Shandrea Murphy-Washington (’20) is working as a Program Assistant with the African American Policy Forum, an innovative think tank that connects academics, activists, and policy-makers to promote efforts to dismantle structural inequality.
Murphy-Washington, who officially began her position last spring, said that her path to working with AAPF began by applying for a research and writing fellowship. However, after AAPF read the writing samples she submitted and noticed her background in research, capacity-building, and program design, the organization thought her diverse skillset would make her an excellent Program Assistant.
“One of the most fascinating things about this work is being able to virtually sit in the same rooms as some of the most brilliant thought leaders in the country,” said, Murphy-Washington, who jumped at the chance to work for an organization led by Kimberlé Crenshaw, who also serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Intersectionality and Social Policy Studies at Columbia Law School and holds a professorship at the UCLA School of Law.
“What I enjoy the most is the focus on amplifying issues that plague Black women, girls, and femmes in their homes, schools, and communities,” she said. “Programs like our Young Scholars Program allow me to get a first-hand account of the many intersectional failures that our Black girl and gender expansive youth are battling against. Playing a role in training our next generation of leaders and researchers who focus on addressing these issues has always been a dream of mine.”
Murphy-Washington wears many hats as a Program Assistant. She provides administrative support, research, writing, production assistance, project design, and facilitation. These various roles give her opportunities to put her lessons from the Clinton School to use.
“I can see the Clinton School reflected in the work I do every day,” Murphy-Washington said. “When designing projects and programming I reflect on the teachings of Dr. Bavon. When co-facilitating sessions with our Young Scholars or acting as a thought partner to my co-workers I channel Dr. Richards’ communication lectures. Coming from an educational environment that offered first-hand experience in a variety of nonprofit research methods definitely prepared me for the fast-paced nature of this work.”
As a Clinton School student, Murphy-Washington used her final Capstone project to design a program addressing mental health in African American Little Rock youth. Her program utilized mindfulness techniques, storytelling, and spoken word poetry to empower youth to speak out on issues relevant to their schools and communities.
Her International Public Service Project took her to Accra, Ghana, to research fundraising best practices with the country’s Department of Community Development. During her first year at the Clinton School, Murphy-Washington was part of a team of students that partnered with UA Little Rock Children International. The team conducted interviews with local leaders to identity labor market trends as well as hard and soft skills desired by employers.
Murphy-Washington released a book of poetry, “Talking to Myself,” in 2020 that explores a number of personal themes, including battles with mental health, fear of change, family dynamics, womanhood, and evolution.
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