Kiarra Austin, '21

Spring 2020 Semester in the City Fellow
Kiarra Austin

Kiarra was a junior studying Political Science and Women’s Studies. She had been a part of various organizations on campus. Serving as the Business Manager and Co-Chair of the Native American Culture Association, as the Chair of Fraternity and Sorority life on Student Senate, as Secretary of NALA, as a sister of Alpha Xi Delta and serving on the PanHellenic Council as programming assistant. She had also worked as a Mentor for the Connect Program, a program that supports a smooth transaction to college for minority, low income and/or first-generation students. During her Spring 2020 semester, Kiarra interned at the Community Resources for Justiceas a social justice fellow. She spent her days at the Coolidge House and the McGrath House, she worked closely with newly released offenders as they transition to everyday society. Kiarra was most excited for the opportunity to make genuine impacts on people's lives for the better and a direct hand in positive change. Kiarra’s passion for social justice and prison reform advocacy comes from her believing that we are all products of our environment, and seeing the lasting impacts that mass incarceration has left on Kiarra’s community has made changing that environment, her primary mark of success. She was beyond excited to be working directly with this population and learning how to best serve them during her time with Semester in the City.

View Kiarra's presentation from the showcase.