Intern

Jaya Duckworth is a Seattle native and a rising Senior at Garfield High School. She became a summer intern at TAF via Teens in Public Service, an organization that places high school students in internships at local nonprofits specializing in public service.  

At TAF, Jaya has worked primarily with the Martinez Fellowship Program, helping to organize the annual IslandWood Retreat for teachers of color in August. She has been coordinating with the Martinez Fellows and guest presenters, designing and preparing materials, and managing registration and logistics to ensure that the 10th Anniversary of this retreat runs smoothly.

As a student of color in the public school system, Jaya is passionate about representation and diversity in public education, and she is incredibly excited to be helping support teachers of color by giving them opportunities to grow both professionally and as a community. Jaya is grateful to everyone on Team TAF for welcoming her into the community and creating such a positive work environment every day. She feels very thankful for the opportunity to participate in such meaningful work, and she is excited for what the rest of the summer will bring.

Despite being based in Seattle, Jaya has been lucky enough to live in London, Hong Kong, and Honolulu throughout her life. Her experience living abroad along with her involvement in social justice organizations has made her passionate about pursuing public service and social justice related career paths in her future.