Here are some of my favorite projects I created at State of the Students:

Metropolitan-Level Civic Coverage: The 2021 New York City mayoral election was one of the most pivotal in recent memory. As the city faced questions about pandemic recovery, policing, education, and housing, candidates brought very different visions to the table. But with so many names on the ballot, many young and first-time voters struggled to follow the race. This project aimed to make that election more accessible through clear, comparative civic media.

New York City 2021 Mayoral Race Youth voter turnout was especially low coming out of the pandemic, so we asked every candidate the same question: why are you the right choice for young people?

Down-Ballot Race Civic Media: Beyond national elections and high-profile races like the mayor's office, many voters overlook the significance of local elections. Positions such as comptroller and district attorney play crucial roles in managing city finances and overseeing legal systems, but they often get far less attention. These explainer videos were created to make those down-ballot races easier to understand, especially for younger voters.

District 7 Manhattan, Upper West Side, Morningside Heights, Manhattanville
Key issues: public housing, affordability, education District 14 Bronx, Fordham, Kingsbridge, University Heights
Key issues: affordable housing, public transit, education access District 26 Western Queens, Long Island City, Sunnyside, Woodside
Key issues: rezoning, overdevelopment, displacement District 36 Central Brooklyn, Bedford-Stuyvesant, Crown Heights
Key issues: gun violence, policing, school equity Comptroller Overseeing the city's $100 billion budget Manhattan District Attorney Criminal justice reform and prosecution approaches

Voices in Governance and Policy: Political engagement has traditionally happened in person (e.g. rallies, town halls, and canvassing), but the pandemic disrupted that. We originally planned to host these interviews in person over pizza, which is where the name "Pizza & Politics" came from. When everything moved online, we saw a chance to rethink how people connect with civic life. This interview series was our response. We wanted to highlight the different parts of governance, including people who didn't win elections and those working in roles that don't usually get much attention.

Suraj Patel Former Obama staffer and congressional candidate
Generational change, political reform, engaging young people Elizabeth Warren U.S. Senator and former presidential candidate
Student debt, economic justice, youth political engagement Kathryn Garcia Longtime public servant, ran NYC's sanitation department
Practical views on city operations Tedra Cobb Former county legislator and two-time congressional candidate
Running in rural districts and community connection