SImone Faulkner’s Bio

Simone Faulkner - 2026 Summer Grants Intern

Simone is entering her fourth year at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she is pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy, a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, and a minor in Spanish. At UCLA, she works as a research assistant in the School of Education and Information Studies, studying how white youth develop critical race consciousness, and previously served as a support staff member for the Associated Students UCLA Government.

Prior to joining the Impact Fund as the 2026 Summer Grants Intern, Simone was a Policy Fellow with the Paragon Fellowship, where she developed policy solutions addressing cybercrimes, deepfake threats, and AI manipulation of the public input processes in local and state governments.

Simone’s academic and professional interests center on the legacies of colonialism and slavery, particularly the prison-industrial complex, debtor prisons, and theories of dispossession. After graduating, Simone hopes to continue working in impact litigation before attending law school.