The LGBTQ Policy Center at Hunter College’s Roosevelt House announced that it has named two 2025 – 2026 Pride Policy Fellows: rising seniors Chinara Amaukwu and Kanishka Awasthi.
The students will each receive a $5,000 stipend to support a summer internship addressing LGBTQ policy with a nonprofit organization, legislator, or government office.
Amaukwu (she/her) will work in Councilmember Tiffany Cabán’s office, supporting constituent needs, public outreach, and community events. She is a rising senior and Athena Scholar, majoring in political science with a minor in women and gender studies and a concentration in women’s studies. She is interested in Queer history, advancing the rights and well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals, and making systemic change.
“I’m excited to be working at the councilmember’s office,” Amaukwu said. “As a Queer identifying person, being selected a Pride Fellow has been a tremendous opportunity, and I hope to grow more in my personal and academic life through the experiences I gain.”
Awasthi (they/them) will be interning this summer with the nonprofit SexGenLab before moving this fall into an internship with a legislator working on LGBTQ Policy. SexGenLab disseminates research about sexuality and gender to academics and the public.
Awasthi is a Thomas Hunter Honors Program Scholar, a co-researcher with SexGenLabs, poet, and the founder of the book-club/artist collective Chai Coffee Lit. They have been the recipient of the Mellon Public Humanities and Social Justice Research Grant and the Audre Lorde Prize.
