Rediet Ghebrehiwet

Senior Rediet Ghebrehiwet is an advocate. Sometimes she champions important issues, like feminism or immigration policy, and other times for more obscure passions, like rollerblading or why telenovelas deserve more appreciation. 

After joining many political student groups, Ghebrehiwet noticed the shocking absence of women. She tells me that this absence inspired her to speak up about women’s engagement in politics and caused her to start the Leadership Institute in the feminist organization MocCo EmpowHER, which guides young women toward finding and amplifying their voices. This one-on-one leadership is important to her, as she gained her confidence in public speaking through another girl-oriented mentorship program. 

Her attention to the underdog– focusing on who needs help and how to give it to them– is partly inspired by her father, an Eritrean immigrant who moved here to get a better life. “I don’t want to get all deep and sappy, but during quarantine I learned more about his background” she tells me, following with a uniquely gut-wrenching story of sacrifice and a father who always puts his family first. This first-generation immigrant identity inspires her to study history in college and become an immigration lawyer later on, where she can learn more about the experiences of people like her father and the American immigration system as a whole.

As of right now, however, Ghebrehiwet is enjoying what free-time COVID has generated for her: rollerblading at the nearest rink (which is 45 minutes away) or watching telenovelas. “A lot of people hate it, but I love the drama… there is so much stuff that goes into [the episodes] that people don’t appreciate. They’re so much fun,” she says.

By Amna Shamin