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educator ACTIVIST speaker

        Helena Lourdes Donato-Sapp is a 15-year-old national and global award-winning activist, educator, artist, poet, and speaker who believes that it is urgent for young people like her to understand and be empowered to confront critical issues like anti-Blackness, ableism, misogyny, homophobia, and climate change. She is keenly aware that humanity is in crisis, and that her generation stands to inherit a world still struggling with injustice, assaults to democracy, and threats to the environment. Helena’s positionality makes this all personal — she is Black, disabled - neurodivergent, a teenager, American, an adopted daughter to Queer fathers, and a birth daughter to Haitian immigrants, whose one father is an immigrant from the Philippines, and whose one father grew up in poverty in Appalachia. Thus, she is an activist for social, economic, and environmental justice who understands that Activism is as much a fight as it is the pursuit of peace, and must always be inclusive and intersectional.

        Guided by her experiences, family values, and intersecting identities, her scholarship and activism is currently focused on Disability Justice, Anti-bullying, Black Girlhood, and Decolonizing Education. She has published academic chapters and articles in books, peer-reviewed journals and magazines, exhibited art in museums, and spoken to audiences nationwide. Helena has presented in major academic conferences and is a sought-after keynote speaker. Most notably, she has delivered multiple keynotes in her partnership with the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the nation with 3 million members, and its subsidiary state associations.

        The impact of Helena’s work is recognized by colleges and universities, local and state government, the disability community, feminist organizations, a national think tank, and global NGOs through collaborations, appointments, and awards. She has been featured in magazines, podcasts and blogs, and news articles. She appeared on the Disney Channel for Black History Month in 2023 as a featured “Young, Gifted, and Black” changemaker, and more recently on Discovery Education as a national model for the concept of empathy. Her work has also brought her into new leadership roles. In the City of Long Beach, Helena is newly appointed as a member of the inaugural Commission for Women and Girls, holding the distinction of being its youngest member and the youngest Commissioner in the history of the city. In addition, Helena is Senior Blog Team Leader and Editor for the Feminist Focus blog, as well as a member of the international Student Advisory Board of Girls Learn International.

        Helena has received national and global awards. She is featured in the Summer 2024 issue of Diversity in Action (Advancing STEAM Students and Professionals) as “20 Under 20 who are making a difference.” In March 2024, she received the 2024 Yes I Can Award in Academics from the Council for Exceptional Children, the largest international professional organization dedicated to high-quality education that is inclusive and equitable for individuals with disabilities. In November 2023, she flew to London, UK as a finalist for the Global Youth Awards, where she took home the top award in the category of Educational Leadership as the youngest winner overall as well as the only winner from the United States. Helena is the recipient of the 2023-2024 Heumann-Armstrong Award from The Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy and Innovation at Loyola Law School for her advocacy to improve access in schooling. She was also awarded a grant for Educators Working for Disability Justice by the Abolitionist Teaching Network, which not only continued its support for the second year in 2023-2024, but further highlighted her work as a “Featured Grantee.”  She was first awarded the grant in 2022

        Helena was again the youngest honoree on the 2022 D-30 Disability Impact List which recognizes 30 individuals around the world who impact the inclusion, leadership, and representation of people with disabilities in various domains. Also in 2022, she was awarded “16 Under 16 in STEM” from The 74 as one of the nation’s most notable teen thinkers and doers. In 2021, she was celebrated as one of New Moon Girls Magazine’s “21 Beautiful Girls.” In 2020, Helena and her dads were presented with the prestigious Generations Award which recognizes one family’s lifelong and multi-generational commitment to social justice, equity, and inclusion for all people.

        As a rising civic leader, Helena is deeply engaged in the communities she resides. In celebration of Women’s History Month in 2023, Helena was the youngest recognized by the 69th District Assembly of California as one of its Women of Distinction for her service in the category of Education. During Pride month, California 33rd District Senator Lena A. Gonzalez along with Congressman Robert Garcia, Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal, formally honored Helena for her courageous work in lifting up LGBTQ+ families. When she graduated from her K-8 school in June 2023, Helena proudly received the school’s culminating namesake award for exemplifying its mission and core values, and demonstrating excellence in character and academics as well as in the arts and athletics. 

