Emily May
Right To Be
Brooklyn, NY USA
"Trust the way that you believe the world should be. Don’t let anybody tell you that that’s wrong or impossible or ridiculous."
Career Roadmap
Emily's work combines: Non-Profit Organizations, Entrepreneurship, and Upholding a Cause and Belief
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
When I started my blog, I was told by many people that harassment isn't a real issue and I was being hypersensitive and overreactive. They told me that if I really cared then I should take on a more serious issue. It was a huge struggle to get my nonprofit founded because of the lack of concern, but I kept going anyway and was eventually able to make it happen. I want to encourage others to see the gaps and flaws in our world that no one else sees and don't give up until they're fixed.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Politics, Cultures, and Identities
New York University
Graduate Degree
Social Policy
The London School of Economics and Political Science
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life has been direct
1.
I earned my bachelor’s degree in politics, cultures, and identities, followed by a master’s degree in social policy.
2.
In 2005, I, along with a group of other young people, decided to address the issue of street harassment.
3.
We started a blog, Hollaback!, a public blog where people could share their experiences of harassment.
4.
Hollaback! became a nonprofit organization in 2010 and we started doing more to address harassment, including building more platforms and offering training on how to stop street harassment.
5.
The organization is now called Right To Be, and we’ve grown to work toward ending all forms of harassment.
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Peers:
Harassment isn't a problem. You're just being overreactive.
How I responded:
When I started my blog, I was told by many people that harassment isn't a real issue and I was being hypersensitive and overreactive. They told me that if I really cared then I should take on a more serious issue. It was a huge struggle to get my nonprofit founded because of the lack of concern, but I kept going anyway and was eventually able to make it happen. I want to encourage others to see the gaps and flaws in our world that no one else sees and don't give up until they're fixed.