Haitian American Author Cindy Similien-Johnson has been selected to receive the 2017 Barnard Young Alumna Award.

Established in 2002, the Young Alumna Award is given to an alumna who has shown outstanding achievement and significant contributions to her profession, demonstrates leadership and accomplishment in her career, and exemplifies outstanding service and volunteerism to the college or the community.

Cindy Similien-Johnson is a writer, advocate for women, and promoter of Haitian culture. Her books include "Let's Speak Haitian Food: Stories from the Haitian Diaspora on Cuisine, Community, and Culture" and "Haiti Is". After several years of experience in the nonprofit sector, she founded Goal Chic, an initiative whose mission is to educate, engage, and empower women and girls and equip them with the tools they need to succeed in their careers, personal finances, health and wellness, and relationships. In 2016, Similien-Johnson was invited as a change-maker to the first United State of Women Summit convened by First Lady Michelle Obama and the White House.

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