Hi! I’m Adriana, I’m a senior at MSTMA at Roosevelt High School and I’m a first-year MOCA teen! I’m very passionate about writing and love learning about the world around me. 

Currently, I’m a youth reporter for my community’s newspaper ‘BoyleHeightsBeat’ and hope to learn how to find new ways to integrate my passion for writing with my love for the arts.  In my free time, I love to explore the LA area, go to concerts, read, listen to music, and find ways to express myself creatively. Some of my favorite art mediums include photography and watercolor, but I love experimenting and learning more about all different kinds of art and the process behind it. As a young Mexican American who’s passionate about social change, I hope to find ways to fight the injustices in marginalized communities to foster a more equitable and encouraging environment for first-generation students.

Cedar is a multi-media artist from Topanga Canyon and a first-year MOCA Teen. They grew up in the nook of Topanga Canyon which has shaped their love for nature and community. Cedar’s most prevalent mediums are clay & film photography but they also work with mixed media, sculpture, fashion, collage, and oil pastel. They believe that creating and appreciating art are two invaluable parts of being human. Cedar is exploring installations as a part of their practice, recently displaying their sculpture “The Canyon: Through my Hands” at Mimosa Cafe, a coffee shop in Topanga where you can often find them. Mindfulness and meditation are important to them and Cedar has attended 5 mediation retreats with Inward Bound Mindfulness Education. Cedar is constantly listening to music and attending every concert they possibly can. Their favorite singer is Adrianne Lenker. Cedar is passionate about environmental justice and trans rights. 

Hi! I’m Aili, a senior at Santa Monica High School, and a second-year MOCA teen. I was born in Berlin and moved to Switzerland when I was four, where I then lived until I was nine. I love writing and reading, especially international literature & media as I speak both German and Japanese with my family. I’ve been on ‘The Samohi’ - my school newspaper- for the past three years as an editor, which has really fostered my love for journalism and digital design. My favorite musical artists are Blur, Belle and Sebastian, and Fiona Apple. I spend most of my time outside; either at the beach or camping, and also do Tennis and Judo. Some of my favorite art mediums are photography (film sometimes - mostly digital) and knitting, sewing & crocheting. I love finding interesting textiles and making clothes for friends and myself :)

Hii, I’m Dora Hymes, I'm a senior at IYC, an integrated technology, design, and entrepreneurship school located in Los Angeles. I’ve always been interested in photography, especially photojournalism but after coming to my current school during my sophomore year it opened the door for new ways to express that creativity. I’ve had the opportunities to intern and collaborate for companies like Mattel, Adidas, and BOOCLT- an Urban Planning Company focused on uplifting Black communities local to me. Throughout this process, I learned how to use and incorporate multiple forms of media to communicate my ideas. What was most rewarding was seeing how impactful they could become.

If I’m not at school I like to volunteer at the Black Image Center helping to set up and manage events for local Black photographers and photojournalists or making smoothies at my weekend job. Throughout my four years of Highschool, I dedicated a lot of time to working and saving money. Now I am at the next phase of my life where I can look into investing that money. Although I don't dream of being on Wall Street, financial independence has always been a goal of mine.

I'm originally from the East Coast and grew up constantly moving around. I love going back during the holidays to visit my family. Taking time to connect more with my Afro-Cuban roots and taking the train to hang out with my friends in NYC. But ever since moving to LA, it has become home to me.

Hi! I’m Angelina, but most people call me Angie. I am a senior at Herbert Hoover High School in Glendale (but I’ve lived in Burbank most of my life). Art has always been a comfort to me and I am very grateful for where art has taken me to this day. I love painting, the process is just something that I adore. The mixing of paint and the creation of an idea is something that just seems to click for me whenever I have a brush and a canvas. I love children’s books. The Moomin books by Tove Jansson have become a recent obsession. Children’s books are something I would love to work on one day, and they are such an important aspect of people’s lives without them knowing it. I think that is part of why I like meeting new people so much. I used to tutor people in English who were new to the language and my favorite part of that job was talking to people about the little differing aspects of our lives, what they aspire to do, etc. Besides that, I love cooking. I cook with my mom a lot, which allows me to connect with not just her but also with my culture with the Filipino dishes she teaches me how to make. Baking is also another passion of mine, every year I bake something tailored for my friends on their birthdays. Some of my favorite musical artists are Hozier, Chappell Roan, Ethel Cain, David Bowie, and The Crystals. I embroider a lot, I have this jacket that just keeps being added to and I probably won’t stop adding to it unless I run out of space (and even then I’d probably find a way to make space). Currently, I am also working on curating my school’s art galleries for this year with two of my friends/classmates. It has been a lot of hard work, but I believe it will all pay off in the end!

