Emerson Fellow
Funke Aderonmu
24th Class, 2017-2018
Funke Aderonmu is a recent graduate of the University of California, Davis with degrees in economics and international relations. While in college, she developed a strong commitment to social justice and public service. Funke volunteered with Freedom from Hunger, a non-profit working to deliver innovative solutions to poverty, and the Innovation Institute for Food and Heath working on issues of food security in her surrounding community. Funke is interested in public policy and served as a national delegate to the 2016 Public Policy and International Affairs Conference at Indiana University-Bloomington. She is an avid lover of dance, storytelling, and podcasts.
Field placement: DC Greens
Washington, D.C.
Funke provided research, planning, and programmatic support for the Community Advocates program which trains D.C. residents from low-income wards to advocate for equitable food policies at the local level. She conducted in-depth interviews with outgoing Community Advocates and contributed findings on the program’s impact to a program implementation guide. Additionally, Funke provided data collection, analysis, and writing support for an evaluation of a Healthy Corner Stores pilot initiative that supports corner stores in supplying fresh produce for residents in food insecure neighborhoods in the District.
Policy placement: RESULTS
Washington, D.C.
At RESULTS, Funke provided research support and developed a workshop session focused on the intersection of housing and the racial wealth divide for the 2018 RESULTS International Conference. Additionally, she supported the recruitment and training of interns and REAL Change fellows, a cohort of youth activists that work with their communities, the media, and policymakers to champion policy solutions to poverty.