Berkeley College Students and Alumni Bring Youth Voices to Global Sustainability Conversation at United Nations

BERKELEY COLLEGE STUDENTS AND ALUMNI BRING YOUTH VOICES
TO GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY CONVERSATION AT UNITED NATIONS

Photo Caption: (L to R) Nicola Dyer, Event Moderator, NJDyer Global Advisory; Gabriel Pereira, Berkeley College student; Runa Ray, Founder and Executive Director, Fashioning for Social and Environmental Justice; Keiara Lewis, Berkeley College alumna; Monserrat Miranda, Berkeley College student; Andrea Kennedy, Lead Faculty, Fashion, Berkeley College Larry L. Luing School of Business®; Yi Fan, Berkeley College alumna; Sramble Kpeye, Berkeley College student; and Patricia Greer, JD, Provost, Berkeley College, attend a United Nations event on building a sustainable future. (Photo Credit: Robert Duffy)

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Berkeley College helped advance the global conversation on sustainable fashion as students and alumni shared ideas on sustainability during the United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2026 Side Event, Fashioning Transformative, Equitable and Innovative Actions for a Sustainable Future for All, on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at the United Nations (UN) Church Center in New York City, NY. The event brought together voices from government, civil society, the private sector, education, and youth to explore how innovation, equity, and collaboration can drive transformative solutions for people and the planet.

A Berkeley College Interactive Youth Segment featuring student Monserrat Miranda and alumna Keiara Lewis focused on the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how they can be applied through the lens of fashion. Andrea Kennedy, Faculty Lead, Fashion, Berkeley College Larry L. Luing School of Business®, moderated the panel.

"Innovation is not just about creating new products," Miranda said, a student leader from Englewood, NJ. "It is also about redesigning the systems that we already have. We have an opportunity to rethink how clothing is made from the ground up."

The panel discussed sustainability options, how to minimize wastewater output, upcycling deadstock fabrics, and Berkeley College initiatives to reduce waste and reuse fabrics.

"There is a reason we are not meeting target SDGs - because we need so many stakeholders to come together, but many people and businesses are continuing business as usual," Kennedy said.

"I believe that collaboration from everyone is going to be needed in order for us to move into a more sustainable future," said Lewis, a resident of Paterson, NJ. "Not just from us, but also from the brands, also from the government - from everyone."

Photo Captions: Left: Andrea Kennedy, Lead Faculty, Fashion, Berkeley College Larry L. Luing School of Business®, moderates the Berkeley College Interactive Youth Segment at a United Nations High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) 2026 Side Event on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, in New York City, NY. Right (L to R): Berkeley College alumna Keiara Lewis and Berkeley College student Monserrat Miranda participate in a panel discussion as part of the event. (Photo Credits: Yi Fan)

The panel also highlighted the Global Peace Flag, an initiative of Fashioning for Social Environmental Justice, which the College helped create using sustainable and reused fabrics. The flag will be displayed at the UN in August 2026.

"Creativity linked with education brings about inclusive economies that can be better supportive of our social systems and communities as a whole," said Runa Ray, Founder and Executive Director, Fashioning for Social and Environmental Justice.

"I feel both inspired and empowered by our Berkeley College participants at this panel," said Patricia Greer, JD, Provost, Berkeley College. "It is critical that the United Nations listen to the voices of our youth as they are the future of sustainability and sustainable fashion. Their ideas will mold the fashion industry of tomorrow, and the more proactive we are about breaking unsustainable cycles today, the better off we will be in the future."

Participants in the HLPF included the Hult Prize Foundation; the UN Conference on Trade and Development; the Columbia Alumni Global Sustainability Network; the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) the Swarovski Foundation; the United Nations University for Water, Environment and Health; and others.

"The materials we often consider waste can become something meaningful when creativity is connected to it," Miranda said. "What impacted me the most was seeing people from different backgrounds come together around a shared message of peace. It reminds me that fashion isn't just something we wear; it's something that we can use to communicate with one another. It's something that we can use as a means of advocacy."

About Berkeley College

Berkeley College, founded in 1931, is a career-focused institution accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education that offers students Master's, Bachelor's, and Associate's degree and Certificate programs in more than 20 career fields. The College also offers Continuing Education programs to enhance career credentials.

Berkeley College has campuses in New York City and in Newark, Woodbridge, and Woodland Park, NJ, with more than 4,000 students enrolled. In addition, Berkeley College Online® serves a global population. U.S. News & World Report has named Berkeley College among the Best Colleges for Online Bachelor's Programs and among the Best Online Bachelor's Programs for Veterans for 13 consecutive years. Berkeley College is also ranked among the Best Regional Colleges/Universities in the North in the 2026 edition of the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges survey. The website address is https://BerkeleyCollege.edu.

The mission of Berkeley College is to empower each student to achieve lifelong success.

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