Marxe MPA Student, Two Baruch Alums Win “40 Under 40: The Rising Stars in NYC Food Policy”
August 13, 2020
The annual award honors policymakers, educators, community advocates, farmers, and innovators who are leading efforts to create healthier, more sustainable food environments and to use food to promote community and economic development.
Joshua Thomas-Serrano (’21), a Masters of Public Administration candidate at Baruch College’s Austin W. Marxe School of Public and International Affairs, was honored by The Hunter College New York City Food Policy Center in its annual 40 Under 40: The Rising Stars in NYC Food Policy (Class of 2020).
The annual award honors policymakers, educators, community advocates, farmers, and innovators who are leading efforts to create healthier, more sustainable food environments and to use food to promote community and economic development.
Thomas-Serrano is currently senior marketing and development manager at Teens for Food Justice. Prior to his present role, he served as an AmeriCorps Public Ally at Fair Chance D.C. where he focused on partner communications and new partner outreach.
His career began as a research assistant on the Institute for Policy Studies’ Criminalization of Poverty Project, exploring the growing ways in which poor people are disproportionately targeted, marginalized, and prosecuted. Thomas-Serrano is a former New Economy Maryland Fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies.
“I’ve always believed in the grassroots and the power of community-led solutions to address some of our biggest issues,” said Thomas-Serrano. “That’s what led me to Teens for Food Justice where we focus on ending food insecurity, using hydroponic farming in schools and also by building young people into changemakers and leaders who can lead a future food justice movement.”
Watch Video: See more from Joshua Thomas Serrano here.
Thomas-Serrano believes his Marxe School education will set him up with the expertise to lead a nonprofit organization in the future.
Two Baruch Alums Also Honored
Two Baruch alumni were also honorees. Hally Chu, Deputy Director of Policy, Office of the Manhattan Borough President, received her MPA from Baruch via the National Urban Fellows program.
Chu has managed the 1 Centre Street Municipal Building Fresh Food Box program in partnership with GrowNYC since 2014. Chu also works with the NYC Department of Sanitation and members of the Manhattan Solid Waste Advisory Board on zero waste issues.
André Thompson is Director of Food Programs at New York Common Pantry, an organization dedicated to reducing hunger. Thompson received his MPA from Baruch in 2013.
Since 2011, Thompson has worked to develop programs and strategy in response to emerging public health policies impacting community-based providers, and is an advocate for addressing the link between food insecurity and health.
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