Jillian Barrett
Saint Anselm College
Jillian Barrett, a second-year student at Saint Anselm College, is a student leader active in addressing racial justice and educational equity. For the past two years she has worked closely with community-based organizations, the local school district, and her peers to work with and support students belonging to groups traditionally considered underrepresented in higher education, particularly students of color and refugee and immigrant youth. Through this work she advocates for equitable access to resources and educational opportunities for students. She is a strong mentor for her peers and continues to help prepare them to engage in community. As the leader of the Impact Fellow Program, she supports first-year students of color as they mentor youth of color in the broader community. As part of this program, she provides a space for the college students to reflect on their experiences, foster leadership skills, and build connection. She is also actively engaged in on-campus antiracist work through a variety of leadership roles.
Personal Statement
My passion for social justice began in 8th grade; I created an organization to provide resources and evangelism to the homeless population of Worcester, MA. At that time, I did not understand the depth of the inequity my community faced or even my own identity as a Black woman. In 2020, I launched a business, Love Your Reflection, to support youth struggling with mental illness, but through this, I began to learn about the inequity in access to mental healthcare. I began to use my voice to create positive changes for students of color at my PWI with involvement in racial dialogues and on diversity equity and inclusion committees. I received the unique opportunity to work with the Meelia Center to manage the Impact Fellowship Program. This program provides a voice to students of color by allowing them the space to share their experiences in weekly dialogue and engage with and mentor youth of color in Manchester. I have learned so much about our vibrant community through my work tutoring Manchester School District students of color and giving them one-on-one support in their classwork. I want to continue my work of uplifting communities of color and creating positive social change.
