The most critical role of the Youth Observer is to engage young Americans in the work of the UN, empowering them to be active participants to foster a greater global impact.
We’re now accepting applications for the 2020-2021 UNA-USA Youth Observer to the UN!
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The UNA-USA Youth Observer to the UN elevates youth voices in the global policy dialogue around international issues. For a one-year term, an American between the ages of 18 and 25 is selected to engage and connect young people in the U.S. to the work of the UN. The Youth Observer travels throughout the U.S. to discover the issues important to young Americans and participates as a UNA-USA delegate at UN conferences.
Jay’Len Boone was born and raised in Ypsilanti, Michigan, a small township just outside Detroit. He is a Senior at the University of Texas at San Antonio double majoring in Global Affairs and Sociology.
Jay’Len is passionate about empowering young people to take the lead in solving global issues. He is the founder and executive director of Sustainable Youth in Action, a nonprofit organization that trains and equips students with the tools they need to take their ideas and turn them into projects and even businesses. He is a Global Citizen Curtis Scholar, Cultural Vistas Fellow, and a winner of the 2016 Gates Millennium Scholarship. His desire to combat social issues such as extreme poverty and climate change has taken him across the globe, working on the ground with communities in Hong Kong, South Africa, and Japan.
One of his primary goals is to increase local action and involvement in the Sustainable Development Goals. It is his belief that community activists and young change-makers at the local level will play a pivotal role in determining whether the SDGs will succeed or not.
In his spare time, Jay’Len loves to sing, compose music, and build relationships with new people. He is the former director of UTSA’s Gospel Choir and a bible study leader with Chi Alpha Campus Ministries.
