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Nicole Li

745

Bold Points

1x

Finalist

Bio

Hello! My name is Nicole and I'm an undergraduate student at Yale University studying Ethics, Politics, and Economics. I'm deeply passionate about civic engagement and social justice, and I dedicate my extracurriculars, academic studies, and career goals to building a more equitable and inclusive future. Currently, I organize around voting rights and racial justice in my hometown in Collierville, Tennessee, and I work for a nonprofit that serves refugee women in New Haven, Connecticut. Additionally, I produce podcasts for the Yale Daily News, research human rights at Yale Law School, serve on the board of my school's reproductive justice advocacy group, and volunteer as an ESL teacher for international students in New Haven. After graduating, I intend to pursue a career in legal advocacy; my dream job is working for the ACLU!

Education

Yale University

Bachelor's degree program
2019 - 2023
  • Majors:
    • Philosophy
    • Political Science and Government, General
    • Economics, General

Collierville High School

High School
2015 - 2019

Miscellaneous

  • Desired degree level:

  • Graduate schools of interest:

  • Transfer schools of interest:

  • Majors of interest:

  • Not planning to go to medical school
  • Career

    • Dream career field:

      Legal Services

    • Dream career goals:

      Civil Rights Attorney

    • Social Media Coordinator and Graphic Designer

      Elena's Light
      2020 – Present4 years

    Sports

    Swimming

    Club
    2012 – 20153 years

    Awards

    • 1st Place Regional 50M Breast
    • 3rd Place Regional 100M Free
    • 4th Place Regional 100M Breast

    Research

    • Human Rights

      Lowenstein Project at Yale Law School — Undergraduate Researcher
      2020 – Present
    • Public Health, Other

      Yale Roosevelt Institute — Undergraduate Researcher
      2019 – 2020

    Arts

    • The Factual

      Graphic Art
      N/A
      2020 – Present

    Public services

    • Volunteering

      Bridges ESL — Volunteer Teacher
      2020 – Present
    • Public Service (Politics)

      Campus Compact — Campus Recruiter
      2020 – 2020
    • Public Service (Politics)

      United States House of Representatives, Office of Congressman Steve Cohen — Congressional Intern
      2020 – 2020
    • Advocacy

      Collierville Community Justice — Youth Coordinator and Social Media Director
      2020 – Present
    • Advocacy

      March For Our Lives Memphis — Communications Director and Social Media Manager
      2018 – 2019
    • Advocacy

      Planned Parenthood of Tennessee and North Mississippi — Community engagement intern
      2018 – 2019
    • Advocacy

      Reproductive Justice Action League at Yale (RALY) — Communications Director
      2019 – Present

    Future Interests

    Advocacy

    Politics

    Volunteering

    Philanthropy

    Entrepreneurship

    Averie Bishop All Rise Minorities In Law Scholarship
    With one arm raising a clenched fist and the other clutching a sheet of paper, I ascended to the podium, closed my eyes, and breathed democracy. Fifteen hundred of my brothers and sisters stood before me in a sea of fiery eyes and colorful placards— an epicenter of energy that warmed the chilly March air. The March For Our Lives had reached its terminus: the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis. Heart pounding, I gazed at the floral wreath on the sacred balcony across from me— the spot where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated fifty years ago. Gun violence has always divided my beloved city, but at the moment, we were united by a vein of crimson blood. Clasping the microphone, I reminded the crowd of the validity of their anger and urged them to convert frustration into action. In unison, they chanted for common-sense gun law reform, expecting that our demands would quickly translate into legislation. Yet two years later, our cries are still ignored, dumped into the muddy Mississippi River. Why? The short answer: my generation isn’t being taken seriously, leaving much of our mobilizing talent untapped. Too often, in the eyes of lawmakers, our demands are perceived as illegitimate, our comprehension underestimated, our urgency dismissed. Unfairly, we are characterized as politically detached. How exactly, then, can we clear Gen-Z of this reputation as the forgotten demographic? In the months after the Parkland shooting, I began strategizing a three-pronged plan— amalgamating activism, tech, and entrepreneurship— driven, of course, by youth power. Emboldened by solidarity, I grew a network of local activists representing all ethnicities, orientations, identities, and experiences. They became both my co-workers and my family, and within a few short weeks, I had initiated my city’s first-ever youth-led nonpartisan activist coalition. Shortly after, my team of young visionaries registered 500 new voters, co-hosted two town hall meetings, and delivered a series of digital candidate briefs. Meanwhile, my internship at Planned Parenthood gave me the resources and databases to lead an endorsement project, which, through canvassing and phone banking, culminated in the victory of the first African-American mayor in my county. Ever the advocate for youth solutions, I continued to expand a teen-run startup consulting company called Wavve. Here was a platform to cultivate fresh ideas; as I managed the first cohort of progressive high school problem-solvers, they inspired me as they tackled everything from mental health to climate change. I am but one small, scrawny kid, but in democracy’s potential, I find strength and a home. From organizing rallies to re-writing school policy, I do my best to represent my generation and empower my peers at the forefront of today’s social movements. Though we are diverse in talents, perspectives, and experiences, we are united by our unapologetic idealism in overturning Gen-Z’s stereotype as politically apathetic. Looking forward, I approach the future with optimism because I have faith in what young people can do. My own Gen-Z-powered team has proven unstoppable in innovative initiatives; in forming intersectional networks and engaging with tech, we dare to build coalitions among communities that, in the past, have never worked together. Despite the groundwork laid, I know that my campaign for youth mobilization is still a work in progress. Now in college, I study ethics and public policy in order to gain the knowledge I will need to be a more multifaceted and conscious advocate. I am eager to take advantage of interdisciplinary study— to explore the intersection of politics and civic education, of data science and human psychology, and of philosophy and economics— to learn from different perspectives and build connections among disciplines and issues. Armed with the experience and wisdom gained from college, I hope to return to the podium. Marching forward, I pledge allegiance to the conviction that I can contribute to the construction of a world more open to the voice of youth.