Kashish Kumar, CC’25, named 2024 Projects for Peace Fellow

Congratulations to Kashish Kumar, CC’25, on being selected as a recipient of a 2024 Projects for Peace Summer Fellowship!

Each year, more than 125 undergraduate student leaders are awarded $10,000 grants to design and implement grassroots projects that foster peace and address global challenges. Established nearly two decades ago, the Projects for Peace initiative seeks to empower students to develop innovative, community-centered, and scalable solutions to some of the world’s most urgent social, political, and environmental issues.

Originally from Edinburg, Texas, in the heart of the Rio Grande Valley, Kashish is a biochemistry major at Columbia University with a concentration in public health. Her award-winning project, Roots of Resilience, will bring her back to her home region to address the disproportionate health challenges faced by agricultural migrants. Through this initiative, Kashish aims to amplify the voices and lived experiences of migrant workers—individuals who often endure systemic marginalization and exploitation within the U.S. agricultural industry. Specifically, her project will focus on developing culturally relevant educational materials and producing a short documentary to highlight the medical and living conditions and concerns faced by these communities. By bridging critical gaps in research and resources, Roots of Resilience seeks not only to raise awareness, but also to empower migrants with the knowledge and tools to advocate for their health, rights, and well-being.

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To follow the progress of Kashish’s project, visit the Projects for Peace’s ‘Annual Viewbook’, where annual summer projects are archived and program milestones are celebrated. And, for more information about the Projects for Peace summer opportunity, please reach out to Undergraduate Research and Fellowships.