Cairo Eubanks ’17 made her way to Cornell College from Maryland, where she expanded her worldview and pursued her passion for advocacy.
During her time on the Hilltop, she found the freedom and focus to achieve her goals. Eubanks completed an internship at a law firm and served on the executive board of BACO (Black Awareness Cultural Organization). She served as a youth representative for the New Future Foundation to the United Nations, working with nongovernmental organizations to advocate for policies related to the U.N. agenda. She also fulfilled a childhood dream of studying abroad with Semester at Sea and still graduated in four years.
Through it all, she found her voice and grew as an advocate, launching a clothing swap on campus where students exchanged unwanted clothes and donated the rest to a local charity.
“We donated over 250 pounds of clothing that first year,” Eubanks said. “Bringing that to Cornell and seeing the support we received, it inspired me to do even more.”
That call to action intensified after Eubanks and fellow students experienced online sexual harassment. Together with her Delphi sisters, she launched “Operation Stop Cyber Harassment.”
“I got a lot of support from my Cornell family to make the first conference happen,” Eubanks said. “As a result, things changed. I’d say that’s one of the proudest moments I’ve had.”
The group filed police reports and spoke with Cornell administrators, who updated reporting policies as a result. For the first conference, Eubanks brought in local officials and experts in cybersecurity, mental health, and other sectors, growing it into a cyberbullying conference that continues today.
“Last year I facilitated training for students, parents, educators—over 3,000 people,” Eubanks said.
After earning her international studies degree from Cornell, she founded CairoSpeaks/CairoWrites, a consulting company that provides businesses and nonprofits with development and marketing support. She is a keynote speaker and presenter at international workshops, panels, and conferences on topics ranging from business development to strategic communications. Eubanks is also still driving intergenerational policy discussions as a youth representative to Generations United to the U.N.
“Last year I was an intergenerational and youth subcommittee co-chair for the 2024 U.N. Civil Society Conference in Nairobi, Kenya. We had about seven weeks to plan and host it,” Eubanks said. “The block plan experience helped me work very quickly.”
Looking ahead, she plans to pursue a law degree in international law to continue supporting others and speaking out for those without a voice. She credits Cornell with helping her develop the skills to create meaningful change and encourages future Cornellians to use the support system available.
“Rather than coasting for four years, really think about ‘How can I make this place better for the people who come after me?’ And then make it happen,” Eubanks said.