Shnayjaah Valentine Jeanty CC’27, a QuestBridge Scholar and sophomore majoring in creative writing and human rights, is both storyteller and advocate. As a published author and the 2024 National Youth Poet Laureate of the South, her performances have captivated audiences at the Kennedy Center, the International Human Rights Arts Festival and the White House. Jeanty’s advocacy transcends the stage. Her Bright Futures Scholarship Reform campaign prompted a news investigation into the Florida Board of Education for racial disparities in their scholarship program, resulting in commitments to policy changes. She has advocated for increased federal funding for the National Domestic Violence Hotline before Congress and led Columbia’s social justice-oriented New Student Orientation Program. As Community Impact’s case manager, Jeanty supported more than 100 adult English learners in accessing housing and immigration resources. Additionally, partnering with New York Law School allowed her to report sexual misconduct, due process violations and language access barriers in immigration courts.