Kiflemariam studies and advocates for voting rights
By Margo Fritz ’15
Senior Ariam Kiflemariam of Phoenix, Arizona, recognizes that to change the world, you have to understand it. A double major in politics and ethnic studies, her passion is voter rights.
She says it began with the Supreme Court’s 2013 ruling that weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965. From there she volunteered with Organizing for America to get out the vote and encourage people in her community, especially young people, to become more active in the political process.
Her passion was fostered at Cornell by faculty who helped her discover an internship working with Monica Vernon’s congressional campaign, which gave her insight into political workings behind the scenes. She also delved deeper into the Voting Rights Act through an in-depth research project in her Political Activism class.
This summer Kiflemariam participated in the Ralph Bunche Summer Institute at Duke University, developing a research project titled “Black Political Engagement and the 2012 Election: What Predicts Black Political Engagement and Participation?” She was one of five students from across the nation asked to present her research at the American Political Science Association’s annual meeting.
“I have learned that people don’t seem to recognize their power and potential as individuals until they are part of something larger than themselves. But once people come together, they can accomplish more than one could ever imagine,” she said.
“The perseverance of peaceful protesters in Ferguson, Missouri, offers a particularly inspiring example of power in numbers. You can’t log onto Facebook or turn on the television news without being made familiar with the events in Ferguson and the concerns associated with it. Awareness raising is the first step toward change, and that is what I feel most passionate about.”
In addition to her activism related to voting rights, Kiflemariam actively participates in the Third Wave Resource Group on campus, raising awareness of gender and women’s issues, as well as providing sex education and counseling related to sexual assault and domestic violence.
After graduation, she plans to spend a year working with a community-based initiative in Seattle. After that, she’ll apply to graduate schools and pursue a Ph.D. in Race and Ethnic Politics.
