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Christelle Onwu

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Christelle Onwu is a Human Rights Specialist at the New York City Commission on Human Rights and a Coro Fellow with the New York Leadership Center (Immigrant Civic Leadership Program). She is a fierce advocate for social justice within underserved populations with a focus on African communities in New York City. In her role at the New York City Commission on Human Rights, Christelle conducts grassroots organizing in the Bronx, collaborating with community- based organizations and elected officials, connecting marginalized communities to the New York City’s appropriate educational and other social services. She also conducts trainings and workshops to educate New Yorkers about their rights under the New York City Human Rights law and what to do in case anyone becomes a victim of discrimination. Christelle previously served as a social worker at Sauti Yetu Center for African Women and Families where she provided individual, family, and group counseling for survivors of intimate partner violence, sexual assault and gender-based violence. She has published an article in the Columbia Social Work Review analyzing the issue of female genital cutting in the U.K. and made culturally-sensitive policy recommendations to reduce this practice. She graduated from Columbia University School of Social Work and is an alumna of John Jay College; additionally, she is an alumna of the New American Leaders Program.

 

Updated October 2017