        The Designated Poet of the National Institutes for Historically-Underserved Students since 2009, Helena was recently awarded the title of Youth Poet Laureate of the City of Long Beach for 2024-2025, following her role as an inaugural Youth Poet Ambassador in the previous year. In July 2024, Helena was also one of the 15 distinguished finalists for the title of 2024 Los Angeles Youth Poet Laureate and was proudly awarded the role of Los Angeles Youth Poet Ambassador. An early lover of letters, she has relished poetry since her first copy of Goodnight, Moon, a book she adored so much as a baby she quite literally ate it! Her second publication is a poem entitled “Black Girl Magic is a Glorious Gift,” in the anthology Strong Black Girls: Patchwork Stories of Remembrance, Resistance, and Resilience in K-12 Schooling, and is a celebration of Black Girlhood. Poetry, such as “Future Me Thanks You” and “A Disability Justice Poem: Be Kind and Be Fierce,” has been embedded in her keynote speeches and in much of her scholarly work as a literary vehicle for her message. As an activist, Helena relies on poetic language to activate emotion, in particular the emotion of caring. In so doing, she realizes the power of poetry as an antidote to apathy.

        Indeed, Helena believes in the universal power of The Arts to transform society. In Summer 2023, her original painting was unveiled at Los Angeles City Hall by the Department of Cultural Affairs as the cover of the 2023 LGBT Heritage Month Calendar and Cultural Guide. Helena plays the violin and enjoys an eclectic mix of music, from classical and classic rock to 1980s pop. In their final public community performance, her school’s String Ensemble earned a prize with Helena at the helm as Concert Master. A Storyteller and Poet, Helena dreams of breaking into film or television as a Writer, Actor, and Director. She recently shot and finished her first short-form documentary for a national contest. In March 2024, she presented her first academic chapter in Film Studies at a conference in Boston as a member of the Society for Cinema and Media Studies, which is dedicated to the scholarly study of film, television, video and new media. While she loves classic films and admires renowned filmmakers, Helena is disheartened by the inequities still prevalent in the industry and is inspired to make positive change, promising, for instance, to center underrepresented people and their stories in her films. 

        Helena loves to travel with her family, and has enjoyed visiting Rome, London, Paris, Sydney, and Amsterdam overseas, and New Jersey, Philadelphia, Boston, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Montgomery, Orlando, and Parkersburg stateside. In her Sophomore year of high school, Helena proudly joins the Creative Writing conservatory at a renowned arts school in California. Second to the writing arts, her favorite subjects include Science, Spanish, and Theater. Helena loves History, reading mystery novels, and everything Science Fiction. Outside of school, she has dedicated years to the practice of Martial Arts and has recently earned a Green Belt in karate. 

        See her latest projects and blog, read testimonials and reviews of her work, and follow her on social media!

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Awards, Features, and Partnerships

the Latest

Invited Keynotes

CTA Region II Leadership Conference

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2024).  Invited Keynote Address on Disability Justice.  California Teachers Association Region II Leadership Conference, Reno, NV, October 6, 2024.

Helena was again invited to speak to the educators of California Teachers Association at the leadership conference for CTA Region II in Reno.  She spoke on the topics of disability rights and inclusion, intersectionality, anti-bullying, and youth empowerment.  Helena shared the story of her traumatic birth and its enduring consequences — how it led to multiple non-apparent disabilities and the problems she faces as a disabled student in school.  Helena also shared stories of those educators that championed her disabilities to provide her a fair and equal education.

CTA Region I Leadership Conference

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2024).  Invited Keynote Address on Disability Justice.  California Teachers Association Region I Leadership Conference, San Jose, CA, September 15, 2024.

Helena was honored with an invitation to speak to the educators of California Teachers Association at their leadership conference in San Jose.  Her keynote centered on disability rights and inclusion, but also touched on the topics of intersectionality, anti-bullying, and youth empowerment.  Helena shared her birth story, how her early medical trauma led to multiple non-apparent disabilities, the problems she faces as a disabled student in school, and told stories of those educators that championed her disabilities to provide her a fair and equal education.

NJ education association impact conference


“One of the major conferences we traveled to over the summer was in Princeton, New Jersey, where I was honored with the invitation to deliver a keynote for the amazing educators of the New Jersey Education Association. Thank you, New Jersey Education Association, for your warm reception, the standing ovation, countless loving affirmations, and most importantly for allowing me to share my stories and goal of making schooling more equitable for students with disabilities. You are all Champions!”

  — Helena Donato-Sapp

#genz #youthactivism #disabilityjustice #poetry #changemakers #july4  #disabilityadvocacy #disabilityrights #disabilityinclusion #disabilityjustice @neatoday

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2024).  Invited Keynote Address on Disability Justice.  New Jersey Education Association’s Impact Conference, Princeton, New Jersey, July 17, 2024.

