Elias Castro ’27: Advocating for Change at the UN
Many Millbrook students partake in interesting activities during their summer vacation. But Vth former Elias Castro ’27 may have had the most interesting summer break of all after getting the opportunity to speak at the United Nations in New York City.
The opportunity materialized during a summer internship at renowned law firm Sullivan & Cromwell, where Elias met a friend with connections to the UN through youth organization Whitestone Legislative Advocacy. Said friend invited Elias to attend the UN Economic and Social Council Youth Forum at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development as a representative of the Youth Publications & Socioeconomic Forum and Whitestone Legislative Advocacy.
“I thought, ‘Why not?’” he said. “‘It's a great opportunity for me to learn about political landscapes and understand how multilateral efforts can help lead to new developments.’ It was definitely cool to be able to go there.”
Elias mentioned highlights of his time at the UN included spending time at the Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to the United Nations and sitting in on a meeting with small Southeast Asian nation Timor-Leste about gender equality. But the biggest moment came when he was given the floor to ask a question during a Special Event on Climate and SDG Synergies, hosted by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat.
Click below to watch a video of Elias addressing the UN:
Click below to watch a video of Elias addressing the UN:
Inspired by his heritage as a first-generation Dominican American and his empathy for all developing countries, Elias asked about how international governments can work together to reduce the large percentage of damages from natural catastrophes not covered by insurance, especially in countries that lack resources.
“I thought about how developing countries are at a disadvantage. They're not rich in materials, and they haven't had the ability to advance technologically because of where they are. So, I thought talking about that was very important, especially at a time like now, when polarization is increasingly a topic and an ideal that's spreading around our country and our world.”
Elias plans to pursue a career in law and politics after he graduates from Millbrook, and his aspirations reach as far as the Whitehouse. Although he admitted to being nervous ahead of his trip to the UN, the firsthand look at global policymakers in action only strengthened his resolve to someday join their ranks. Until then, he’s making a difference however he can within his Millbrook community.
“I try to be a people person more than anything,” he explained. “I love when people around me are doing well; I love when they're smiling. So, I’m there if they ever need a helping hand. I'm in Harris with all the freshmen, and I love when they come up to me and ask questions or ask for advice. It's super cool.”
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