I'm deeply inspired by women activists in the disability community who advocated for their rights and the rights of those who came after them. The disability rights movement took place mainly from the 1970s to the 90s with two key pieces of legislation being passed: the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Through these acts, and the ones that followed, disabled people are legally entitled to equal access to education, public buildings and more. The passing of Section 504 wasn’t a smooth process, and it involved a lot of advocacy from members of the disability community. Key leaders of this movement include Judy Heumann and Kitty Cone, activists I find inspiring for their woman leadership and passion behind their policy advocating. Both Ms. Heumann and Ms. Cone were young women when they first began advocating for their rights, and I'm inspired by their bravery and determination in fighting for disability justice as as disabled young women. They show me that marginalized and overlooked young women can make real, lasting change. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I found that my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a high school sophomore, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. Building on my extracurricular interests, I'm studying economics and finance in college with the goal of conducting scholarly research about gender equity and disability rights.

As an international adoptee because of China's one-child policy, being a girl has affected every second of my life. As a one-day-old baby, my birth family placed me at the gates of a local orphanage. Because of that policy, Chinese families were incentivized to place their daughters for adoption because only sons could care for them financially in old age. In the first 24 hours of being alive, government policy determined my life. My parents adopted me when I was nine months old, and I moved to the United States. Because of experiencing first-hand the impact policy can have on people's lives, I will take classes in economics, public policy and gender studies, to pursue a career in policy-making for gender equality. In college, I will explore the intersection of gender and climate policy — an area I have advocacy experience through Girl Up. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I found that my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. In global relations class, I studied the political theory lens of feminism and how policymakers can apply this lens to their decisions. Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Building on my extracurricular interests, my goal is to pursue a career that benefits society at large and focuses on humanization and equality in policy-making.

As an international adoptee because of China's one-child policy, being a girl has affected every second of my life. As a one-day-old baby, my birth family placed me at the gates of a local orphanage. Because of that policy, Chinese families were incentivized to place their daughters for adoption because only sons could care for them financially in old age. In the first 24 hours of being alive, government policy determined my life. Because of experiencing first-hand the impact policy can have on people's lives, I will take classes in economics, public policy and gender studies, to pursue a career in policy-making for gender equality. In college, I will explore the intersection of gender and climate policy — an area I have advocacy experience through Girl Up. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I found that my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. In global relations class, I studied the political theory lens of feminism and how policymakers can apply this lens to their decisions. Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Building on my extracurricular interests, my goal is to pursue a career that benefits society at large and focuses on humanization and equality in policy-making.

Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. As a group comprised of young women from across the Girl — all who are part of Girl Up, United Nations Foundation — we brainstormed ideas about what we wanted to do for our project. This was a project we knew we'd be presenting at the United Nations Foundation's Big Pitch (a showcase of UNF initiatives). Our group always knew we wanted to do something for climate action and advocacy, and eventually decided to create this guide in hopes of showing young girls where to start their advocacy journies. Everyone in our group were club leaders for Girl Up and had some amount of experience leading drives, fundraisers or other projects, so we knew this guide would be targeting an audience slightly younger than our club members — middle-school-aged girls. When I was first getting started with Girl Up and climate action in general, it was overwhelming and difficult to find where to begin. I hope this project and advocacy guide will help young girls, like I once was, easily find a starting path for climate action. Recently, I started a volunteer role as Chicago's United Nations Association ambassador for climate action. In this role, I will continue educating young women about getting involved in advocating for climate action. Starting climate change advocacy through Girl Up club leadership, I did not have a guide telling me how to do it; I had people who’ve done it to learn from. Now, I have the opportunity to encourage other young girls to care about this and advocate for a cause that affects everyone worldwide.