Helena was invited to speak to the educators of New Jersey at a professional development conference.  Her keynote was on disability rights and inclusion – a topic she is known for world-wide.  Helena shared her birth story, how her early medical trauma led to multiple non-apparent disabilities, the problems she faces as a disabled student in school, and told stories of those educators that championed her disabilities to provide her a fair and equal education.

In the Media

Washington Post

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2024).  An assessment of disability rights in the U.S. schooling system.  The Washington Post Live, June 20, 2024.

Excerpts from Helena’s keynote address at the  National Education Association Leadership Summit in 2023 became part of a conversation on disability rights and inclusion in schools. The livestream by The Washington Post featured prominent figures in the movement — Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, NEA President Becky Pringle, the National Center for Learning Disabilities CEO Jacqueline Rodriguez, and Ford Foundation program officer for U.S. disability rights Rebecca Cokley.  Like them, Helena believes that the Disability Rights movement is the civil rights movement of her generation, and she is grateful for the opportunities to contribute to the work! 

Watch the full video in the Post here and on YouTube here.

International Presentation

Gender and Education conference

Donato-Sapp, H.  (June 17-20, 2024).  How I Built Myself Into A 14-Year-Old Black Girl Scholar Brick-By-Brick.  20th International Gender and Education Association Conference.  Charles Sturt University, Port Macquarie, Australia, June 17-20, 2024.  

Helena began publishing professionally when she was in third-grade and as a globally award-winning activist, educational leader, and scholar, adults sometimes doubt her capability to accomplish so much.  This chapter is her response back to naysayers who don’t believe young people are capable of intelligent and rigorous scholarship.  Helena first presented these ideas on  October 8-9, 2021, at the Geographies of Black Girlhoods in Education Research Conference, which was a part of the Black Girlhoods in Education Research Collective out of CUNY.  It is now a chapter in a book by Esther O. Ohita, Sherry L. Deckman, August G. Smith, and Lucía Mock Munoz de Luna and will be published by AERA Books.

A special thanks to Dr. Cristyn Davies for her technical assistance during the presentation.

Port Macquarie & Sydney, NSW  June 2024

Prestigious List

20 under twenty in ste(a)m

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2024).  Diversity in Action’s 20 Under 20 List.  Summer 2024.  Diversity in Action Magazine, Volume 10, Number 4, page 46.

Helena was honored to be named to Diversity in Action’s 2024 list of young innovators who are changing the world.  Diversity in Action is a digital and print publication dedicated to supporting and promoting diversity in science, technology, engineering, the arts and math.  This is Helena’s second national STE(A)M award.  Read the Summer issue of Diversity in Action here.

National Campaigns

get out the vote

Donato-Sapp, H. , Art Build Workers.  (2024).  Get out the vote.  Featured figure and image in the GOTV campaign at The National Education Association Representative Assembly.  Philadelphia, PA, July 1-6, 2024.

Ahead of the 2024 National Elections, preeminent Artist Kim Cosier of Art Build Workers honored Helena with the invitation to use her image on a 40-foot parachute banner for The National Education Association’s Get Out the VOTE campaign at their annual Representative Assembly.  Helena and her fathers joined ABW artists Kim Cosier, Jeanette Arellano, Joe Brusky, Paul Kjelland, Nicolas Lampert, Claudio Martinez, and Josie Osborne, along with countless volunteers in the collective effort.  The artists’ booth also featured the production of two other political banners as well as the creative coloring of miniature cloth flags which included the same image of Helena in a green knit vest forming the symbolic heart gesture with her hands.  Timelapse video below courtesy of Art Build Workers.

Disability Rights and Inclusion campaign


In this gallery: 

NEA Disability Rights and Inclusion Campaign  Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA  July 1-6, 2024

NEA Conference on Racial and Social Justice Panel  Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, PA  June 30 - July 2, 2024

#genz #youthactivism #disabilityjustice #poetry #changemakers #july4   #disabilityadvocacy #disabilityrights #disabilityinclusion #disabilityjustice @neatoday

2023-Present    The National Education Association and Helena Donato-Sapp present “Become a Champion for Disability Rights and Inclusion” campaign.

Helena often speaks of the educators in her life who understand and accommodate her multiple – and invisible – learning disabilities as her “Champions.”  Becky Pringle, the President of the NEA, was so taken with Helena’s concept of champions that the NEA has partnered with Helena to do a national campaign with her to reach the NEA’s 3 million educators with important information about disability rights and inclusion.

In the Community

The Reverend Donato-Sapp

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2024).  An introduction to disability justice and poetry reading at The Unitarian Universalist Church of Long Beach, Long Beach, CA, July 21, 2024.

