Article
Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, River Bunkley is a junior at Emory University, passionate about racial theory, public scholarship, criminal justice, and community engagement. River wants to dedicate his life to promoting solidarity within and commanding space for the Black community. He currently serves as President of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Resources Manager for the Emory Black Student Union, Treasurer of the Black Student Alliance, and is involved with Advocates for Racial Justice and Volunteer Emory on his college campus. Recently, River just completed his roles as Congressional Intern for Congressman John Lewis, and Development Intern for an education non-profit organization called Next Generation Men. After his undergraduate career, he plans to pursue a career in civil rights law and public policy to help challenge the current system of criminal justice, cultivate meaningful education reform, and dismantle barriers to opportunity for communities of color. River believes that in anything that he does, it is important to build upon the strong foundation his ancestors laid by remaining invested in his community, while striving to combat apathy, encourage accountability, and develop a culture of resistance in contemporary society to help fight towards a liberated future.
Updated May 2015
More from River Bunkley
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A Call for Accountability: A New Vision for a Liberated Future
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John Lewis Fellows Reflective Essays 2016
In the essays, the Fellows write about their experiences in the John Lewis program, delving into personal aspects of their own identities – such as national, ethnic, gender, racial or religious – and reveal ways in which participation in the program has shaped their personal outlooks.
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Deconstructing Democracy: U.S. Voter Suppression, Past and Present
Senior Fellows Samantha Keng and River Bunkley hosted a panel on voter suppression in the U.S., past and present, during the heat of the 2016 presidential election.