AEASP 2025 Scholar Salma Abdi

Salma Abdi (she/her) is a Research Assistant at the Roy Wilkins Center for Human Relations and Social Justice at the University of Minnesota's Humphrey School of Public Affairs, where she conducts research on racial wealth inequality, disparity studies, and economic justice. She also serves as the Director of Federal Affairs for the Undergraduate Student Government, leading federal lobbying efforts and working directly with legislators on policies affecting students and marginalized communities. 

A UNICEF Global Youth Advocate and former UNICEF USA National Youth Council member, Salma has represented U.S. youth at the United Nations General Assembly, advocated for international development policies, and worked on initiatives focused on climate justice, mental health, gender equity, and children's rights. As an End Youth Prisons Policy Fellow at the Legal Rights Center, she contributed to legislative advocacy and community-driven solutions to end youth incarceration. 

Salma's research interests lie at the intersection of economic policy and social justice, with a focus on how systemic inequalities shape economic outcomes. A 2022 Coca-Cola Scholar, she is a senior at the University of Minnesota pursuing a B.S. in Economics and a B.A. in Global Studies, with minors in statistics and sociology. In 2024, she was awarded the American Economic Association's Andrew Brimmer Undergraduate Essay Prize for her essay Racist Infrastructure: Impact of the Interstate Highway System on Black Neighborhoods. Salma is committed to using research, policy, and advocacy to drive meaningful change.