Helena was invited to do the Sunday morning talk for Disability Awareness Month and share with this local congregation on the topic of disability justice.  She also shared two new poems in her new role as Youth Poet Laureate of the city of Long Beach.  One poem was titled “Neurodivergent Activist Poet” and spoke on the topic what it is like to be neurodivergent in the poetry community.  The second poem, titled “I Don’t Know This God of Yours” was her critical look at evangelicalism as an activist and atheist.

Featured Literacy Leader

Donato-Sapp, H.  Long Beach Leaders are Readers 2024 recognition given by the Long Beach Public Library Foundation to a leader in the city.

Long Beach Leaders Are Readers is a monthly series by the Long Beach Public Library Foundation and the Long Beach Public Library that spotlights a favorite book by a leader in the city. Helena was given the honor in July 2024 in her role as Long Beach Youth Poet Laureate for 2024-2025, and she shared “Figure It Out, Henri Weldon” by Tanita S. Davis to highlight Disability Awareness Month. It’s a true honor for a lover of books! Community leaders previously featured include the legendary Billie Jean King, Congressman Robert Garcia, and Mayor Rex Richardson. Read the full article here.

Youth empowerment

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2024).  Girls Are Limitless.  Invited keynote for 4GIRLS of Long Beach.  Long Beach City College, Long Beach, CA, March 24, 2024.

4GIRLS inspires and empowers middle school girls to identify themselves as authentic, confident, and resilient, preparing them for real-life success.  Helena was asked to keynote to 100 middle school girls on the theme of girls being limitless.

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2024).  Poetry reading to launch Youth Day Long Beach 2024.   Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo High School, Long Beach, CA, May 4, 2024.

May the 4th be with Youth. Happening now. I’ve been given the honor of kicking off Youth Day Long Beach 2024 with a poem. Thank you to the office of @rexrichardsonlb for the honor! Go Long Beach! More power to our youth! 

#youthdayinthelbc #youthdayinthelbc2024 #youthpoet

Flashback

Graduation Award

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2023).  The Westerly Way Award.  Westerly School of Long Beach.  Long Beach, CA, June 15, 2023.

The Westerly Way Award is a culminating award given at graduation to the one Westerly School student who most exemplifies and demonstrates the mission and core values of Westerly School.  This student is exemplary across all potential dimensions of personal development, including academic, athletic, and artistic achievement, as well as advancing and living the core values of Westerly School.  Being seen and awarded in her own community is, indeed, the greatest award of all.

A Gallery of Champions

Helena’s first champions.  Westerly School of Long Beach.  Long Beach, CA, 2014-2023.

In the stories that she shares as an Educator working for Disability Justice, Helena talks about the champions in her life — her own educators who understand and accommodate her multiple non-apparent learning disabilities, who recognize her assets and support her to succeed, and who stand by her side in the fight for the just and fair education every student deserves.  Her clarion call for champions and her powerful framework around their work of disability justice has resulted in a partnership with the National Education Association on a campaign called “Become a Champion for Disability Rights and Inclusion” (2023).  This is a gallery of the champions in Helena’s K-8 schooling. (A few others are not pictured.)

Highlights

A model of empathy

as seen on

Helena is featured in a topic series for the Discovery Education platform.  The series features the stories of three different students, and Producer Allison Andrews believed Helena represents the character quality of empathy.  Discovery Education is the worldwide EdTech leader whose state-of-the-art digital platform supports learning wherever it takes place.  Through its award-winning multimedia content, instructional supports, and innovative classroom tools, Discovery Education helps educators deliver equitable learning experiences engaging all students and supporting higher academic achievement on a global scale.  Discovery Education serves approximately 4.5 million educators and 45 million students worldwide, and its resources are accessed in over 100 countries and territories.

Donato-Sapp, H.  (March 10-12, 2023).  Disability Justice.  “Joy, Justice, Excellence: The Strength of Educators. The Brilliance of Students. The Power of Community.”  National Education Association’s National Leadership Summit.  Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco.

Read more about the National Education Association’s Leadership Summit.  

Dear Helena,…you reminded us ‘to help educate those who hinder us’ by helping to right the systems that diminish those with disabilities, working to end ableism, and by supporting those with disabilities who are leading the way for disability rights.

On behalf of 3 million NEA members across this nation, I thank you for sharing your wisdom and superpowers with the very people who are poised to make a difference in every child’s life.

In solidarity,

Becky Pringle

President, National Education Association

Read NEA President Rebecca Pringle’s Full Letter.

2023-Present    The National Education Association and Helena Donato-Sapp present “Become a Champion for Disability Rights and Inclusion” campaign.