As an international adoptee because of China's one-child policy, being a girl has affected every second of my life. As a one-day-old baby, my birth family placed me at the gates of a local orphanage. Because of that policy, Chinese families were incentivized to place their daughters for adoption because only sons could care for them financially in old age. In the first 24 hours of being alive, government policy determined my life. Because of experiencing first-hand the impact policy can have on people's lives, I will take classes in economics, public policy and gender studies, to pursue a career in policy-making for gender equality. I'm deeply inspired by women activists in the disability community who advocated for their rights and the rights of those who came after them. The disability rights movement took place mainly from the 1970s to the 90s with two key pieces of legislation being passed: the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Through these acts, and the ones that followed, disabled people are legally entitled to equal access to education, public buildings and more. The passing of Section 504 wasn’t a smooth process, and it involved a lot of advocacy from members of the disability community. Key leaders of this movement include Judy Heumann and Kitty Cone, activists I find inspiring for their woman leadership and passion behind their policy advocating. Both Ms. Heumann and Ms. Cone were young women when they first began advocating for their rights, and I'm inspired by their bravery and determination in fighting for disability justice as as disabled young women. They show me that marginalized and overlooked young women can make real, lasting change. In college, I will explore the intersection of gender and climate policy — an area I have advocacy experience through Girl Up. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I found that my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. In global relations class, I studied the political theory lens of feminism and how policymakers can apply this lens to their decisions. Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a high school sophomore, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Building on my extracurricular interests, my goal is to pursue a career that benefits society at large and focuses on humanization and equality in policy-making.

As an international adoptee because of China's one-child policy, being a girl has affected every second of my life. As a one-day-old baby, my birth family placed me at the gates of a local orphanage. Because of that policy, Chinese families were incentivized to place their daughters for adoption because only sons could care for them financially in old age. In the first 24 hours of being alive, government policy determined my life. Because of experiencing first-hand the impact policy can have on people's lives, I will take classes in economics, public policy and gender studies, to pursue a career in policy-making for gender equality. In college, I will explore the intersection of gender and climate policy — an area I have advocacy experience through Girl Up. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I found that my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. In global relations class, I studied the political theory lens of feminism and how policymakers can apply this lens to their decisions. Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Building on my extracurricular interests, my goal is to pursue a career that benefits society at large and focuses on humanization and equality in policy-making.

As an international adoptee because of China's one-child policy, being a girl has affected every second of my life. As a one-day-old baby, my birth family placed me at the gates of a local orphanage. Because of that policy, Chinese families were incentivized to place their daughters for adoption because only sons could care for them financially in old age. In the first 24 hours of being alive, government policy determined my life. Because of experiencing first-hand the impact policy can have on people's lives, I will take classes in economics, public policy and gender studies, to pursue a career in policy-making for gender equality. In college, I will explore the intersection of gender and climate policy — an area I have advocacy experience through Girl Up. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I found that my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. In global relations class, I studied the political theory lens of feminism and how policymakers can apply this lens to their decisions. Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Building on my extracurricular interests, my goal is to pursue a career that benefits society at large and focuses on humanization and equality in policy-making.

As an international adoptee because of China's one-child policy, being a girl has affected every second of my life. As a one-day-old baby, my birth family placed me at the gates of a local orphanage. Because of that policy, Chinese families were incentivized to place their daughters for adoption because only sons could care for them financially in old age. In the first 24 hours of being alive, government policy determined my life. Because of experiencing first-hand the impact policy can have on people's lives, I will take classes in economics, public policy and gender studies, to pursue a career in policy-making for gender equality. In college, I will explore the intersection of gender and climate policy — an area I have advocacy experience through Girl Up. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I found that my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. In global relations class, I studied the political theory lens of feminism and how policymakers can apply this lens to their decisions. Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Building on my extracurricular interests, my goal is to pursue a career that benefits society at large and focuses on humanization and equality in policy-making.

As an international adoptee because of China's one-child policy, being a girl has affected every second of my life. As a one-day-old baby, my birth family placed me at the gates of a local orphanage. Because of that policy, Chinese families were incentivized to place their daughters for adoption because only sons could care for them financially in old age. In the first 24 hours of being alive, government policy determined my life. Because of experiencing first-hand the impact policy can have on people's lives, I will take classes in economics, public policy and gender studies, to pursue a career in policy-making for gender equality. In college, I will explore the intersection of gender and climate policy — an area I have advocacy experience through Girl Up. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I found that my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. In global relations class, I studied the political theory lens of feminism and how policymakers can apply this lens to their decisions. Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Building on my extracurricular interests, my goal is to pursue a career that benefits society at large and focuses on humanization and equality in policy-making.

