We spend a lot of time talking about stories. Here’s ours.
Our Mission
Spread access to a quality education in persuasion, argumentation, and advocacy, available to anybody with an internet connection.
It is when we are alone that we most realize the power of allies.
As quarantine orders scattered their classmates across the globe, five friends came together online to build a digital community of advocates that no travel ban could fracture.
Preparing for our “Advocating in the Face of Authority” workshop this fall with Tahanie Aboushi, candidate for Manhattan DA.
Our Story
AdPro was born of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In the spring of 2020, some of Cornell’s top speech and debate competitors watched the world fracture into Zoom boxes on their computer screens. As it sunk in that social distancing often meant social isolation, they watched friends struggle with mental health, parents lose jobs, and communities shutter.
They wanted to act. But, as quarantine orders and safety concerns barricaded them in their homes, they knew they couldn’t always be physically present to assist those in need. That’s when it hit them: Their bodies might be stuck, but their voices weren’t. They decided to share the skills they learned from their time competing for the Cornell Speech and Debate Society with anyone who could use training in public speaking or persuasion. Their goal? To democratize an education in advocacy — and give everyone the ability to tell a good story, uplift someone else’s, and understand the power of their voice.
Only one year later, we’re proud to say we’ve:
Partnered with over 20 organizations from May, 2020 - May, 2021 to hold interactive workshops reaching over 1,300 attendees.
Became the first students to teach in a rostered Cornell class, leading guest-lectures and trainings for Cornell’s Spring 2021 Advocacy and Debate course.
Received Cornell’s Serve in Place grant for their work.
We’re excited to keep growing!
Meet the Team
Executive Board
Bert Li (he/him)
Founder
[Cornell ‘22] Bert is from Golden, Colorado, he studied philosophy, psychology, and computer science at Cornell. He started the Advocacy Project because he believes in the power of spoken word. When we learn to communicate clearly, effectively, and persuasively, we have a boundless potential to advocate for ourselves and our community. Bert has now graduated, but is now a student at Harvard Law School and will graduate in 2026. Whenever Bert is not busy with advocacy work, he enjoys meditating, practicing Shaolin kung fu, writing music, and day dreaming about the Rocky Mountains.
Emelin Torres (she/her)
COO
[Cornell ‘27] Emelin is from Long Island, New York. She is majoring in Industrial and Labor Relations with a minor in Law & Society. She joined AdPro because of her passion for social justice and resonated with the idea of granting equal access to education in professionalism and advocacy for students.
Since joining AdPro, Emelin has transferred her involvement by joining Friends of Farmworkers, where she tutors English, and has volunteered in her local town’s Youth Court as an interpreter since high school. She is also a member of the Cornell Concert Commission, where she’s able to help put on amazing shows on campus. She hopes to one day pursue a career in immigration law and become a labor rights advocate for her community. Outside of AdPro, Emelin loves late-night drives while blasting to music, spending time with her friends and family, and exploring new places.
Charlotte Nelson (she/her)
Strategy Advisor
[Cornell ‘27] Charlotte is a junior from Buffalo, NY, and studies Environment and Sustainability in CALS, with minors in American Indian and Indigenous Studies, Inequality Studies, and Spanish. She is passionate about all forms of advocacy, but specifically in the realm of environmental justice and uplifting historically marginalized voices in the fight against climate change.
Charlotte collaborates with this incredible team to advance our mission of ensuring the skills of advocacy are accessible to all. Outside of AdPro, she is also involved in Sunrise Ithaca, the local chapter of a national, youth-led climate justice movement, Cornell Music Production, and Electric Buffalo Records. You can usually find her making music, crafting, or spending time outdoors.
Ameera Aftab (she/her)
CEO
[Cornell ‘26] Ameera Aftab is from Albany, New York and was born in Pakistan. She is studying Communication and Global Development at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. On campus, she is involved with the Dean’s Community Leadership Council, Student Assembly, and the Advocacy Project, where she is leading a capstone initiative to develop a college success toolkit for first-generation and immigrant students at Cornell University.
She is also engaged in global education policy through initiatives like collaborative international research with Universidad San Francisco de Quito in Ecuador, where she examined comparative sustainability education policies between the U.S. and Ecuador. Her passion for education, equity, and advocacy drives her work at Adpro and beyond.
Elly Conrad (she/her)
Director of PR
[Cornell ‘27] Elly is a junior from Gilbert, Arizona majoring in Human Development with minors in Philosophy and American Indian + Indigenous Studies. She joined AdPro because of AdPro's real-world impact and commitment to storytelling. Elly is primarily interested in social justice through policy reform and art as a political medium.
Specifically, she is passionate about Indigenous, Queer, and disability rights and systemic equity. As a firm believer in collective organization and amplifying marginalized voices, they welcome community engagement and action. As Director of PR they promote a positive and active social media presence, highlighting the work AdPro members engage in and the impact they make. Outside of AdPro Elly is a part of Archery Club and is an undergraduate laboratory assistant in the Burton Lab where they look at small proteins in bacteria. In her free time Elly loves to crochet, play violin, and consume copious amounts of Green Dragon chai.