Helena often speaks of the educators in her life who understand and accommodate her multiple – and invisible – learning disabilities as her “Champions.”  Becky Pringle, the President of the NEA, was so taken with Helena’s concept of champions that the NEA has partnered with Helena to do a national campaign with her to reach the NEA’s 3 million educators with important information about disability rights and inclusion.  Find out more about the campaign here.

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2023).  Disability rights.  Invited keynote speaker for The National Education Association’s Representative Assembly.  Orlando, Florida, July 2-6, 2023.

Continuing to build upon her work with the NEA, Helena was invited to address the 9,000 delegates of the NEA Representative Assembly and speak to them about disability rights and inclusion.  Listen to her keynote here.


In this gallery: 

NEA Leadership Summit 2023 Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA March 10-12, 2023

NEA Representative Assembly 2023 Orange County Convention Center,

Orlando, FL July 1-6, 2023

#genz #youthactivism #disabilityjustice #poetry #changemakers #july4 #keynotespeaker #keynote #keynoteaddress #disabilityadvocacy #disabilityrights #disabilityinclusion #disabilityjustice @neatoday

Youngest Commissioner

2024-Present    Commission for Women and Girls for the City of Long Beach, CA.  Helena was recently appointed as an inaugural member of this new and prestigious Commission in her hometown. She is the youngest Commissioner in the history of Long Beach. Gender-based inequities remain despite decades of work for gender equality, as 63% of Black women head of households are rent-burdened, while White men earn nearly two times as much as Latinas. In response to these persistent concerns, the City of Long Beach established the city’s first Commission for Women and Girls.  Envisioned by Councilwoman Renee Simon nearly 50 years ago, then sponsored by Vice Mayor Cindy Allen, and spearheaded today by lifelong activist Zoe Nicholson, the LBCWG will build partnerships with direct service providers and nonprofit organizations that will strengthen efforts to improve the quality of life for women and girls in Long Beach.  Helena was thrilled to be invited by Mayor Rex Richardson to this coveted city position as a result of her enduring commitment to   feminist work.

Magazine Feature

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2023).  Youth Series:  Helena Lourdes Donato-Sapp.  Mission Magazine, Issue 9 on Identity, pgs. 144-145.

Mission Magazine is a global fashion magazine with a purpose-driven mission to raise awareness around global social causes such as human rights, peace and security, climate justice, STEM, gender, and youth issues.  Mission Magazine is not only about giving back, it also aims to engage socially conscious people and companies through the lens of fashion to help those in need.  Helena was featured in this global fashion magazine by invitation and is a part of their series on young global changemakers.  She is the youngest changemaker featured in the issue.  Click here to see Helena’s feature.

Keynote to college leaders

President Chris Gilmer honored Helena with an invitation to keynote for the Community Colleges of Appalachia Fall Conference at WVU Potomac State College in Keyser, WV.  President Gilmer was the first to give Helena, at the age of 10 in 2019, her first big national platform when he named her Designated Poet of the National Institutes for Historically-Underserved Students. The conference theme was on “Exploring Inclusion and Belonging in Community Colleges” and Helena spoke about intersectionality, anti-bullying, Black girlhood, Disability Justice, and the joys and challenges of being a neurodivergent student in K-8 and High School. She concluded her talk with a poem she originally wrote in 2019 for the Institutes titled “Future Me Thanks You.”

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Awards

International

Global Youth Awards

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2023-2024).  The Global Youth Award in Educational Leadership.  

The Global Youth Awards is a celebration of youth around the world with nominations from nearly 70 countries.  Helena found out she was a finalist in the Educational Leadership category and traveled to London, UK for the awards ceremony on November 18, 2023, and was one of only 12 winners world-wide, the youngest awardee, and the only awardee from the United States.

D-30 Disability Impact list

2022.  Global Influencer Helena Donato-Sapp.  

Diversability is an international community of people with disabilities on a mission to elevate disability pride.  Now in its third year, the D-30 Disability Impact List recognizes the unique accomplishments of its most impactful community members globally through a nomination and selection process.  Out of almost 250 nominations from around the world,  Helena has been named as one of 30 Honorees for 2022.  Helena also has the distinction of being the youngest in her cohort and the youngest recipient of the honor to date. Congratulations to the D-30 Disability Impact List Honorees of 2022!! #d30dislist #Diversability

Read more… About Diversability.  About D-30.  About Helena’s Impact.

2024 Yes I can awards

Helena Donato-Sapp of Long Beach, California, received the 2024 Yes I Can Award for Academics from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). Helena will be honored this March along with other Yes I Can recipients at the CEC Convention and Expo in San Antonio, Texas.

