Zaina Qureshi is double-majoring in American studies and political science at George Washington University.
“What I’m most passionate about isn’t just political science. It’s American studies with a focus on how advocacy relates to policy and pathways to social justice, as well as developing a different kind of political thought that is racially informed and informed by younger generations.”
When she was in high school, Qureshi worked for Springtide Research Institute and learned how much distrust Gen Z had of government, institutionalized religion, and “aspects of power that are less people-focused.”
“One of the big differences for Gen Z is how we interact with the world through technology. So in college, I started thinking about an approach that advocates and government could take to bring our generation back to policy issues and back into the process of creating legislation.
“In the Black Lives Matter Movement, Gen Z was among the largest groups that came to the protests. So, using that research and my experience in the government sector,” Qureshi interned for Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey.
“I’m looking for where the middle ground between advocacy and government lies and how these two areas can intersect. That’s what led me to Strategies for Children.”
Qureshi’s internship project is to track early childhood policies.
“I’m analyzing legislation that has passed; legislation that is likely to pass,’and how Strategies and the Advocacy Network can predict trends in policy and support policy implementation that leads to real change.”
That means mapping the skill sets of Advocacy Network members and matching them to community needs and to pressing state issues, including new federal restrictions on food stamps and Medicaid, as well as harsher federal immigration practices.
“Massachusetts has many advocates, and I want to bridge the gaps between people and advocates. One focus of mine is working more closely with my community, the Hispanic community, in a holistic and equal way, so that there is more access to advocacy, and so that it’s not only nonprofit organizations in Chelsea doing this work or only Spanish-speaking nonprofits doing this work. I want to help Strategies expand its advocacy conversations. And I think there’s a great capacity for larger organizations to be involved, to shoulder some of the burden that’s on small organizations.”
Qureshi will be talking to “as many people as I can” to build these bridges, and while her impact might start small—say an email blast about a problem in Chelsea or East Boston—she believes in the long-term power of forging more connections among people, advocates, and organizations.
“Listening to conversations with the Advocacy Network and on The 9:30 Call showed me other ways, outside of passing legislation, that change can be implemented and actually come to fruition.”