Personal Statement
My love for anthropology comes from a fascination with peoples culture, how it can be used to explain behaviors and beliefs and extend even into psychological science. I started with a generic goal that I believe most anthropologists share, to help people, and to understand how to help people who have a different belief system than us. Studying anthropology has given me a worldview that has immense compassion for people all over the world. I would never have learned about so many cultures and in such great detail. I have learned about social currents and attitudes all over the world and how they can affect everyone, how politics are intertwined and deeply affected by anthropological research, and vice versa. Participating in anthropological research and developments is a huge responsibility and a privilege. A huge part of my goals today after learning what I have, is the process of finding postcolonial justice for those affected by colonization. A similar issue I would like to address in my work is how those with impairments or health conditions have been affected by the structures of a colonized state as well. I will be going to Barbados this summer where I will learn about how colonization and slavery has affected the Bajans. Through lectures and field visits led by Professors, I will explore the evolution and development of Caribbean societies from the 15th century to the present, as well as the impacts and hardships of Caribbean life. This exploration will include, but not be limited to the following: plantation slavery, gender, language, migration, education, religion, race, identity, sports, architecture, archaeology, music, dance, and more. This opportunity appeals to me as a student open to being educated on ethnic and cultural diversity. I cannot wait to gain a greater appreciation of the history and culture of the Caribbean, and the significance and uniqueness of Barbados in particular.
My goal for the next year, post graduation, is to bolster my anthropological knowledge with increasing skill in my other passions. I have always loved to make people, especially children, laugh and smile. In learning about the ways many children are affected in adolescence, along with how society has functioned in these affects, I hope to use my studies to become a more inclusive and comprehensive educator for children and adults, while making them smile instead of falling asleep. In order to be a more comprehensive communicator and educator, I have decided to continue my education by gaining an ASL career studies certification at Northern Virginia’s Community College while I decide how to further this goal through graduate school or other programs. I have become increasingly aware of the disparity in our system when it comes to who is involved in the development of the necessary everyday functions of society. Having the ability to directly communicate with those affected will help me to be a better advocate and assistant for the deaf community. All kids deserve the opportunity to learn about history and many cultures in a fun, funny, and exciting way. Providing inclusive demonstrations and interactive lectures, creates more of a positive relationship with the people and anthropological and historical research. This type of entertainment would not just be limited to archaeological research sites, I think this could extend to most forms of education, in classrooms, museums, community clubs and local events, and one of my goals is to make this come to fruition. I know teachers today are struggling, especially with dealing of the Corona Virus and its classroom effects, so I would love to provide this type of educational entertainment as a community service.
One day I plan to create my own program to teach kids and adults history, anthropology, science, and geology, in an inclusive way. I aim to do this through my other passion, entertainment. Growing up I developed many skills in the world of entertainment mainly geared towards kids. I am a professional balloon sculptor and well versed in other forms of art such as sculpting, painting, printmaking, and graphite. I can juggle, unicycle, face paint and walk on stilts. I would love to incorporate learning activities with an interactive form of entertainment. I was a child who did not learn best through the typical way of learning, my favorite school days were ones that held lessons that were hands-on and allowed for a bit of fun, and didn't feel rigid or boring. I plan on volunteering for the Boys and Girls club, schools, nursing homes, and hospitals as an educational performer or demonstrator, while I seek my ASL certification. I really hope to benefit the community through this work, by utilizing the skills I learned from anthropology to assess situations, create an educational form of entertainment, and be of better use to the people I'm there to educate, entertain, or both!