As an international adoptee because of China's one-child policy, being a girl has affected every second of my life. As a one-day-old baby, my birth family placed me at the gates of a local orphanage. Because of that policy, Chinese families were incentivized to place their daughters for adoption because only sons could care for them financially in old age. In the first 24 hours of being alive, government policy determined my life. Because of experiencing first-hand the impact policy can have on people's lives, I will take classes in economics, public policy and gender studies, to pursue a career in policy-making for gender equality. In college, I will explore the intersection of gender and climate policy — an area I have advocacy experience through Girl Up. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I found that my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. In global relations class, I studied the political theory lens of feminism and how policymakers can apply this lens to their decisions. Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Building on my extracurricular interests, my goal is to pursue a career that benefits society at large and focuses on humanization and equality in policy.

As an international adoptee because of China's one-child policy, being a girl has affected every second of my life. As a one-day-old baby, my birth family placed me at the gates of a local orphanage. Because of that policy, Chinese families were incentivized to place their daughters for adoption because only sons could care for them financially in old age. In the first 24 hours of being alive, government policy determined my life. Because of experiencing first-hand the impact policy can have on people's lives, I will take classes in economics, public policy and gender studies, to pursue a career in policy-making for gender equality. In college, I will explore the intersection of gender and climate policy — an area I have advocacy experience through Girl Up. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I found that my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. In global relations class, I studied the political theory lens of feminism and how policymakers can apply this lens to their decisions. Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Building on my extracurricular interests, my goal is to pursue a career that benefits society at large and focuses on humanization and equality in policy.

When I was a day old, in Yiyang, Hunan, my birth parents left me at the gates of the Social Welfare Institute with rice and brown sugar. I think of these items as a symbol of their love, with rice being a foundation for a good life and brown sugar as a bit of their sweetness. My adoptive parents, both of whom are white, always told me the little information they had from my orphanage: my Chinese name is Yín Yī Jūn, where the surname, Yín, means silver. When I was three, my mom took me to my first weekend Chinese-language school. There, she asked the teachers to translate my orphanage files. We learned that the twelve girls from my orphanage group, my “silver sisters” who I was adopted alongside, all shared the Chinese surname, Yín, making us connected, like a family. However, this feeling of family faded with exposure to American culture. Until first grade, I thought every kid went to Sunday Chinese-language school and had parents that look nothing like them. But now, I felt my straight, black hair and almond-shaped eyes stand out from my classmates’. One day, my class decorated our door with skin-colored paper cutouts of our hands. However, there were only two colors available: pale and dark brown. So, I reached for the pale construction paper, as it matched my skin tone, but my teacher said, “You’re not white,” and she handed me a dark brown paper. From the outside, I’m a petite Chinese girl. That’s what they saw. They didn’t see my American identity, just my Chinese physical features, and even that wasn’t factored into the binary of the paper choices. As I started leaning into both cultures, trying to find my cultural balance, my parents and I took a trip to Yiyang when I was entering eighth grade. We saw my finding spot, where I was found when my birth family left me, and visited my orphanage. There, I met the woman who named and held me when I was first brought in from the gates. I saw photos of the girls I was adopted with, the places those photos were taken and their all-white families holding them. I didn’t think it was possible to feel so connected to girls I didn't remember knowing. Coming home, I was back in my world without connections to girls that are both Chinese and adopted, so I sent letters to the addresses my mom had saved fourteen years ago. Surprisingly, I heard from eight of the girls, and none of us had a prior connection to the adoptee community. So, I started an Instagram account, Girls Adoption Connect, and I reached out to more adoptees online. It started with a dozen people following the account. After sending a message for adoptees to share their journeys, I saw the number of people creep up by the hundred to reach thousands in the adoptee community, creating an online community of “adopted sisters.” Now, I connect the journey Little Me went through to eventually identify as a “Chinese American transracial adoptee” to the reflective and community-centered nature of Girls Adoption Connect. When my birth family left me at those gates, seventeen years ago, they gave me the gift of sweetness, uniting me with my “silver sisters.” And, thanks to my parents who named me, I reflect a bit of my “silver” heritage whenever I sign my English middle name, effectively merging my Chinese roots and American upbringing.

