Meet the Team
Charlotte Oakes, Editor-in-Chief
Charlotte Oakes is a 2nd year PhD student at the Centre for Women’s Studies, supported by WRoCAH/AHRC. She completed her BA in German and History at the University of Warwick in 2022 and graduated from the University of St Andrews in 2023 with an MA in Modern History. Charlotte's PhD focuses on applying a transnational lens to the history of the West German feminist movement (1968-1979). Away from her research, Charlotte's guilty of signing up for races before thinking whether they are actually manageable. After completing her first half marathon in August 2022, first trail race in 2023 and first triathlon in 2024, her friends and family wait in trepidation to find out what her next sporting 'challenge' will be.
Irene Palencia Mora, Associate Editor
Irene Palencia Mora is a second-year student in the Erasmus Mundus GEMMA program in Gender and Women’s Studies, currently on mobility at the Università di Bologna after her first year at the University of York. She has an artistic background: she graduated in Classical Piano at Real Conservatorio Superior de Música de Madrid, to further study a Master in Classical Performance in Liszt Academy of Music (Budapest). Her love for literature also led her to earn a degree in Hispanic Philology from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid, specialising in Spanish Literature. She is interested in the relationships between different arts –music, poetry and painting have occupied her major research works. She participates in different activities and concerts where she can explore art and feminine voices as a performer and researcher. And she also loves to dance!
Kelly Leow, Creative Associate Editor
Kelly Leow is a second-year student in the Erasmus Mundus GEMMA programme at University of York. Born and raised in Singapore, Kelly received a B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles, then served as deputy editor at MovieMaker, a magazine about independent filmmaking. Back in Singapore, she spent five years as communications manager at gender equality non-profit AWARE, during which time she co-created Saga, the country’s first-ever narrative long-form podcast. Outside of her academic and professional work Kelly has also dabbled in creative writing—including an award-winning horror short story about sexual violence, and some (only marginally embarrassing) Hunger Games fanfiction.
Nana Shirai, Creative Associate Editor
Nana Shirai is an MA student at the University of York. She also holds an MA in American and English Literature and a BA in Regional Science from Hokkaido University in Japan. Prior to her graduate studies, she worked in marketing research in Tokyo. Her research interests include feminist theories, particularly the ethics of care and age studies in modern and contemporary literature. Outside of academics, she enjoys going to the gym, doing yoga, eating (experimental cooking), and scuba diving! Nana is excited to contribute to the inspiring feminist community, Cultivate!
Rachel East, Associate Editor
Rachel East (she/her) is an MA student in the Centre for Renaissance and Early Modern Studies in the Department of History. She completed her BA in History at the University of Cambridge, King’s College. Her previous undergraduate research focused on women’s trauma memories in the early modern British Isles. She also has a forthcoming article with Critical Histories Studies, hosted at the University of Durham. Her current project hopes to examine women’s imagination spaces and imagining power in early modern writing.
Ruby Graves, Creative Associate Editor
Ruby Graves is an MA English Literary Studies student at the University of York. She completed her BA English Literature and Theatre Studies at the University of Leeds in 2022 where she undertook a final year project exploring navigating mother-daughter relationships through performance and the body. Interested in relationships between women – platonic, familial, romantic and otherwise – in literature, film and art, Ruby’s research is based within Queer Studies and the Gothic. Ruby is really looking forward to using her editorial skills to work alongside creative and engaged feminist researchers as part of the Cultivate team!
Alexandra Hayter, Creative Associate Editor
Alexandra Hayter (She/Her) is studying MA Women’s Studies (Humanities) at the Centre for Women’s Studies. She previously completed her BA at the University of Leeds in Fine Art and Contemporary Cultural Theory. Her artistic practice focuses mostly on photography, often self portraits. Her academic writing so far has focused on feminist representations in visual culture, with a focus on pornography and erotic imagery. Her other interests also include sex, desire and relationships, as well as a keen personal interest in “invisible illness”. Outside of studying, she enjoys all things introspective, attending art exhibitions, spending quality time with the people she loves, and finding new ways to explore embodiment.
Emi Frane, Associate Editor
Emi Frane is a PhD student in the Department of Sociology. Motivated by her own diagnosis of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome her MRes focused on examining young women's lived experiences of the condition. Following on from this research, her PhD research hones in on a particular aspect of patient's narratives: the diagnostic process. She is interested in illuminating the difficulties that women, in particular, face with obtaining diagnoses for gendered (and often invisible) conditions such as POTS, by using feminist methodologies in her research. She enjoys both academic and creative writing, reading, and drawing. Most importantly, she is also the proud owner of a pet axolotl named Aristotle.