The Yes I Can Awards celebrate and honor the achievements of children and youth with exceptionalities while increasing public awareness of the abilities and aspirations of students with disabilities.

National

Generations Award

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2020).  The 2020 Generations Award recipient.  

The Generations Award, presented annually by the National Institutes for Historically-Underserved Students, recognizes multiple generations of the same family for their brave and selfless commitment to social justice, equity, and inclusion for all people.  Watch Helena accept the award on her family’s behalf here.

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2024-2025).  Youth Poet Ambassador.  Los Angeles County, CA.

Helena was a Finalist for the 11th Los Angeles Youth Poet Laureate (the first LA YPL was poet Amanda Gorman).  She was one of fifteen youth Finalists and she read an original poem titled “Neurodiverse Activist Poet” and was awarded the title of Los Angeles Youth Poet Ambassador.  The LA YPL program is sponsored by Urban Word of New York City.

Los Angeles county 

Youth Poet ambassador

“Good poetry and successful revolution change lives.  And you cannot compose a good poem or wage a revolution without changing consciousness.  And you cannot alter consciousness unless you attack the language that you share with your enemies and invent a new language you share with your allies.”

— June Jordan, Poet and Essayist

Long Beach

Youth Poet Laureate

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2024-2025).  Youth Poet Laureate.  The City of Long Beach, CA.

Following a successful year in her role as inaugural Youth Poet Ambassador, Helena  was awarded the title of Youth Poet Laureate of Long Beach for 2024-2025. The Youth Poet Laureate Program is administered through the Long Beach Public Library, with support from the Arts Council for Long Beach, guidance from Urban Word, and funding by the city.  As Youth Poet Ambassador, she was invited to share her original poetry to local audiences at various events  and venues throughout the year, such as the Long Beach City Council meeting, the historic launch of the Long Beach Commission for Women and Girls, the city’s Black History Month celebration, and its very first Youth Day in the LBC. Helena also continued to learn from local Southern California poets and artists who led Saturday workshops, at the same time lead her own workshops for teens.  The YPL Ceremony was held at the distinguished Edison Theatre in downtown on May 9, 2024. Helena was one of ten finalists selected to read for the ceremony where the new Youth Poet Laureate was announced along with four Youth Poet Ambassadors. The event was covered by the Long Beach Press Telegram.

Inaugural Long Beach

Youth Poet Ambassador

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2023-2024).  Inaugural Youth Poet Ambassador of Long Beach, CA.  The Billie Jean King Main Library, Long Beach, CA.

Helena participated in a year-long Youth Poet Laureate Program through the Long Beach Public Library, the Arts Council for Long Beach, and Urban Word.  She attended Saturday workshops led by local Southern California poets and artists, shared original poetry at various events, and has led a poetry workshop for the city’s teenagers during Black History Month at the library.  Ten finalists were selected for the inaugural Youth Poet Laureate and Poet Ambassadors.  Spectrum News highlighted Helena as an activist poet in a feature on the Youth Poet Laureate Program.  See it here.  Helena was honored to be selected as one of the inaugural Youth Poet Ambassadors of the City of Long Beach.

Aaron Abeyta, American  Book Award Winner

Helena Donato-Sapp Designated Poet of the National Institutes for Historically-Underserved Students

Parkersburg, WV November 2019

Helena shared the stage with fellow poet Aaron Abeyta, American Book Award Winner

Helena shared the stage with fellow poet Aaron Abeyta, American Book Award Winner

Heumann-Armstrong award

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2023-2024).  The Heumann-Armstrong Award. 

Named after Judy Heumann and Elijah Armstrong, the Heumann-Armstrong Education Award is awarded annually to six students with disabilities who demonstrate leadership in education.  This is the third year of the Heumann-Armstrong Awards and the first award since Judy’s passing.  It is awarded to students around the nation who show exceptional dedication to advancing the rights of disabled students in education and the award honors students who are carrying on the legacy of Judy Heumann.

Abolitionist Educator

Abolitionist Education is a teaching approach that centers on abolishing oppressive educational systems, while loving, protecting, remembering, and healing children of color and their communities.

(AbolitionistTeachingNetwork.org)


(2023-2024).  Helena Lourdes Donato-Sapp is humbled to have been awarded a grant for a second year from the Abolitionist Teaching Network in recognition of her relentless, bold, and courageous work along with others across the nation as an Educator for Disability Justice.  ATN also highlights Helena as a Featured Grantee on their website.

Read more… About the Abolitionist Teaching Network.  About ATN Grants for Educators.

16 Under 16 in Stem

August 2022.  Helena is recognized as one of “16 Under 16 in STEM” nationwide.  