I will take classes in journalism, economics, public policy and gender studies. Because I’m interested in the intersection of several majors, I will build upon my prior experiences to find my eventual major. Building upon my high school journalism experience as an editor-in-chief who loves reporting breaking news, I will take classes in journalism, focusing on editing and writing. I love grammatical editing; when I learned about AP Style as a freshman, I dove in. As updates are made to sections, I add these to my writing repertoire, merging my interests in copyediting and writing. Additionally, I will take classes in gender studies and public policy. I will explore the intersection of gender and climate policy — an area I have advocacy experience through Girl Up. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I found that my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. In global relations class, I studied the political theory lens of feminism and how policymakers can apply this lens to their decisions. Through this study, I found that I may want to pursue a career in policy-making for gender awareness. Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Building on my extracurricular and academic interests, my goal is to pursue a career that benefits society at large and focuses on humanization in data and policy.

In ancient Greece, the uterus was believed to be a sort of parasite that roamed the body, causing mischief and hysteria in women. While modern medicine has disproved this, the effects of this misconception are still felt today in how women are defined for their sexuality and bodies. In some places, like Sub-Saharan Africa, girls are unable to attend school while on their menstrual cycles and, in many places, girls are not taught about menstrual hygiene. This needs to change. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). The project was led by Girl Up Edinburgh and involved a Girl Up representative from each of the 50 United States and European Union countries. Together, we wrote advocacy guides to encourage girls’ interest in menstrual advocacy and hosted workshop sessions about menstrual hygiene. On ILD, I sent emails to my state representatives and stakeholders about removing the pink tax. I emphasized the importance of menstrual product accessibility, saying that the pink tax unfairly targets female necessities and that our necessities are not provided by public restrooms. Then, I created a document summarizing the existing menstrual legislation, advocacy organizations and outreach contacts to share with Girl Up clubs in the Midwest. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact is something that’s stuck with me since. Being involved in a group to advocate for something I’m deeply passionate about changed my perspective on the impact lobbying and advocacy hold and highlighted the criticality of joining a movement that’s larger than myself. Now, as I study human reproductive biology and the uterus in my senior year and look toward pursuing gender equity in international affairs, I’ve already done something small in the movement for reproductive and menstrual health. So, if given the power to rewrite the course of history, I would destigmatize menstruation and the sexual connotations surrounding it, specifically about how women’s health was, and still is, considered a medical mystery to solve. As a woman who menstruates and purchases several boxes of period products per month, I would choose to change the way society perceives menstruation and emphasize the importance of dignified menstrual hygiene. By eliminating period stigma and achieving menstrual equity, menstruators across the world would have equal opportunities to receive an education and access hygienic products without facing an added financial burden. Advocating for women’s healthcare and awareness today carries the ability to rewrite the uterine misconceptions of the past and bring opportunities for comprehensive menstrual education and equity.

When I was a day old, in Yiyang, Hunan, my birth parents left me at the gates to the Social Welfare Institute with rice and brown sugar. I think of these items as a symbol of their love, with rice being a foundation for a good life and brown sugar as a bit of their sweetness. My adoptive parents, both of whom are white, always told me the little information they had from my orphanage: my Chinese name is Yín Yī Jūn, where the surname, Yín, means silver. When I was three, my mom took me to my first weekend Chinese-language school. There, she asked the teachers to translate my orphanage files. We learned that the twelve girls from my orphanage group, my “silver sisters” who I was adopted alongside, all shared the Chinese surname, Yín, making us connected, like a family. Until first grade, I thought every kid went to Sunday Chinese-language school and had parents that look nothing like them. But now, I felt my straight, black hair and almond-shaped eyes stand out from my classmates’. One day, my class decorated our door with skin-colored paper cutouts of our hands. However, there were only two colors available: pale and dark brown. So, I reached for the pale construction paper, as it matched my skin tone, but my teacher said, “You’re not white,” and she handed me a dark brown paper. From the outside, I’m a petite Chinese girl. That’s what they saw. They didn’t see my American identity, just my Chinese physical features, and even that wasn’t factored into the binary of the paper choices. As I started leaning into both cultures, trying to find my cultural balance, my parents and I took a trip to Yiyang when I was entering eighth grade. We saw my finding spot, where I was found when my birth family left me, and visited my orphanage. There, I met the woman who named and held me when I was first brought in from the gates. I saw photos of the girls I was adopted with, the places those photos were taken and their all-white families holding them. I didn’t think it was possible to feel so connected to girls I didn't remember knowing. Coming home, I was back in my world without connections to girls that are both Chinese and adopted, so I sent letters to the addresses my mom had saved fourteen years ago. Surprisingly, I heard from eight of the girls, and none of us had a prior connection to the adoptee community. So, I started an Instagram account, Girls Adoption Connect, and I reached out to more adoptees online. It started with a dozen people following the account. After sending a message for adoptees to share their journeys, I saw the number of people creep up by the hundred to reach thousands in the adoptee community, creating an online community of “adopted sisters.” Now, I connect the journey Little Me went through to eventually identify as a “Chinese American transracial adoptee” to the reflective and community-centered nature of Girls Adoption Connect. When my birth family left me at those gates, seventeen years ago, they gave me the gift of sweetness, uniting me with my “silver sisters.”

Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. Starting climate change advocacy through Girl Up club leadership, I didn’t have a guide telling me how to do it; I had people who’ve done it to learn from. Now, I have the opportunity to encourage other young girls to care about this and advocate for a cause that affects everyone worldwide. Additionally, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective about lobbying. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Led by Girl Up Edinburgh, this project involved a Girl Up representative from each U.S. and E.U. region. Together, we wrote advocacy guides to encourage girls’ interest in menstrual advocacy and hosted workshop sessions about menstrual hygiene. On ILD, I sent emails to my state representatives and stakeholders about removing the pink tax. I emphasized the importance of menstrual product accessibility, saying that the pink tax unfairly targets female necessities and that our needs are not provided by public restrooms. Then, I created a document summarizing the existing menstrual legislation, advocacy organizations and outreach contacts to share with Girl Up clubs in the Midwest. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. As a woman who menstruates and purchases several boxes of period products per month, ILD for menstruators' health represents a start for me in changing the way society perceives menstruation and emphasizes the importance of dignified menstrual hygiene.

Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary in combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. Starting climate change advocacy through Girl Up club leadership, I didn’t have a guide telling me how to do it; I had people who’ve done it to learn from. Now, I have the opportunity to encourage other young girls to care about this and advocate for a cause that affects everyone worldwide. Additionally, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective about lobbying. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Led by Girl Up Edinburgh, this project involved a Girl Up representative from each U.S. and E.U. region. Together, we wrote advocacy guides to encourage girls’ interest in menstrual advocacy and hosted workshop sessions about menstrual hygiene. On ILD, I sent emails to my state representatives and stakeholders about removing the pink tax. I emphasized the importance of menstrual product accessibility, saying that the pink tax unfairly targets female necessities and that our needs are not provided by public restrooms. Then, I created a document summarizing the existing menstrual legislation, advocacy organizations and outreach contacts to share with Girl Up clubs in the Midwest. As excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. As a woman who menstruates and purchases several boxes of period products per month, ILD for menstruators' health represents a start for me in changing the way society perceives menstruation and emphasizes the importance of dignified menstrual hygiene.

In ancient Greece, the uterus was believed to be a sort of parasite that roamed the body, causing mischief and hysteria in women. While modern medicine has disproved this, the effects of this misconception are still felt today in how women are defined for their sexuality and bodies. In some places, like Sub-Saharan Africa, girls are unable to attend school while on their menstrual cycles and, in many places, girls are not taught about menstrual hygiene. This needs to change. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). The project was led by Girl Up Edinburgh and involved a Girl Up representative from each of the 50 United States and European Union countries. Together, we wrote advocacy guides to encourage girls’ interest in menstrual advocacy and hosted workshop sessions about menstrual hygiene. On ILD, I sent emails to my state representatives and stakeholders about removing the pink tax. I emphasized the importance of menstrual product accessibility, saying that the pink tax unfairly targets female necessities and that our necessities are not provided by public restrooms. Then, I created a document summarizing the existing menstrual legislation, advocacy organizations and outreach contacts to share with Girl Up clubs in the Midwest. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact is something that’s stuck with me since. Being involved in a group to advocate for something I’m deeply passionate about changed my perspective on the impact lobbying and advocacy hold and highlighted the criticality of joining a movement that’s larger than myself. Now, as I study human reproductive biology and the uterus in my senior year and look toward pursuing gender equity in international affairs, I’ve already done something small in the movement for reproductive and menstrual health. So, if given the power to rewrite the understanding of biological nature, I would destigmatize menstruation and the sexual connotations surrounding it, specifically about how women’s health was, and still is, considered a medical mystery to solve. As a woman who menstruates and purchases several boxes of period products per month, I would choose to change the way society perceives menstruation and emphasize the importance of dignified menstrual hygiene. By eliminating period stigma and achieving menstrual equity, menstruators across the world would have equal opportunities to receive an education and access hygienic products without facing an added financial burden. Advocating for women’s healthcare and awareness today carries the ability to rewrite the uterine misconceptions of the past and bring opportunities for comprehensive menstrual education and equity.

Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. Starting climate change advocacy through Girl Up club leadership, I didn’t have a guide telling me how to do it; I had people who’ve done it to learn from. Now, I have the opportunity to encourage other young girls to care about this and advocate for a cause that affects everyone worldwide. Additionally, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective on lobbying. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Led by Girl Up Edinburgh, this project involved a Girl Up representative from each U.S. and E.U. region. Together, we wrote advocacy guides to encourage girls’ interest in menstrual advocacy and hosted workshop sessions about menstrual hygiene. On ILD, I sent emails to my state representatives and stakeholders about removing the pink tax. I emphasized the importance of menstrual product accessibility, saying that the pink tax unfairly targets female necessities and that our needs are not provided by public restrooms. Then, I created a document summarizing the existing menstrual legislation, advocacy organizations and outreach contacts to share with Girl Up clubs in the Midwest. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. As a woman who menstruates and purchases several boxes of period products per month, ILD for menstruators' health represents a start for me in changing the way society perceives menstruation and emphasizes the importance of dignified menstrual hygiene. Going into college and building on my extracurricular and academic interests, my goal is to pursue a career that benefits society at large and focuses on humanization in data and policy. I’m passionate about gender equality and its intersection with climate change and climate policy. As a leader for Girl Up, United Nations Foundation’s climate and gender equality action group, I realized my passion for gender equality extends beyond just fundraising and workshops and includes climate policy. In global relations class, I studied the political theory lens of feminism and how policymakers can apply this lens to their decisions. Through this study, I found that I want to pursue a career in policy-making for gender awareness.

“Stay very still,” the voice of a nurse said. “If you move, the needle could puncture your median nerve.” Shaking, trembling and all-around petrified I force my body to stay still, while I shiver under the mountains of blue paper scrubs piled over my torso. One of the three nurses in the room walked around the operating table where I was laying and began to wipe off the cold, white numbing gel that was smeared over my wrist. She slathered a cool, yellow soap over my arm and then hung a vertical blue tarp, blocking the view of my right side. Two doctors fully dressed in scrubs and goggles came over and began to fill little, clear syringes with a milky-white solution. A doctor took my hand and drew a thick black mark on the side of my wrist where the injection site was to be. An ultrasound machine was wheeled over to the left side of the table and the wet, cold gel was run over my wrist. The radiologist placed the scanner on my arm and started smearing the gel up my limb. I glanced at the screen and could see the anatomy of my wrist. At that moment I panicked; I started silently crying. Terror ran through my bones. It felt like all the fear building up to this day hit at once. One of the nurses noticed and asked if I wanted her to play music. I nodded and said that I like Enya. With “Enya’s Greatest Hits” playing, the orthopedic surgeon lifted the first of multiple large syringes. I cringed and squeezed my eyes shut. I don’t want to see this. I feel a blast of ice-cold air on my wrist, and in a split-second, my skin is frozen on the outside, but fully alive on the in. I glance away again, readying myself for the needle to be inserted into my nerves. The surgeon holds up one of the syringes, and I let out a high-pitched squeal, even though nothing has punctured my skin yet. I glance at the nurse and then back to the ultrasound screen. My back and shoulders tense, and I press the balls of my feet into the operating table. I'm ready. My eyes focus on the ultrasound screen, certain that screen will be the only way I'll know when the injections begin. Two doctors and the radiologist crowd my right wrist. At first, it just feels like a painful tetanus shot — a slow, long pressure being applied. Then, it becomes more intense. I cringe and squeeze my eyes shut. Close to hyperventilating, I gasp for air and try to focus my mind on anything except the inflating balloon being shot into my damaged nerve. “I think I’m bleeding out,” I silently thought, as the needle pushed father and father into my body, while still expelling cortisone. This thought is soon followed by, “At least I’m already on the operating table if anything happens." Keeping my eyes shut and limbs tense, I try to focus on the music playing. Nothing takes my mind away from the pain inflicted. Suddenly, the needle is removed. I breathe a sigh of relief; this mega-painful procedure is over. The doctors place one small bandage, that's 1 inch by 1 inch in, over the injection site, and I transfer off the operating table.