Sahar Basiri , Associate Editor
Sahar Basiri is a cultural heritage researcher with a profound interest in the intersection of conservation, technology, and storytelling. She holds a PhD in Conservation Studies and is also a graduate of the University of York. Her research focuses on innovative approaches to preserving and interpreting fragmented heritage artifacts using artificial intelligence and immersive technologies. Sahar's work explores the narratives embedded within cultural artifacts, striving to bridge historical contexts with modern engagement strategies.
In her free time, Sahar enjoys exploring new cities with her 9-year-old son, experimenting with authentic cuisine, and discovering new and fresh experiences in life. She finds joy in uncovering hidden stories within the smallest details of everyday life.
Sara Ozores, Creative Associate Editor
Sara (she/her) is currently a second year MA student in Women's and Gender Studies (GEMMA) in York, having completed her first year in Spain, where she is originally from. Prior to these studies, she completed a degree in Philosophy at the University of Santiago de Compostela (Galicia, Spain), where from the beginning she combined philosophy with feminism. Sara did her final thesis on issues related to social reproduction, an area in which she is very interested and in which she hopes to continue to go deeper. Born on an island (Illa de Arousa), Sara loves the sea and nature. One of her favourite creatures in the world is her dog Muesli, and her great passion is dancing.
Jinni Ren, Associate Editor
Jinni Ren is a PhD candidate at the Centre for Women’s Studies. Her research project is exploring the contemporary Chinese audiences’ responses to the representation of sex work in two Chinese films. She completed her BA in Chinese Language and Literature from Shandong University, China, and MA in Media and Advertising from University of Leicester. She has interdisciplinary research experience and ability. Out of research, she previously worked as an executive assistant to the Chairman of a 4A advertising agency. Additionally, she has one year worked experience as a journalist at Shandong Radio and Television Station in China. Jinni is looking forward to learn the cutting-edge concepts in the field of gender, culture and media studies while working with Cultivate.
Anxos Pérez, Associate Editor
Born and raised in Galiza, Anxos studied Asian and African Studies with a minor in Japanese at the Autonomous University of Madrid. In 2023 she moved to York and started an Erasmus Mundus MA in Women’s and Gender Studies (GEMMA) at the University of York. Her main areas of interest includes the relationship between class and gender, queer identities in East Asia and searching for non-western centred narratives, and researching gender non-conforming identities in rural areas of her region.
Sofia Jimenez Martinez, Website Lead
Sofia is a master’s student in Social Media and Interactive Technologies at the University of York. With a background in digital project management and eCommerce, she focuses on enhancing website functionality, user engagement, and creating inclusive digital spaces. Passionate about the intersection of technology and social impact, Sofia advocates for digital empowerment and gender equity. In her free time, she enjoys writing, singing, hiking, and spending time outdoors with her dog, Piccina.
Silvana Olaya Zapata, Associate Creative Editor
Silvana is passionate political scientist from Colombia, currently pursuing her master's degree in Gender, Violence, and Conflict at the University of York. Her academic focus includes topics such as climate change, gender, and politics. Throughout her career, Silvana has been actively involved in leadership roles, organizing events with a focus on women's issues, and working on projects that incorporate gender perspectives. Her dedication to advocating for women's rights and advancing social change has shaped her professional journey, and she is committed to using her knowledge and experience to drive positive change in these critical areas.
Minal Sukumar, Creative Associate Editor
Minal Sukumar is a writer, performance poet and second-year PhD researcher at the Centre for Women's Studies. Her research combines creative and critical explorations into middle-class Indian women's spatial experiences and negotiations in contemporary fiction. Currently a proud Wolfson Scholar, Minal holds an MA in English from St Joseph's University in India and an MA in Writing from the University of Galway, Ireland. Her short stories and poetry have been featured in literary journals such as The Bombay Review and Gulmohur Quarterly, and she has performed original poetry on stages in India, Ireland and the UK. Entering her second year on the editorial team for Cultivate, Minal is excited to continue learning from fellow feminists and contribute to another impactful issue.
Elena Sinagra, Deputy Editor
Elena Sinagra is a first-year PhD student in the History of Art Department at the University of York, supported by WRoCAH/AHRC. Her research centres on feminist collectives in 1970s Italy and their artistic reappropriation of mythological narratives, examining how these groups subverted and reshaped classical stories to envision femininity beyond male-dominated power structures. Before arriving in York, Elena completed an MA in Curatorial Studies and Contemporary Art History in Florence, Italy, and holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College in New York. With her interdisciplinary background, Elena is eager to engage with and highlight feminist voices in the academic, creative, and artistic fields.