Hi! My name is Sasha and I am a junior attending North Hollywood High School within the HGM program. Growing up, I remember every Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, birthday, etc. I would dedicate small artworks of scribbled Crayola crayons and markers for my recipients. Before I knew it, what started out as small gestures of appreciation soon turned into a passion-filled commitment to creating art. Within my Japanese household, a significant source of entertainment and now my inspiration was animations, whether it was an extensively detailed action scene or a dreamlike setting, each illustration frame fascinated me. Transferring this curiosity into personal creations, I now draw digitally, experimenting with perspectives, composition, and color. In hopes of conveying emotions and stories through my artworks, I view them as a medium of expression that never fails to provide a place of comfort. 

Alongside drawing, I enjoy making graphic designs for my school clubs, including the school-wide yearbook, HGM yearbook, literature and art magazine, robotics, and many more. With my interests centered around coding and art, in the future, I plan to collaborate these interests within the video game space where my art can be used as sprites, models, etc. Whenever I’m in deep focus, whether creating art or being irritated by my Physics homework, you will most likely find me listening to a true crime podcast or vibing to a wave-to-earth song.

Hiii! My name is Bella, I'm a junior at John Marshall Senior High School. Born and raised in the now gentrified neighborhood of Echo Park, and also daughter of two Guatemalan immigrants. At a young age, I remember asking my mom to change the TV channel to PBS just so I could watch Bob Ross paint for hours. His show brought me a sense of calm and inspiration that I wasn't able to find elsewhere. Nowadays I channel my love for art through different forms of hip-hop dance, photography, and music. I would say that at the moment I'm very passionate about my photography. My camera lens is my superpower, I love documenting and empowering different cultures in my community through my photography. With my work, I inspire to bring attention to misrepresentation and underrepresentation that marginalized communities often face. By sharing these different stories and voices through my photos, I hope it can bring conversations of change and understanding.

Sophia Hohannisyan, a senior at Crescenta Valley High School, has a dual passion for history and art. She is especially interested in learning about the roots and origins of people and their environment. A few years ago she worked for her local neighborhood newspaper, where she conducted research using archived newspapers and wrote a column about the city's origins. After this experience, Sophia realized the importance of persevering history and maintaining a connection with the past to better understand the present. Wherever Sophia goes she is always on the hunt for exhibits and museums. She is inspired by how art is always evolving, yet still manages to create such a deep human connection. Taking AP art history truly changed Sophia's perspective on art. She believes that art serves as a universal language, fostering a sense of shared humanity between people from all around the world. When Sophia isn't busy learning about the history of art, you might find her making clothes or knick-knacks out of old fabrics. She enjoys creating unique artifacts that connect to specific subjects that she studies.

Hi, I’m Felix and I’m a senior at New West Charter. Ever since I was a kid I’ve loved going to museums which sparked my interest in art. My dad practiced architecture, so I was exposed to design at a young age, and that fueled my creative interests. A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to take a sneaker construction class, and I learned how to sew leather and construct a shoe. This led me to pursue two internships; the first I taught the same course I took, teaching people how to make sneakers from scratch, and the second was making upcycled streetwear.

In my free time, I love hanging out with my friends, finding interesting restaurants or places to grab dinner, discovering local events, or going skating and biking. I also love spending time watching experimental and obscure movies, resulting in me starting a club at my school so that I could have more of an excuse to watch weird films. Otherwise, I love sewing clothes and bags while listening to some of my favorite artists like Tyler, the Creator, The Strokes, and The Cure.

Hey, I’m Lion! I’m a senior at Loyola High School, and this is my first year at MOCA. Growing up, I loved reading and writing, and feel so lucky to have been raised in a city as diverse and creative as LA. The exposure to so many different kinds of art from a young age has fueled my appreciation for all of its many forms, and I carry this into my own work, creating at any chance and with any medium I can get from piano to pastel. At school, I’m the editor of the annual arts magazine and run the French club, Club club, and Philosophy club. I’m also on the school's distance running team and help with outreach tutoring.

A large part of my family lives in England, and I am lucky enough to get to see them almost every summer. Over the years, I have had opportunities to visit other countries as well, which has exposed me to so many different cultures and the unique ways that they express themselves. I am beyond grateful for that experience, and hope to use what I have learned to help this program while continuing to learn as I go.

Sofía Casias is a second-year MOCA teen and senior at Eagle Rock High School whose passion for global connection has led her on a constant path of figuring out what she can learn next. Growing up on piles of books, Thievery Corporation, and tortillas con mantequilla, Sofía’s life has always been intertwined with a multitude of cultures. As of now she still is in the process of unraveling the intricacies of her own mixed, largely Mexican-Irish, roots. Sofía finds comfort in staying busy, immersing herself in subjects ranging from social justice to playing trumpet in the school band.

This past summer she worked with 501(c)3 NELA non-profit Clockshop to advocate for housing justice. Currently, she is the co-president of her club, The Bookshelf, a student-led organization dedicated to increasing teen literacy and engagement with the arts. And this year she is a proudly Editor-in-Chief for her school’s newspaper The Eagle’s Scream.

