Remy Reya
I'm a recent graduate of Princeton University, where I studied Public Policy and earned certificates in Journalism and Philosophy. I've spent the last
few years engaging with homelessness, poverty, and criminal justice
issues, from a journalistic and academic perspective. I believe that storytelling and human-centered research can effect social change,
and I've always sought to contribute to narratives about social issues
that view lived experience as a unique and important form of knowledge.
I'm also a musician. I sang in an a cappella group (The Princeton Footnotes) throughout college, and I play piano, drums, and ukulele. I see music as a beautiful way to connect across difference and to lift people up. Plus, it's undeniably fun to jam out with friends.
In the spring of 2020, when COVID-19 began to sweep across the globe, I
was studying abroad at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. As
the world opens back up, I'm eager to see it all; I see immense value
in seeking discomfort, engaging with people on their own turf, and
discovering by wandering.
The projects listed below have drawn on diverse experiences in and out of
the classroom, and they've all helped me better understand what it means to put
a human-centered philosophy into action. I hope you'll get a taste of what I've learned!
Written Works
To read, click on titles or images.
July 2017
Aug 2017
Sep 2017
Aug 2020
Aug 2020
Sep 2020
Sep 2020
Oct 2019
Oct 2019
Aug 2020
Aug 2020
Oct 2019
Oct 2020
Sep 2020
Nov 2020
Nov 2020
Oct 2020
Sep 2020
Nov 2020
Oct 2020
Dec 2020
Dec 2020
Audio Works
To listen, use play buttons on the left.
Academic Works
To read, click on titles or images.
accessible through the University of Cape Town's Centre for Social Science Research, April 2020
Undergraduate Senior Thesis @ Princeton
Junior Independent Work @ Princeton
Final Paper for Matthew Desmond's Poverty in America course @ Princeton
Speeches and Presentations
Click the arrows below to navigate between presentations.
At the TEDxPrincetonU conference in 2018, I spoke about the importance of humanizing homelessness by talking to people on the streets, learning their stories, and integrating them into our communities.
I was chosen by my classmates as the inaugural student speaker for the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs Class Day ceremony, an annual event.
I prepared and presented a talk about homelessness in the Midwest, with a focus on relational poverty in the homeless community, for the 2020 Midstory Talks event.
At the TEDxPrincetonU conference in 2018, I spoke about the importance of humanizing homelessness by talking to people on the streets, learning their stories, and integrating them into our communities.
Experience
PROJECT 55 FELLOW,
COMPASS GREATER WASHINGTON
September 2021 - Present
Nonprofit that provides pro bono consulting services and strategic guidance to local nonprofits; assist program management, budgeting, and communications.
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Supported selection and administrative support of over 300 volunteer consultants in DC and Chicago.
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Created technology program training and handbook for volunteers; led two live presentations to over 70 volunteers.
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Spearheaded peer benchmarking work for a local independent school; conducted 6 interviews and developed a survey.
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Conducted organization-wide technology audit; mapped and demystified trends to develop recommendations for account consolidation/cancellation that led to savings of more than $5000 (13% of projected tech budget) in FY22.
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Created branch-specific and organization-wide budget worksheets used in Board planning meetings for FY23.
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Successfully integrated MobileCause and Salesforce to automate entry of hundreds of donation records per year.
INTERN,
MIDSTORY
June - August 2020
Solutions-oriented thinkhub dedicated to research and storytelling about the Midwest; oversaw design and execution of research projects, conducted primary research, wrote articles, created social media content, and prepared a talk about homelessness and relational poverty in the Midwest.
June - September 2018
Criminal defense firm; conducted discovery work, created database of case-relevant materials, discussed evidence with clients, and attended court hearings.
WRITER,INDEPENDENT VOTER NETWORK
June - August 2017
Non-partisan political journalism organization; conducted interviews, wrote articles, and developed online content.
INTERN,BARBARA BRY CAMPAIGN
June - August 2016
Campaign for current San Diego City Council member and Council President Pro Tem; engaged in voter outreach through phone banking and canvassing.
INTERN,CASA CORNELIA LAW CENTER
June - August 2016
Pro bono legal organization representing victims of civil and human rights violations; provided administrative support and attended legal aid training and court hearings.
INTERN,PEARL LAB (UCSD)
June - August 2014
Positive Emotion and Anxiety Research Laboratory at UCSD; completed CITI (Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative) course on Human Subjects Research, learned about MRI operation, and shadowed psychological test administrators under the supervision of Professor Charles Taylor.
Skills
AUDIO ENGINEERING
Experience with Hindenburg and Reaper.
VOX COLLECTION
Enthusiastic about approaching strangers to gain perspectives on important issues.
PROFILE WRITING
Able to streamline information from interviews and background research into a condensed narrative about a person's life.
Public Speaking
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High School Graduation Speaker (June 2017)
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Speaker at TEDxPrincetonU Conference (December 2018)
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Speaker at Midstory Talks Event (August 2020)
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Participant in La Jolla Country Day School Collegiate Alumni Panel (February 2021)
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Inaugural Student Speaker at Class Day Ceremony for the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs (May 2021)
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Presenter at 2021 Developing Homelessness Work Conference, hosted by Tampere University (November 2021)
