About My advocacy work
Student Philanthropy board member
At Interlochen, I worked with the Student Philanthropy Board, helping to raise funds for Interlochen students’ scholarships. As the only international student on the board, it was very important to me to speak with donors about the ways they impacted students' lives around the globe. Not only did donors provide for education, they changed the culture by getting behind international-mindedness. Their gifts to the fund supported cultural orientation, international diversity and collaboration, new perspectives and life experiences, and easier economic navigation for International students in need. That’s why my position on this board was of extreme significance to me. It gave me the power to learn, teach, and make a difference for students like me, as well as to play a part in saying thank you to those who change our lives.
Founder, International STudent Union, Interlochen
The year 2022 was the first time I held the status of an International student. Being in a foreign country by myself came with a myriad of challenges, but they all built and continue to build me into the woman I strive to be.
I created the international student union because I saw a dire need for community among students from other countries. As the International Student Union founder, I aimed to foster and nurture a group of young adults that could use this space to both share their challenges and successes and also to share their pride in their national individuality. In the community, we were able to organize several school-wide events that highlighted the unique cultures that contributed to our broader Interlochen community.
Student Representative Board, Vice President
The Interlochen Student Representative Board (SRB) allowed me to fulfill my purpose which is, I believe, to lift up others and speak out for those less able to openly voice their concerns. As the former International student representative and then the Vice President of the SRB, I provided a platform for the minority students to contribute to the conversation and helped individuals to access administration if they needed help solving their issues. International students, people of color, low-income students, affinity groups, and minority student unions were at the center of my advocacy work at Interlochen.
Black Student Union Project Manager
My job as project manager allowed me to build community among a group that provided healing and connectedness. The picture above, for example, depicts our monthly "Black Girl Therapy" event. I created "Black Girl Therapy" to provide a space for us to talk about the issues we faced in a warm, loving and familial environment. I called it "Black Girl Therapy" to emphasize the healing power of sisterhood and to build upon our shared experiences. So often, in the black community, mental health challenges are stigmatized and invalidated. My hope was that this group was a small part of helping to heal the trans-generational trauma that inhibits people from achieving emotional and mental wellness.
As the project manager of the Black Student Union, I worked on the following issues: diasporic education, black intersectionality, black love, community parties, and the weekly BSU meetings.
Virtual Book Club
Books are my way of traveling without moving. There are so many places I haven’t been physically that I've traveled to in books. Books have let me see life through the lens of others.
Because of the impact books have had on my worldview, I created a virtual book club. During our memoir season, which is depicted in the image, I created reviews of the memoirs we read.
The book club was important to me, because I believe that books are a powerful gift. Books remind us of our intersected humanity and our need for empathy in the shared human experience.