Sai Jallow Edelstein was born and raised, for the most part, in the smallest country on mainland Africa: the Gambia. She spent her childhood reading every book she could get her hands on—including those on shelves assumed safely out of her reach. A peripatetic life with longer stints in the Gambia, Sierra Leone, England, Canada, Ethiopia, and now the United States, coupled with an eclectic education in law, biology, political science, and economics, have given her a wry and incisive perspective on the human experience. Since finding her spiritual home in Judaism, Sai lives in Virginia with her husband, newborn daughter, and their dog, Plato. 

Rachel Faulkner is a community organizer, social justice advocate, and anti-racist educator. She currently serves as the Senior Director of National Campaigns and Partnerships at the National Council of Jewish Women, where she oversees issue-based campaigns including antisemitism education, abortion access, and civil rights and works to build cross-organizational relationships that ensure those most impacted by these issues are centered in mobilizing the Jewish community. Additionally, Rachel served as the National Organizer for #JWOCMarching, is an alum of Bend the Arc's Selah program and the Wexner Field Fellowship, and has supported several Jewish organizations in reaching their anti-racist and equity-centered goals through her consulting work. Ultimately, Rachel is passionate about ensuring that the voices of Jewish Women of Color are centered in Judaism and in the greater world, but when she's not busy doing that, she spends time with her five-year-old daughter Ori Justice, taking walks around the nation's capital and building expert LEGO builds.

Emily McDonnell is a fourth-year PhD candidate at UNC Chapel Hill, where she researches Indigenous geographies, tourism, and contemporary identity. Originally from Arizona, she is a proud citizen of the Navajo Nation. As an avid traveler, she credits her upbringing on the (Navajo) reservation for giving her a strong sense of identity, while encouraging her to meet people from diverse places and backgrounds. She especially enjoys traveling to other Indigenous and Jewish communities around the world. Emily describes herself as a NavaJew and is always looking for new ways to blend her unique identities. Guided by traditional Navajo and Jewish values, she strongly believes in public service and is involved in local Jewish and Native organizations. Outside of work and research, she enjoys cooking, running, practicing her Spanish, and spending time with her husband, family, and friends.   

Anjelica Ruiz is the Director of Libraries and Archives at Temple Emanu-El in Dallas. She holds a BA in criminology from St. Edward’s University, an MS in criminal justice from Texas State University, and an MS in library science from the University of North Texas. She is part of cohort 11 of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion's Executive Masters in Jewish Education program. She sits on the Commission on Social Action of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism and is an alumna of the Union for Reform Judaism’s JewV’Nation Fellowship and Bend the Arc’s Selah Leadership Program. She is passionate about writing and has attended the Yale Writers Workshop. She has published an essay about her conversion to Judaism and writes on her website, www.anjelicaruiz.com. She is married to Stephen Tinnin and they share three children, Tinnin, Nora, and Eliza. 

Hannah Joy Sachs is an experiential educator. After obtaining her BA in Sociology (Davidson) and MSc in Migration Studies (Oxford), she has worked around the world, leading immersive programs for young adults and emerging change makers. Though she was raised in and remains based in New York, she also considers many parts of East and Southeast Asia “home.” Throughout her travels, writing has always allowed Hannah to process and reflect on the people, places, and cultures she encountered. She is delighted to be part of JWA’s inaugural Pomegranate Writing Fellowship and is eager to continue growing and refining her writing skills. Outside her professional and academic pursuits, Hannah is an equestrian; nothing improves her mood as much as spending time with some of her favorite horses! In moments of downtime, she also loves reading, crafting, spending time with loved ones, and rooting for the New York Yankees.