In ancient Greece, the uterus was believed to be a sort of parasite that roamed the body, causing mischief and hysteria in women. While modern medicine has disproved this, the effects of this misconception are still felt today in how women are defined for their sexuality and bodies. In some places, like Sub-Saharan Africa, girls are unable to attend school while on their menstrual cycles and, in many places, girls are not taught about menstrual hygiene. This needs to change. In sophomore year, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). The project was led by Girl Up Edinburgh and involved a Girl Up representative from each of the 50 United States and European Union countries. Together, we wrote advocacy guides to encourage girls’ interest in menstrual advocacy and hosted workshop sessions about menstrual hygiene. On ILD, I sent emails to my state representatives and stakeholders about removing the pink tax. I emphasized the importance of menstrual product accessibility, saying that the pink tax unfairly targets female necessities and that our necessities are not provided by public restrooms. Then, I created a document summarizing the existing menstrual legislation, advocacy organizations and outreach contacts to share with Girl Up clubs in the Midwest. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact is something that’s stuck with me since. Being involved in a group to advocate for something I’m deeply passionate about changed my perspective on the impact lobbying and advocacy hold and highlighted the criticality of joining a movement that’s larger than myself. Now, as I study human reproductive biology and the uterus in my senior year and look toward pursuing gender equity in international affairs, I’ve already done something small in the movement for reproductive and menstrual health. So, if given the power to rewrite the course of history, I would destigmatize menstruation and the sexual connotations surrounding it, specifically about how women’s health was, and still is, considered a medical mystery to solve. As a woman who menstruates and purchases several boxes of period products per month, I would choose to change the way society perceives menstruation and emphasize the importance of dignified menstrual hygiene. By eliminating period stigma and achieving menstrual equity, menstruators across the world would have equal opportunities to receive an education and access hygienic products without facing an added financial burden. Advocating for women’s healthcare and awareness today carries the ability to rewrite the uterine misconceptions of the past and bring opportunities for comprehensive menstrual education and equity.

Women represent the majority of those in poverty but hold fewer stakes in the movement for climate action. Because of women’s position in society and lack of representation in economics and politics, those the most affected by climate change aren’t involved in decision-making and don't have the empowerment or resources to confront the climate crisis. High levels of economic activity correlate with energy and natural resource consumption, therefore economics and public policy are necessary for combating the climate crisis. As a woman passionate about these fields, I aspire to bring a gender-focused perspective to the climate change table in policy and economics. Through a Girl Up project, I’m working with a team of women to encourage younger girls’ advocacy in climate change by creating and sharing an advocacy guide. Providing tools for climate advocacy is exciting, in that it’s helping younger girls find opportunities for community involvement. Starting climate change advocacy through Girl Up club leadership, I didn’t have a guide telling me how to do it; I had people who’ve done it to learn from. Now, I have the opportunity to encourage other young girls to care about this and advocate for a cause that affects everyone worldwide. Additionally, I represented the Midwest on the International Period Advocacy Network, a global period advocacy project for International Lobbying Day 2021 (ILD). Collaborating with the Girl Up community to advocate for women’s menstrual health changed my perspective about lobbying. It showed me the impact of joining a global movement to advocate for communities of menstruators. Led by Girl Up Edinburgh, this project involved a Girl Up representative from each U.S. and E.U. region. Together, we wrote advocacy guides to encourage girls’ interest in menstrual advocacy and hosted workshop sessions about menstrual hygiene. On ILD, I sent emails to my state representatives and stakeholders about removing the pink tax. I emphasized the importance of menstrual product accessibility, saying that the pink tax unfairly targets female necessities and that our needs are not provided by public restrooms. Then, I created a document summarizing the existing menstrual legislation, advocacy organizations and outreach contacts to share with Girl Up clubs in the Midwest. As the excitement from the ILD settled and we started recording our advocacy numbers, we realized that this project reached six continents and five states. While this project and ILD with Girl Up members was something that only lasted about a month, its global impact has stuck with me since. As a woman who menstruates and purchases several boxes of period products per month, ILD for menstruators' health represents a start for me in changing the way society perceives menstruation and emphasizes the importance of dignified menstrual hygiene.