Guest Writer

Shani Momodu

Shani Momodu is a student at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, passionate about public policy, civic engagement, and educational equity. She serves as an Institute for Youth in Policy GRIP Fellow and leads multiple student advocacy organizations, focusing on youth representation and data-driven policy research to drive systemic community change.

Shani Momodu is a student at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School dedicated to public policy, civic engagement, and systemic advocacy. As a GRIP Think Tank Fellow with the Institute for Youth in Policy, she and her team formulated policy solutions to standardize post-secondary pathways. Passionate about educational equity and youth representation, Shani is the President of Learn Like Me and co-president of her school’s Social Justice Club. Beyond her school's competitive Mock Trial and Speech and Debate teams, she serves on the Mayor's Youth Leadership Council, where she recently delivered a formal policy address at the Indiana Statehouse. Additionally, Shani manages statewide youth engagement across 27 chapters as an Indiana Red Cross Ambassador. In her free time, she enjoys crocheting, going on bike rides, and spending time with friends.

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The Age of Oil Republics Has Begun

Op-Ed Contest Spring 2026

Shani Momodu

This op-ed argues that the historical concept of “banana republics,” shaped by corporate and U.S. political influence, is reemerging today in the form of “oil republics.” By comparing U.S. involvement in Guatemala to modern dynamics in Venezuela and Iran, it highlights how economic interests in oil continue to threaten national sovereignty. Ultimately, the piece warns that continued intervention risks weakening U.S. global credibility in an increasingly globalized world.

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