How poetry empowered a policy student to serve with compassion

Trinity Allen’s (MPP’26) commitment to public service began at the youth arts organization Teens With a Purpose, where she honed her creative voice and discovered her love for poetry and empowering young people. As a youth leader, she coordinated poetry workshops and helped cultivate  Purpose Park, a community garden designed to combat food insecurity in a low-income neighborhood. 

“My true creative passion is poetry,” said Allen, who was awarded the Hampton Roads Youth Poet Laureate for the City of Portsmouth in 2021. Her fondest memory is performing with her slam poetry competition team, the Hampton Road Youth Poets, at the Something in the Water musical festival hosted by Pharrell Williams in Virginia Beach, VA. 

Allen found outlets for her creative passions and volunteer work as an undergraduate at Howard University, where in three years, she completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science and Legal Communications. One of her most enriching volunteer experiences was at the Leaders of Tomorrow summer camp with the Garden of Hope Foundation, a Norfolk-based nonprofit, where she mentored youth leaders.

“Working with disadvantaged and underserved youth strengthened my belief in the power of public engagement to shape effective policy,” she said. 

On campus, Allen was a member of the Howard University Gospel Choir and co-leader of the group’s hospitality committee. She was awarded the Patricia Roberts Harris Fellowship, a one-year program for Howard University students interested in public and international affairs, and recognized by the university for bringing community service initiatives to campus. 

Learning how to create policy to aid disenfranchised communities

Allen’s work with Common Cause, a nonpartisan watchdog organization dedicated to strengthening democracy and promoting government accountability, deepened her expertise in civic engagement, particularly in voting rights, and led her to publish an op-ed on California’s Reparations Task Force, exploring economic justice and policy reform.

In the spring of 2024, Allen served as an executive intern in the office of the House Democratic  Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) (MPP’94) , where she analyzed policy issues and contributed to legislative strategy. As an executive intern, Trinity was recognized as an HBCU Leader. Former Vice President Kamala Harris honored Allen and other young leaders working for the U.S. Congress at the Vice President’s Residence in northwest DC. 

As a Howard Scholar at the McCourt School, Allen is further refining her skills in education policy and governance to drive meaningful change. She views public policy as a bridge between research and real-world impact — one that, when crafted with intention, can uplift communities and address deeply rooted inequalities.

“The McCourt School is intentional about crafting a curriculum that broadens a student’s perspective toward global change,” she said.

Allen plans to continue pursuing community service opportunities as a member of Black Perspectives in Public Policy, a student-led organization at McCourt.

Learn more about the McCourt School’s Howard Scholar program here.