From The 74:  “After an extensive and comprehensive selection process, we’re thrilled to introduce this year’s class of 16 Under 16 in STEM. The honorees range in age from 12 to 16 and have shown extraordinary achievement in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The honorees specialize in fields from medicine to agriculture to invention. We hope that these incredible youngsters can inspire others — and offer hope that our future can be in pretty good hands.”  

Read more… About The 74.  About 16 Under 16.”  About Helena’s award.

New Moon Girls

Donato-Sapp, H., Donato, E., and Sapp, J.  (2021).  New Moon Girls Magazine 2021 Beautiful Girls Awards recipient. 

Helena was recognized as one of the “21 Beautiful Girls” for the magazine.  This issue celebrates preteen girls who are making a difference in the world.

State and Local

LGBTQ+ Advocacy

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2023).  Senate District 33 Pride Honoree. 

In celebration of June as Pride month, Senator Lena A. Gonzalez – representing Senate District 33 – asked for nominations to celebrate the wonderful accomplishments and contributions of the LGBTQ+ community in Senate District 33.  Helena was awarded as an Honoree for her pride in lifting up queer families and was honored at the August 5th Brunch Celebration, which was hosted by Senator Gonzalez, Congressman Robert Garcia, Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, and Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal.

Women of Distinction

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2023).  69th Assembly District Award for Women of Distinction. 

In celebration of 2023 Women’s History Month, Assemblymember Josh Lowenthal of the 69th District recognized women who have gone above and beyond to serve the assembly district 69 community.  Helena won the award in the category of Education and was the youngest recipient of this prestigious honor.  March 30, 2023.  View a clip of the award ceremony here.

Orchestra Concertmaster

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2023).  Concertmaster, Westerly School of Long Beach Strings Ensemble.  May 15, 2023. 

Helena’s music teacher, Mrs. Geiser, invited Helena to be the Concertmaster at the Knotts Berry Farm Music Festival competition.  The concertmaster is the lead violinist.  As the violinist with the highest “rank”, she sits in the first chair, next to the conductor’s podium.  The concertmaster leads the orchestra in its tuning prior to the concert, and customarily lays all of the violin solos within pieces.  The ensemble won a trophy in the “Excellent” category, the festival’s highest honor.

Decolonizing Education

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2022).  “Brave and didn’t know it:  A 12-year-old decolonizes her elementary education.” The Iowa Journal for the Social Studies. Using her positionality as a middle school student, a 12-year-old looks back on her elementary school assignments with a critical lens to decolonize her education.  Meticulously reflecting on what she was taught – and not taught – from kindergarten through fifth-grade, she looks at key assignments to show how a colonized education happened to her and how she grew into political consciousness and began to confront the lies she was being taught.  She offers advice to teachers for presenting students with a more equitable and decolonized curriculum in the lower grades. The article is in the Iowa Journal for the Social Studies.

Disability Justice

Learning to Living Together is a four-part podcast series about inclusion and school integration in the twenty-first century. Across the four episodes, we delve into the meanings, tensions, and practices of integration and inclusion in today’s context.


In this podcast series, Equity Fellows Dr. Sarah Diem and Dr. Federico Waitoller bring together their expertise in racial and socioeconomic integration, inclusion of students with disabilities, and their intersections with race to grapple with the following questions: Are we still longing for racial integration and inclusion? What does integration and conclusion mean to different stakeholders? Are we still dreaming about the project of learning and learning to live together? Is it still feasible? What will this project look like in 2023 and moving forward?  


In the podcast series, we hear from individuals with various backgrounds, experiences, and engagement with social struggles about their perspectives on inclusion and integration. Guests include:

Seena Skelton – Director, Midwest and Plains Equity Assistance Center; Director of Operations, Great Lakes Equity Center

Terah Venzant Chambers – Professor of Educational Administration and Associate Dean in the Graduate School, Michigan State University

The Donato-Sapp family – Helena Donato-Sapp, Jeff Sapp, and Sino Donato

Peter Piazza – Director of School Quality Measures, Massachusetts Consortium for Innovative Education Assessment

Different understandings and terms are used to describe similar longings. Terms such as inclusion and integration, and inclusive education are used depending on individuals’ social struggles and what kind of social group they may be discussing. In episode one, we hear from our interviewees as to how they define integration and inclusion, and how their experiences and identities impact these definitions.

In episode two, we examine even more important questions than those posed in episode one: Should we continue to strive for inclusion, school integration, or inclusive education? Is it an all or nothing approach or should we be thinking about it differently depending on the context? Is it always worth it?  What are the benefits and challenges?