Kirtana Parthasarathy, Creative Associate Editor
Elena Sinagra is a first-year PhD student in the History of Art Department at the University of York, supported by WRoCAH/AHRC. Her research centres on feminist collectives in 1970s Italy and their artistic reappropriation of mythological narratives, examining how these groups subverted and reshaped classical stories to envision femininity beyond male-dominated power structures. Before arriving in York, Elena completed an MA in Curatorial Studies and Contemporary Art History in Florence, Italy, and holds a BA from Sarah Lawrence College in New York. With her interdisciplinary background, Elena is eager to engage with and highlight feminist voices in the academic, creative, and artistic fields.
Frankie Silcock, Creative Associate Editor
Frankie is a 3rd year English literature student at York. Her dissertation research is focused on analysing two sets of folktale retellings by female authors, one mediaeval and one modern through a posthumanist critical lens. She is particularly interested in the roles ecology and sustainability play within feminist theory. Outside of academia, Frankie enjoys creative writing, making art, and going on directionless walks (especially if there happens to be a cat she can make friends with along the way!).
Lan Vo, Social Media Lead
Lan is a PhD student at the Centre for Women’s Studies, supported by ESRC. Her research focuses on the gendered performance of womanhood, motherhood, and nationhood in the context of the Vietnamese-American conflict (1955-1975). When she is not doing her academic work, she can be seen sipping coffee and devouring cheesecake.
Ellen Yip, Associate Editor
Ellen Yip is an MA student in Women's Studies at the Women's Study Center in York. Previously, she gained 10 years of experience working in NGOs in China, focusing on areas such as environmental protection, women's rights, and sustainable finance, and she has been volunteering to support victims of sexual harassment since 2018. These experiences have led her to reflect on the root causes of gender inequality, sparking a broad interest in gender issues. After visiting the Banpo Museum, which showcases evidence of matriarchal society from around 6,000 years ago, and learning about the Mosuo people—a minority in China who have preserved matrilineal traditions to this day—she became especially interested in the history of matriarchy and the development of patriarchy or male-dominated Societies.
Georgia Greatrex, Secretary
Georgia is an MA student in Medieval Studies at the Centre for Medieval Studies. Before coming to York she completed a BA in History at Durham, where her dissertation focused on gender performance in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. She is particularly interested in ideas surrounding sexuality and gender in the medieval period, and the effects these had on lived experience. In her free time she enjoys reading (and buying far more books than she can actually read), visiting museums and galleries, and anything historical. She is looking forward to working with an exciting and inspiring time on the next issue of Cultivate.
Tuoya Wulan, Creative Associate Editor
Tuoya Wulan is a translator and illustrator. She is an MA student of English Literature at Peking University and a visiting student at The University of York. Her research focuses on self-taught and amateur artists, intermedial collaborations between writers and artists, as well as activism and censorship in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. She translated Hito Steyerl’s book The Wretched of the Screen into Chinese in 2024 (《屏幕上的受苦者》上海人民出版社). Her translation and illustration also appear in Modern Poetry in Translation. Tuoya hopes to include more marginal experience in Cultivate and looks forward to seeing works that showcase boundary- breaking ideas challenging professionalism, training, and discipline.
Emma Marinoni, Creative Associate Editor
Emma Marinoni is a second-year GEMMA student in Women’s and Gender Studies from Bergamo, Italy. They hold a Bachelor's Degree in Philosophy: their BA dissertation focused on the representation of "gross" women in contemporary American literature. Their academic interests center on the interplay between genre and gender, the intertextual relationships in cinema and literature, body horror and embodied spectatorship, and the relationship between women and true crime.
Alice Myers, Associate Editor
Alice Myers is a PhD Researcher in the Centre for Women’s Studies. With a background in English Literature, American Studies, and Cultural Studies, Alice’s research operates, broadly, at the intersection of women’s narratives and representation, U.S. popular culture and social media. Before commencing her PhD, Alice obtained an MA in Modern Literature & Culture from King’s College London and a BA in American Studies & English Literature from the University of Birmingham. Alice’s PhD project extends her longstanding engagement with questions of gender, representation, autonomy and power. But in her PhD research, Alice shifts from examining traditional “literary” texts to focusing on social media content by influencers who use digital platforms to tell stories about their lives. By close reading content that represents often, and historically, stigmatised aspects of women’s experiences, Alice hopes to understand how confession has evolved in digital life narratives, and the consequences of this for the ‘personal is political’. Alice is delighted to be working on her second issue of Cultivate as an Associate Editor.