Amarachi is a second-year Master of Public Administration (MPA) student at the NYU Wagner School of Public Service, specializing in Advocacy & Political Action. Her academic and professional focus is on addressing systemic inequalities through public policy and direct service efforts. Recently, Amarachi worked as a legislative fellow for a New York City Council Member, where she researched proposed legislation that would directly impact vulnerable populations in Brooklyn, NY. Her work involved analyzing the potential impact of new policies on housing, economic stability, and social services to create a more equitable city. Before her fellowship, she worked as a Homeless Outreach Specialist, connecting individuals experiencing street homelessness with temporary shelter arrangements. This has fueled her passion for addressing the root causes of poverty and instability in low-income and marginalized communities. After graduation, she plans to continue her research and advocacy by focusing on solutions to the ongoing homelessness crises in NYC and California.
What causes are you most passionate about?
I am most passionate about uplifting marginalized and commonly overlooked communities, specifically black populations, women, and impoverished groups. Many individuals experiencing homelessness require resources other than just housing. I believe we must acknowledge the socioeconomic factors that have contributed to their current situation and determine how we can assist their transition to stable housing to ensure they are mentally, emotionally, and physically able to maintain a stable home.
What ideas or efforts do you think will or have changed the world the most?
Future efforts to build relationships between Overdose Prevention Centers (OPCs) and Homeless Shelters will significantly improve the services offered to a perpetually underserved community. Mental illness and addiction maintain an ingrained causal relationship with poverty, which must be addressed when creating homelessness policies. I believe that the drug epidemic requires a public health approach as opposed to criminalization and this initiative could provide clients with an opportunity for rehabilitation within the shelter system and establish a safe environment for unhoused individuals to determine their path toward resolving their circumstances.
My ideal future world includes…
Increased protections against housing discrimination for all and more targeted services for unhoused individuals struggling with mental illness and/or addiction.
