Jonathan Lam

Meet Jonathan Lam

Hometown: Jackson Heights, NY
College: College of Industrial and Labor Relations
Year: 2027

Jonathan is the inaugural recipient of the “Trailblazer in Organizing and Activism” award for his efforts in Refugee and Migrant Rights, which were recognized at the Amnesty International USA Human Rights Conference in late February. As a mentee in the Youth Board mentorship program, Jonathan helped organize workshops, participate in an immigration rights action, and pass a historic resolution securing a reserved Youth Seat on Amnesty’s Board of Directors for members aged 18-24.

In addition to his work with Amnesty International, Jonathan was selected as an RFK Human Rights John Lewis Young Leader Fellow, where he is working on a capstone project focused on human rights and disarmament.  Jonathan was also chosen as a Youth Delegate to the U.N. Summit of the Future and recently attended the Meeting States Parties meeting on the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, where he observed meeting with diplomats and provided key recommendations to stakeholders by submitting a working paper document.

Previously, Jonathan was a member of the Laidlaw Leadership and Research Program at Cornell University, where his research was selected for a presentation at the Stanford Undergraduate Research Conference. Jonathan has also been featured on Teen Vogue and NBC News for his activism with the ACLU of New York to end legacy admissions in New York State.

At Cornell, Jonathan continues to make an impact through leadership roles with the Cornell ACLU, Cornell Parole Initiative, and Cornell Anti-Detention Alliance. Jonathan’s ongoing dedication to advocacy and activism reflects his efforts to make a difference on both local and global levels.