After UN speech, Malayali girl gets a citation from Pennsylvania Governor

After her opening remarks at the Day of General Discussion organised by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child, 17-year-old Amilyn Rose Thomas received a citation from Tom Wolf, Governor, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Amilyn's passionate speech for the specially-abled children, first reported by Onmanorama, was appreciated by dignitaries like Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor and Pala MLA Mani C Kappan.

Amilyn met Governor Wolf on November 3, 2021 at his office. “You have demonstrated your commitment to education and your community through rigorous dedication to your studies and extracurriculars,” Wolf wrote in his citation.

“He and I were immediately connected through our joint love of South India. He had spent two years there with the Peace Corps in his undergraduate years. He and I discussed the issues of climate change in Kerala and my efforts to raise funds for flood relief during the monsoon periods,” Amilyn said.

“We also discussed how my passion for children’s rights stemmed from my experiences caring for my brother and how I hope to continue my advocacy through my future career in the medical field,” she said.

She also met Stephanie Sun, the Executive Director of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Asian Pacific American Affairs, and discussed her current project on the Covid vaccination rates for Asians in Pennsylvania.

Stephanie Sun offered her the chance to be a youth ambassador to promote participation in their surveying effort in the Indian community.

“My experience at the Capitol was one that I will never forget and I will continue to be in shock over the connections I made in the short amount of time with the Governor of Pennsylvania and the opportunity I received from Stephanie Sun,” she said.

Amilyn's family hails from Pala in Kerala's Kottayam district. She is currently a student at Mount St. Joseph Academy, Flourtown, Pennsylvania.