Sophie Scott Joins I Have The Right To Board of Directors

I Have The Right To is thrilled to announce that Sophie Scott, Associate Producer, Anderson Cooper 360°, was appointed to the organization’s Board of Directors with a term starting June 1, 2023.

Passionate about connecting people through the power of storytelling, Sophie is a 2x Emmy Award nominated journalist for CNN based in New York. She graduated Summa Cum Laude from Fordham University in 2018 with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Communication Studies. Sophie also serves as the Communications Chair of the American Cancer Society’s Endurance Series.

We conducted a Q&A with Sophie to learn more about her and her interest in I Have The Right To:

Outside of your professional work, how do you want to make the most impact?

My goal is to empower girls to uncover their voices, speak their truth, realize their value, require respect, be their own advocate, and not be afraid to say no. Equally as important is fostering the universal belief that this mentality is an asset to society rather than a threat. Once the ultimate people pleaser, I’d trained myself growing up to believe my value was born out of my ability to appease others’ expectations of me, often at the detriment of my own wants and needs. As I’ve grown to uncover the falsehoods in that line of thinking, I’ve become committed to helping other young “Sophies” see their value is actually derived from their confidence and courage, intelligence and individuality, and risk taking and resolve.

Tell us why volunteering and advocacy is so integral to who you are?

In 2018 I graduated from Fordham University, a Jesuit school driven by the four Jesuit tenets of Magis, men and women for and with others, unity of the heart and mind, and Cura Personalis. The latter, meaning “care for the whole person,” is rooted in the understanding that we are all complex beings and those complexities are each worthy of respect, understanding, and nourishment. I saw very clearly the ways this dedication to intersectionality allowed my peers and I to stretch our minds, broaden our experiences, and use our voices, thereby strengthening our overall community. Upon receiving our diplomas, my graduating class was given the traditional Jesuit challenge to, “go forth and set the world on fire.” To me, the most authentic way to do that was to honor the commitment I’d developed to practicing Cura Personalis through volunteer work.

When you first met Chessy and learned about I Have The Right To, what drew you closer to the organization?

I first met Chessy on the beach one day in Maine after her dog, JJ, ran up to where my friends and I were sitting. Little did I know that would end up being one of the best, most life changing days of my life and Chessy would end up becoming one of my all-time closest friends. JJ was on to something! Getting to know Chessy the bright, adventurous, compassionate friend, and Chessy the bold, courageous, mountain-moving survivor have been among the honors of my life. Along the way she and I Have The Right To have shown me it is not only ok but vital to stand up for myself, not be afraid to say no, and articulate that I have the right to respect. I can’t imagine not taking advantage of the chance to help continue spreading these messages to others so they can benefit from them as I have. I am as excited as I am grateful for this opportunity and am eager to get to work!

What are you most looking forward to in your work on the Board?

I’m looking forward to using storytelling as a way to connect survivors and their support systems so they feel less alone and can come to believe through examples that they have a community to lean on and a bright future ahead.

I Have The Right To is pleased to welcome Sophie to our board. We look forward to working with her moving forward.