Mr. Asfaw is a social sector innovator with a track record of developing innovative, high-leverage solutions to persistent societal challenges.
Alula Asfaw has dedicated his life to renewing hope and prosperity in marginalized communities in the U.S. Alula is the Founder and Executive Director of Bonds of Union, a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving as an innovation engine to tackle the most persistent social and economic challenges facing low-income communities in the U.S. As a UW undergraduate, Alula founded and served as the Executive Director of the UW Dream Project, a college access and retention program for low-income and first-generation high school students that continues to this day. After graduating from the UW with degrees in Political Science and English Literature, Alula went on to earn an MPhil in Politics, Development, and Democratic Education from the University of Cambridge, and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
“when everything else is stripped away – your accomplishments, your ambitions, your challenges, your sense of self that you’ve developed based on how other people view you and what they expect of you – what’s left is who you are. You are not your degrees. You are not your GPA or test scores – good or bad. You are not that feeling of trying to make your parents or family proud. You are not the exciting job you’ve got lined up. You are what you value. “
ALULA ASFAW
Alula Asfaw Speech
ALULA ASFAW tells the story of his journey that led him to establishing Bonds of Union and gives advice for the class of 2023.
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