January 2026 Newsletter
Meet Parag
Parag S. Gohel is joining our team with a background in the arts and has had a strong presence in the Pittsburgh arts community for over 15 years. More recently, he served as the Director of Education and Engagement at Pittsburgh Public Theater, Director of Education at Quantum Theatre, and was a lead artist with The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust’s Arts Education Department, alongside adjunct teaching positions at the University of Pittsburgh and Point Park University. His interdisciplinary journey fuels a deep passion for the creative process and the people behind it. In 2022 he was named TCG Rising Leader of Color and this honor reflects his principles of “joyful collaboration and artistic imagination, holding equity and excellence in the same hand.”
In his role as PRYSE Academy Program Manager, Parag will be working closely alongside Cody and Amya, who is back as our PRYSE Academy Operations Coordinator, to plan and facilitate our 5-week summer program. During his first few weeks Parag has been getting to know our team and familiarizing himself with the many processes and partners of PRYSE Academy.
National Mentoring Month
January was National Mentoring Month, and we celebrated at ARYSE by releasing four videos in collaboration with Randall Coleman at Redd Vision that focus on relationships current and former ARYSE students have built with staff and other adults in their lives. The word mentor comes from an ancient Greek word for “adviser” and shares roots with "to think". The Greek philosopher Plutarch once wrote, “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled.”
In their reflections, our students built on this idea—”I feel like everyone at ARYSE has helped me to grow into a more responsible young woman,” “now I can illustrate something and stand up in front of people… this really has pushed me up to who I am today,” “I’m always in the mode of creating something.” So much at ARYSE runs on mentorship, in service of our vision of a future where refugee and immigrant youth, grounded in the power of their knowledge and experiences, confidently lead communities and thrive in a world that celebrates their voices. You can hear those voices today by watching the videos on YouTube.
Watch Here
Program Updates
After School Club
"I don’t think it’s a surprise to anyone to say that January started with the students’ favorite things - cancellations and snow delays! The extreme weather throughout the month caused many local schools to cancel in-person school days and shift to remote learning. As a result, After School Club’s launch for the semester has been delayed until February.
In the meantime, we’ve been enrolling more students, providing individual support, and preparing for the semester ahead. We are continuing our partnership with Dr. Schulze at Duquesne University and are welcoming approximately 30 new mentors from her community-engaged class as mentors. Over the next few months, we will be moving into our summer job search and post-secondary exploration programming blocks. I am looking forward to a great semester ahead!"
-Mike Sirera (he/him). Program Manager
Girls Art and Maker Group
"A snowstorm cannot stop Girls Art and Maker Group! We spent a very chill Saturday together including karaoke, hot chocolate and vision boards. To start the day, we talked about the ways that we change over time and how we plan for our futures.
Before introducing our vision board activity, we started planning out our yearly community art project. In previous years this has been a tapestry, a painted canvas and a yearbook. This year students showed great interest in doing a communal mosaic! For our vision boarding activity, students were given images and text to help illustrate their hopes for 2026.
I look forward to our February meeting as we start our communal project and look forward to warmer weather. Thank you to the students that came out in the cold, as well as our volunteers and all who make Girls Group possible."
-Erica Hughes (she/they), Program Manager
Youth Steering Committee
"Despite the cold, the YSC vibes this winter have been very warm! Students spent a lot of time building relationships with ARYSE staff, board members and other community leaders! In December, YSC members continued working on professional development skills (crafting resumes) and collaboration skills (communication and team-building game). Afterwards, they joined staff and board members at our annual bowling event!
In January, YSC members joined the final day of our staff retreat where they deepened relationships with staff and reflected on and partook in decision making conversations about the future of ARYSE. Students also engaged with local community leaders in a conversation around how we show up for our communities, especially in a time where the safety of immigrants and refugees and many other communities is threatened. Super grateful to work with such a dynamic group of young leaders!"
-Meg Booth (she/her), Youth Education and Advocacy Specialist
Post-Secondary Support
"The weather outside—both meteorological and political—has been frightful, but the students and mentors of the Post-Secondary Support program have been coming together despite it all. When snow came in December, we prevailed with a virtual meeting where students set SMART goals for the future, and when the cold gave us a lower turnout than usual for our January meeting, we spent our time together reflecting on current events and how we find community, safety, support, and joy in our private spaces and out in the world.
There’s a lot to come this spring, from campus visits to our financial empowerment event series, and I can’t wait to see all our students accomplish as they head toward graduation. A huge shout out to our current college students as well, who recently kicked off their second semester and are handling business with resilience and style!"
-Dakota Rottino-Garilli (she/her), Program Manager
PRYSE Academy
"It might be cold and snowy here in Pennsylvania, but for some of us, the summer has already started! How is this possible you ask? Well, to put it simply, the summer always starts on the first of January when you work in summer enrichment programs!
In January, our growing team held its first planning meeting for PRYSE 2026, setting a course for what will surely be a busy and exciting season. We look forward to reconnecting with all our amazing partners, meeting new folks during our upcoming hiring campaign, and sharing more details about what this upcoming and amazing summer will look like for students. Stay cozy and just know that sunny days are coming soon!"
-Cody Weisel (he/him), Program Manager
