AU '20: With a virtual fall quarter ahead of us, I wanted to create a space for people to not only engage with the human rights activism work of Amnesty International, but also to connect and feel connected with others. I took on the role of Group Coordinator and made sure that we were going to be able to provide that this quarter. After six weeks of watching the documentary series "Immigration Nation" and writing letters to acting ICE director Tony Pham asking him to release the families detained, we also organized a Write For Rights. We wrote and mailed around 109 letters, with close to 20 participants at the event. It was really rewarding to see people from all over the state, as well as one participant from Oregon, come together to engage in this work. I'm really proud of my perseverance in creating Amnesty International UW from the ground up, and making sure that people can contribute and grow in relation to it.
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WI '21: By Winter quarter, I'd settled into my routine with online classes, shifting from my desk to my bed, from my bed to my desk, as my only source of variability. It made me realize the extent to which I rely on school for inspiration and social connection. Everything being online meant that the spaces that would naturally provide that refreshing sense of novelty and belonging would have to be proactively sought out. And that's exactly what I did. I took a chance and responded to a fellow Allen School student's post, introducing myself. Long story short, a few months later I found myself at the top of Mt. Si with a bird perched on my hand and a new friend to share the experience with. In my time during quarantine, I've learned just how important being intentional about my joy is. Truly, it's there to be made in the present, whether that's taking a moment to notice just how green a shade of green is, or planning a jaunt through the wild.
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SP '21: According to Google Maps, all my life I've been a 21 minute drive from the UW campus, give or take a few minutes depending on traffic, and I'd never once seen the Sakura in bloom till this Spring. The previous year, I was so excited to finally see them, and as a student nonetheless. Even though COVID put those plans on pause, this Spring I finally got to see their fleeting beauty. When I think of the Sakura, I think of this phrase by Pablo Neruda that I absolutely adore, "I want to do with you what Spring does with the cherry trees." It's a beautiful way to think of love, and being where I am in my life right now, choosing who I am and finding the people that I want to share my life with, I try to cultivate the capacity to love in that regard, starting with myself.
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