From the president
Anna Grant-Bolton '25 is an exemplary civic leader, showcasing an unwavering commitment to community engagement and social justice. With dual majors in Human Rights and Public Policy and Law, along with a minor in Community Action, Anna seamlessly integrates academic excellence with community involvement in Hartford, embodying the principles of mutual benefit, co-creation, respect, justice, equity, and accountability that are integral to ethical community engagement. Anna's journey began with the Evanston Community Fridges, a mutual aid project reflecting her commitment to addressing food insecurity in her hometown. At Trinity, Anna leads the Food Recovery Program, which expands food redistribution networks and accessibility for Hartford residents, as well as Students Against Mass Incarceration and TrinDivests, student-led groups dedicated to policy advocacy, direct support, and political education. Anna's academic community-based research projects have also contributed valuable insights to organizations tackling issues like culturally-affirming education, housing injustice, and re-entry challenges for formerly incarcerated women. Furthermore, Anna exemplifies her dedication to a culture of community engagement by mentoring incoming community-focused students.
Personal Statement
My experiences in social justice communities have taught me that all civic action must be rooted in radical care. I was first introduced to the magic of community-led justice movements when I began organizing the Evanston Community Fridges, a mutual aid project committed to addressing food insecurity by providing free, culturally affirming food to anyone, anytime. In this role, I experienced how grassroots civic engagement addresses structural barriers to injustice and builds meaningful relationships that form the foundation of social movements. At Trinity, I’ve had the opportunity to explore how community-engaged research can be a tool for social justice through partnerships with local organizations addressing gaps in culturally-affirming education programming, housing injustice across Hartford, and re-entry barriers for formerly incarcerated women. Outside of the classroom, I work alongside students, organizers, and partner organizations to address mass incarceration in Connecticut through local and state-level policy advocacy, direct support for system-impacted people, and political education. These experiences have informed me of the importance of social change and the messy, beautiful fight for a world in which we are all taken care of.