Elena Michielsen

My name is Elena and I am a senior at the Spence School in New York City. I joined Next Gen because I am very passionate about civic education and civil discourse. I am particularly interested in immigration and food access, which has led me to work at Team TLC, a service organization that helps asylum seekers transition to living in NYC, and to pursue an independent research project in which I am designing genetically modified quinoa plants to improve food security.

Next Gen has given me the opportunity to engage actively with issues that I care about and connect with students on all sides of the political spectrum. Last year I participated in a CAP project that donated culturally relevant foods to a community fridge in Washington Heights and over the past summer I facilitated lively discussions during our summer forums as Lead Summer Fellow. As a Senior Lead Fellow I hope to foster active and inspiring discussions and cultivate an inviting community that welcomes diverse perspectives.