In episode 3, we focus on the practical aspects of integration and inclusion, focusing specifically on how to go about achieving integration and inclusion in school communities. We learn about the importance of funding, community buy-in, and the need to change mindsets if we are to experience integration. We also learn about a specific framework for integration developed by youth organizers that focuses on race and enrollment, resources, relationships, restorative justice, and representation. And perhaps most importantly, we hear about the importance of listening to students and involving them in school decisions and solutions, as well as developing relationships and caring for one another.

In episode 4, the final episode of the series, we bring together all of the individuals from episodes 1, 2, and 3 for a group discussion to collectively explore areas of conversions across social struggles. We discuss the commonalities and differences across social movements and struggles toward inclusion, whether it's disability, race, or gender, and how these are playing out across the United States. We also discuss the areas of convergence across movements that can serve as catalysts for collaboration. Most importantly, we learn about what we need to focus on in our inclusion and integration efforts, specifically, the importance of belonging, accessibility, humanity, engagement, and centering student voice.

Speaker Series

On March 14th, 2022, Helena spoke for the Intersectional Disability Studies Speaker Series as part of the the Intersectional Disability Studies Strand of the Institute for Emancipatory Education.  Speaking on the topic of Disability Justice, Helena is the first youth speaker for the series. 

#emancipatoryed #SJSUDisabilityVisibility

View the recording here.

Invited Talk and Publication

Invited Talk and Publication.  Helena was invited to a "kitchen-table talk" by the education journal Equity & Excellence in Education (EEE). The roundtable conversation on Disability Justice entitled A Kitchen-Table Talk Against Ableism: Disability Justice for Collective Liberation was published on March 9, 2022, in an issue of EEE journal.  (Recorded Virtual Conversation.  January, 2022).  Access the article here.

Lingyu Li, Helena Lourdes Donato-Sapp, Nirmala Erevelles, Lisette E. Torres & Federico Waitoller (2022). A Kitchen-Table Talk Against Ableism: Disability Justice for Collective Liberation, Equity & Excellence in Education, DOI: 10.1080/10665684.2021.2047417

In the Fall of 2021, Helena founded a chapter of Girls Learn International at her middle school, which led to the creation of an elective workshop called “Conversations for Justice.” This Summer, she was accepted to be part of GLI’s 2022-2023 Feminist Focus blog team. Stay tuned for stories, interviews, opinion pieces, and more from the team on TUMBLR. Coming September 2022!

“Perhaps it’s the world that needs changing.”

- Enola Holmes

Black Girlhood

Saiz, L.  (2024).  Celebrating sisters in locs:  2024 calendar.  Self-published by LaShawn Saiz.  Lakewood, CA. 

Helena was invited to be a part of this local Southern California calendar that celebrates Black women and their natural hair.  This is cited here because it is congruent with Helena’s scholarly work in Black girlhood.  It is of particular note that she has written about the politics of Black hair before, in New Moon Girls Magazine in 2021 when she interviewed Tamekia Swint, the founder of Styles4Kids, a non-profit that provides textured hair education, services, and resources that serve kids and families in the biracial, transracial adoptive, and foster care communities.

Conference Presentation.  Helena delivered a breathtaking presentation on her chapter Black Girl Magic is a Glorious Gift in a symposium titled Strong Black Girls: Reclaiming Schools in Their Own Image and received a standing ovation at The American Educational Research Association (AERA) Conference in San Diego, CA, April 21-26, 2022. Her presentation as a 12 year-old Black Girl Scholar was electric and unforgettable.

Editors and Contributing Authors:  (Above R, from L:  Taylor Tucker, Lynette Mawhinney, Afiya Mbilishaka, Danielle Apugo, and Helena Donato-Sapp. )

Paper Publication (in press).  In October 2021, Helena presented on her journey as a young academic at the Locating the Geographies of Black Girlhoods in Education Conference, sponsored by The Black Girlhood in Education Research Collective (BGERC) and The American Educational Research Association (AERA). The paper entitled “Brick-by-brick:  The building of a 12-year-old Black girl scholar” is currently in press.

The Arts

Film and TV

Society for Cinema & Media Studies

dedicated to the scholarly study of film, television, video, and new media

Donato-Sapp, H.  (2024).  How the outsider archetype in TV helped me negotiate years of bullying:  A teen tribute to friends from Stranger Things.  The Society for Cinema and Media Studies Conference, Boston, Massachusetts, March 14-17, 2024.

Helena presented her chapter for the book Teens on Screens in the Twenty-First Century. In the chapter, she explains how the archetype of the outsider in film and TV saved her and helped her understand and negotiate the isolation she experienced as a pre-teen in middle school.

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