WHAT IS RANI?
ra·â€‹ni
Definition
/räˈnÄ“,ˈränÄ“/
​
a ruler in their own right.
​
RANICreative is a collective that releases issues on a semi-monthly basis. It fosters a community that encourages creative exploration and has different themes highlighted in each issue. It serves to represent BIPOC and LGBTQ+ creatives, and the community amongst them. Our founder created RANI with the belief that surrounding yourself with the creatives that you aspire to be and learning from them is much more productive than being envious of them. That is the purpose that she hopes RANI will serve.
Executives
Imaan Rajan
FOUNDER,
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
(She/her/hers) Imaan Rajan is a sophomore at the University of Toronto, and the founder and Editor-in-Chief of this creative collective. She spends time exploring as many art mediums as she can, from singing to writing to photography. As a Muslim-American artist, she found that there was not nearly enough representation around her, and through RANI, she wanted to create space and foster a community where this representation could flourish.
VICE PRESIDENT,
MANAGING EDITOR
Marta
Anielska
(They, them, theirs) Marta is an undergraduate at the University of Toronto specializing in English. Their major interests include literature, classics, and politics. In their free time, they write fiction and non-fiction and publishes articles for the news section of The Varsity, U of T’s student newspaper. They joined RANI because they think it’s important to facilitate and expand platforms that offer people the opportunity to create for the sake of creating.
Jena
Sheth
LOGISTICS
DIRECTOR
(She/her/hers) As a 21-year-old from the United Kingdom. Jena’s creative outlets include theatre and Bollywood dance, where she enjoys directing and choreographing respectively. Starting her RANI journey as a follower, Jena has now become an executive, where she uses her skills and experiences to ensure growth for the collective. Growing up Muslim and Hindu, Jena is inspired by the representation RANI provides and looks forward to the collective’s big and bright future.
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Vanessa
Wyckoff
WEB DESIGN & UX
(She/her/hers) RANI’s UX/visual designer. Vanessa’s professional experience includes working on a $10,000,000 app from the ground up. She was a part of the team creating a promotional advertisement campaign of "Guided Prayers" with Justin Bieber to bring in over 50 million views and thousands of converted app downloads. She loves to connect with others and believes “We are all in this world together and need to find beauty in our differences instead of rejecting them.”
HEAD OF MARKETING & DESIGN
Ashiana
Sunderji
(She/her/hers) An 18-year-old fashion blogger. She recently gave a TED-Ed talk about youth finding their identity through community service. She has worked on collaborative Instagram posts with Mejuri and blog posts with TED-Ed Weekend in New York and Uncommon Goods. Additionally, She enjoys working under a physiotherapist teaching swimming to children with cognitive and physical challenges. She is excited to explore diverse expressions of art and help to empower more representation in the media.
Raia
Karmali
CO-HEAD OF INTERNAL RELATIONS
(She/her/hers) Raia Karmali is an advocate for women’s rights. In high school, Raia worked alongside RANITube team member Jahnvi to push for free feminine hygiene products throughout the public schools in their home city. Born in Cambridge, UK to a Londoner and a Pakistani-Canadian, Raia finds home through her international travels and adventures. She hopes to use RANI as a platform to explore and build up powerful women, and further her own identity as a South Asian Ismaili Muslim.
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Kelsi
Lee
CO-HEAD OF INTERNAL RELATIONS
(She/her/hers) a student at Queen’s University where she is studying international development, psychology, and business. With twelve years of dance experience, creativity and the arts have always provided a safe outlet for her to express herself. the best part about joining rani is the people she has met and the inspiration they have provided. she is thankful she has found a space where she can pursue her creative endeavors while also challenging herself as an artist.
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Emily
Granken
HEAD OF
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
(She/her/hers) Emily is passionate about mental health and sustainable living and is an environmental protection/ climate change activist. She has participated in multiple climate change protests, habitat restoration, and worked at a farm and conservation center. As a woman in STEM, she knows the importance of women having a medium to express themselves and share their interests.
Board Members
Dima
Minkin
CONTENT
COORDINATOR
(She/her/hers)
FINANCE
Maya
Silverman
(She/her/hers)
FINANCE
Stephanie
Huang
(She/her/hers)
MARKETING
& DESIGN
Serena
Halani
(She/her/hers)
MARKETING
& DESIGN
Aleena
Zaidi
(She/her/hers)
Hanna
Afrasiabi
MARKETING
& DESIGN
(She/her/hers)
Incoming:
Ariel Myint, Marketing and Design
Dylan Alfi, Marketing and Design
Editorial
TEAM LEAD: MARTA ANIELSKA
Leilani Rocha
Helayna Raffaele
​Christina Giuggio
Sky Kapoor
​
Uma Nambiar
Darragh Clayton
Sarah Feng
Anika Kapoor
Incoming:
Sabeen Raja
Meghan Dewar
Zahra Onsori
Charlie Iris
​
Fashion & Lifestyle
TEAM LEAD: ROYA ADEL
Mishaal Jamal
Kelsi Lee
Dima Minkin
Incoming:
Rinjila Pradhan
Shannon Tan
Mantika Mehra
Katy Bordonaro
Visual
TEAM LEAD: ASVJIA JEYANDRAKUMAR
Jess Pyne
Hyning Gan
Serena Halani
Chloe Kim
Zoï Pfarr
Shamya Zindani
Camryn Phipps
Rikk Lad
Renee Hanson
Media
TEAM LEAD: HANNA AFRASIABI
Keianna Lee
Jahnvi Madan
Noorain Patel
Maddie McDougal
Ace Kazkayasi
Incoming:
Eram Lee
Maya Morriswala
Incoming:
Muzna Erum
Spotlight
TEAM LEAD: AISHANI MEHRA
Ananya Gupta
Desiree Nikfardjam