Fashion designer Anna Sui, activist Ai-Jen Poo, and activist explorer Barbara Hillary will deliver speeches to the class of 2017 and receive honorary degrees of their own at the university’s 81st commencement ceremony in May.
Sui, a fashion icon and an alumnus of Parsons School of Design, founded a brand with more than 50 boutiques worldwide. Additionally, she’s created a cosmetic line, fragrances and collaborated with brands including Starbucks and Google. She has also worked with The World Wildlife Fund and Habitat for Humanity.
Poo is a labor activist whose work focuses on domestic workers and the elderly. She cofounded Domestic Workers United, a group whose goal is to “organize for power, respect, fair labor standards, and to build a movement for social change.” Poo has also worked to help pass a law in New York that guarantees domestic workers an eight-hour workday with overtime and human rights protections. Poo also received the Macarthur Fellowship Grant in 2014.
Hillary is the first African-American woman to have reached the North Pole, having done so at the age of 75. In addition to breaking records, she is a New School graduate and a cancer survivor. She has also founded the nonprofit The Peninsula magazine and works to educate about climate change.
Sui, Poo, and Hillary will have big shoes to fill after last year’s six recipients included actress Laverne Cox, designer Diane von Furstenberg, activist DeRay McKesson, media critic Anita Sarkeesian, CEO of International Rescue David Miliband, and forensic anthropologist Mercedes Doretti.
After the graduation ceremony, the university will have live music from the College of Performing Arts, as well as a food truck, photo booth, and New School merchandise available for purchase. Students and parents can also livestream the event.
Taylor is a journalism + design junior from Florida.
