Ciara Brathwaite is a Coordinator for IYF's Award Management Unit (AMU). Prior to joining IYF, Ciara completed a year of service with AmeriCorps. There, she worked with The Choice Program as a youth mentor and advocate for the Montgomery County Intensive Advocacy Team, serving at-risk youth in the DC Metro region involved in the juvenile justice system. Through her service with AmeriCorps, she worked hands-on with program youth advocating within the legal and education systems, connecting them to various resources, helping them fulfill probation requirements, and providing vocational and academic support. She also has a background in teaching English as a foreign language online to students in Beijing, China. Ciara graduated from Arcadia University with a B.A. in criminal justice (with a double minor in French and Pan- African Studies) and a Peace Corps Prep Program Certificate. During her time at Arcadia, she was involved with various organizations such as P.O.W.E.R (Pushing Our Women of Color to Excel in the Real World), Black Awareness Society, Step and Dance teams, and the Criminal Justice Society. Ciara also participated in the Inside Out Prison Exchange Program, taking classes at the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center with incarcerated people to discuss criminal justice and prison reform. In addition, she has experience in research and community outreach through interning with the NAACP Cheltenham Branch where she conducted research on the effects of racially induced violence on the sociological development of African American youth for her capstone project. Ciara hopes to later pursue an master’s degree in criminal justice and/or nonprofit management.