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ABOUT THE MILLENNIUM FELLOWSHIP - CLASS OF 2020

United Nations Academic Impact and MCN are proud to partner on the Millennium Fellowship. In the three months the application was open in 2020, 15,159 young leaders applied to join the Class of 2020 on 1,458 campuses across 135 nations.  80 campuses worldwide (just 6%) were selected to host the 1,000+ Millennium Fellows.  The Class of 2020 is bold, innovative, and inclusive. 

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UNITED NATIONS ACADEMIC IMPACT AND MCN PROUDLY PRESENT EMMA ROSE BARBARETTE, A MILLENNIUM FELLOW FOR THE CLASS OF 2020.

Columbia University | New York, United States | Advancing SDG 6 & UNAI 6

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" I feel honored to be a Millennium Fellow and to have received the opportunity to create change in New York City through the expansion of public restrooms. Our initiative seeks to aid every New Yorker and improve the sanitation and health of the City. When I visited New York City for the first time at the age of nine, I knew that I wanted to live there one day. Fortunately, that dream came true, and it is an even greater privilege to serve the City. Moreover, I am really looking forward to meeting the other Fellows and learning about their projects with the hopes of applying their ideas and strategies to my own future work. "

Millennium Fellowship Project: NYC Restrooms4All

As a student-led organization that believes in the human right to sanitation outlined in the UN Human Rights Resolution 15.9, they advocate for an increase in the number of public restrooms throughout New York City. The project presses for the City to instate a community toilet scheme. Local businesses would receive city funding in return for allowing free public access to their restrooms. The plan consists of two components: publicizing the issue of sanitation in New York City and collaborating directly with the city government, including the legislature and Mayor's Office, with the goal of convincing them to include the plan in the annual city budget. To forward their cause, they intend to enact letter-writing and social media campaigns, petition the city government, and contact local community leaders. Overall, they aspire to transform the system of public restrooms to broaden accessibility and ultimately make their city cleaner and more equitable.

An increase in the number of petition signatures would represent their progress. If their cause gained traction among the local NYC news, that would represent even greater success, as the initiative would reach even more people. Establishing strong and enduring relationships with at least four City Council members to aid them in promoting their project in the legislature would also signify achievement. They intend to attain these goals through organizing two letter-writing campaigns, sending at least 200 lettes to the City Council and Mayor's Office, and raising awareness for World Toilet Day on November 19 in collaboration with other organizations such as PHLUSH, FLUSH, and The Poop Project. Additionally, social media and news outreach as well as a new video would aid these efforts.

About the Millennium Fellow

Emma is a rising sophomore at Barnard College, Columbia University. She intends to double major in Political Science, Sociology, or Urban Studies and French. Emma has developed a passion for policy work and government as well as the French language over the course of her life and hopes that the Millennium Fellowship will provide her with the experience and guidance to aid her future work and career. Additionally, Emma enjoys collaborating and meeting new people. She is grateful that his opportunity will allow her to do both.

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