Inspired by her love of code, she is in awe of data analysis art and hopes to bridge the gap between the arts and STEM. Overall, Sofía has one passion she is certain will both pursue and follow her in the future: fighting climate change. Recently, she has been interested in addressing the climate crisis as a cultural problem that requires equitable cultural solutions.

Hii I’m Tehmina Malhotra. For as long as I can remember, art has been an outlet for my feelings, passions, and creativity. I love all forms of art, whether that means spending days on a large-scale painting or just doodling on a page of homework.

I’m currently a junior at Harvard-Westlake and I love being a part of the visual arts program as well as being a leader of Stonecutters, our school’s art and literary magazine. Outside of school, I love spending time with family and friends, going to In and Out, and volunteering at my local dog shelter. Being a Parsi, South Asian, female is a huge part of my identity and I strive to make the art world a more inclusive and representative space for all people. One way I try to accomplish this is through my own artwork. I love including symbols of my heritage or my own identity as a way to diversify my art. I also love watching movies and shows and am known to have a small obsession with Friends and the Dark Knight Trilogy. I hope to explore new connections and opportunities in the art world and am so excited to be a part of the MOCA team!!

Hi, my name is Roberto Ortiz. I am a senior at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts. As a first-generation citizen, I grew up watching my parents work tirelessly, which gave me a deep appreciation for hard work. Yet, It also fueled my desire to follow a path I'm truly passionate about. Over the years, I’ve gradually found new ways to express myself--starting from simple cartoon drawings to teaching myself design software and programming, all in pursuit of blending technology and art to create my unique style. I’m especially drawn to graphic design and spend most of my time creating endless motifs, whether in my sketchbook or on the computer. Lately, I’ve been focused on creating large surreal oil paintings. 

Whenever I have the chance, I look for something exciting and new to try. I volunteer alongside my mother at food drives and distributions with Labor Community Services. I also enjoy playing romantic Chopin and Debussy pieces on the piano, staying up late to edit my experimental films, and going out with friends to watch the city’s sunset.

Hi! My name is Zeinab and I'm currently a senior at Iovine and Young Center Magnet. I am half Oromo & half Soninke; two incredible cultures hailing from opposite ends of Africa- east and west. One of my most character-defining traits is my tendency to hyper-fixate on things. This has bestowed upon me an endless supply of interests. From art, literature, ethnic studies, and social justice to machine learning, robotics, martial arts, and fashion—just to name a few. More than anything, I'm interested in how these aspects of my identity can overlap. That is what inspired my career goal as an AI ethicist & passion for cultural conservation and artistic advocacy.

Currently, I am the founder & president of my high school robotics team, a weapons instructor for my kenpo karate dojo, a designer for West African clothing, an older sister of four, and an active volunteer member for my local mosque. I hope to continue learning and discovering more about myself through these passions and my time at Moca!

Hi there! My name is Mallika. I’m a senior at Sierra Canyon and a second-year MOCA teen! I have loved art since I can remember, growing up surrounded by it in different forms of visual and performing art. My Tamil background influences a lot of my art, especially through dance. I have been dancing Bharatanatyam, a form of Indian classical dance, for 12 years. I now get to teach dance to students every weekend.

In my free time, I enjoy reading and playing the piano. When I’m not doing those things, you can find me watching a comedy show (my personal favorites are Community and New Girl). My favorite songs are Despues de la Playa, Thing I Wish You Said, and Ey Sandakaara. I am also the editor-in-chief of my school newspaper and literary magazine.

Hi! I’m Salma and I’m a junior at South El Monte High School. I’ve always been very immersed in art since I was a kid. One aspect I really enjoy about art is the way it can build and bring communities together. I have a big interest in film! Some of my favorite directors are Gregg Araki, Alfonso Cuarón, Sofia Coppola, and Micheal Hanke. I’m a part of both my school’s cross-country and soccer teams. I am also a member of my school's MEChA (Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlán) club. During my free time, I like to dance, read, hang out with my friends, and attend shows in my local music scene. One of my favorite hobbies is photography because you can tell so many great stories through photography and learn about different people's perspectives.

Hey, my name’s Peter. I’m a senior at Los Angeles County High School for the Arts (LACHSA). I’ve loved creating my whole life, expressing myself mostly through piano and visual arts. Recently, I’ve been drawn to trying new mediums, like cyanotype printing and plaster sculpture, but I’m most comfortable with a paintbrush in hand. I’m also very interested in art history, diving into the lives of my favorite artists, and understanding the worlds they reflect. 

On a free weekend, you’ll find me perusing the exhibitions at the Hammer Museum and exploring the wide variety of pickled goods at my local farmer’s market. I love my friends a ton, enjoy tasting new foods, hearing new music, and experiencing a nice novelty of any kind.