But There Will Be Spring Again: A Rebel Inc.™ Committee

At the turn of the century, as the world’s great powers celebrate prosperity and peace, the peripheral Central Asian Republic of Dunganstan stands at a crossroads. After decades of Soviet Rule, authoritarian hijacking, a bloody civil war, and, most recently, a UN-mandated Foreign Intervention, the nation has emerged from the rubble, independent but fragile. The International Coalition has secured cities and proclaimed a new republic, yet opposing factions still roam the countryside and the remote Tienshan Mountains. Additionally, unextinguished embers of the past regime and foreign interests loom over Dunganstan, hoping to assert their own interests and will over the republic. In the capital city of Karakol, a group of former rebels assembled; they are tasked with one mission: laying the grounds for a functioning state where none has stood before. 

Composed of warlords, generals, business magnates, civil servants, and specialists, each member of the interim council arrives with their own interests to protect and agendas to advance. At the same time, they must navigate public opinion, safeguard stability, and confront the stark trade-offs of governance: Do mineral exports outweigh the cost of smuggled weapons? Can infrastructure be built without inviting democratic failure? Would you sell wood if the money’s no good? Every decision and event will shape the republic’s economy, stability, and survival—the council must adapt quickly to challenges both foreign and domestic. This experimental body will test delegates’ ability to balance immediate survival with long-term vision. Together, they must craft policies that sustain public trust, maintain order, and outmaneuver insurgents--all while deciding whether to pursue group interests or the common good. 

Delegates, Welcome to Rebel Inc. Welcome to Dunganstan.

Olivia Lowry

Chair

Olivia (she/her) is a sophomore majoring in International Studies and Sociology. Born and raised in southcentral Pennsylvania, she swears by late-night Sheetz runs and living within 10 minutes of a hiking trail. In high school, she mainly participated in debate (rip) and did gender advocacy work. At Hopkins, she also serves as a Recruitment & Events Director for the HopMUN travel team, a Co-Chair of the Hopkins Lecture Series, and is a member of the undergraduate Critical Diaspora Studies working group. Olivia also conducts political science, sociology, and critical history research, including independent research on Korean Cold War adoption. You can catch her mispronouncing words like "on," buying even more critical theory that she will never read (shout out Foucault), and taking the Amtrak up and down the east coast to see her friends. Olivia is excited for this year's Rebel Committee and is excited to explore with y'all how to create fundamental governmental structures that promote a safe future for all! 

Jennifer Ma is a sophomore at Johns Hopkins, double majoring in Public Health Studies and Political Science. She is from New York City, and she fully embraces the city's energy. You can always find her with a cup of coffee in hand and speed walking to class. Outside of MUN, Jennifer has worked as a Congressional constituency intern and volunteers with local organizations through the Advocates for Baltimore Community Health. In her free time, she enjoys trying new food, boba, coffee, and matcha places with friends. You can send her recommendations at pma16@jh.edu.

Eva Ji is a sophomore at Johns Hopkins, double majoring in Molecular and Cellular Biology and History of Art. She is very excited to call Jersey City, New Jersey her home, which she will clarify is not the gambling NJ city. Originally a Student Council kid, she has ventured her way into the fast-paced adventures of short-form speech. Otherwise, you can catch her in the lab doing immunology research, or volunteering as a STEM teacher in Baltimore for Seedling Inc. Her passions include medieval art history, matcha, and obsessively saving new restaurants on Beli. Eva is happy to be co-chairing Rebel Inc. this year. Reach out and give her cafe recs at eji4@jh.edu.