Cate Schwarz

- Lead Fellow

My name is Cate and I am a junior at The Spence School in New York City. Next Gen has given me the opportunity to learn from all kinds of people and broaden my worldview. I am particularly interested in environmental justice and media literacy, both topics that I hope to explore further through our forums. I joined Next Gen in freshman year looking for a place to have meaningful discourse about a variety of civic topics. Two years later, I have gotten so much more out of this experience than I had expected. During my first Civic Action Project I was able to work alongside other fellows to explore the impact of COVID 19 on the immigration system through interviews with state legislators. Outside of the Civic Fellowship, I love to do math, play sports, and sew. My hope for this year is to have engaging civic discussions in which every participant is able to learn more about themselves, their peers, and our society as a whole.

As a Lead Fellow this year I want to cultivate an environment in which all fellows, new or returning, feel comfortable to share their opinions and learn from others.