Making a Difference from La Verne to Qatar
First Person Commentary
If someone had told me as a young boy that one day I would get to travel across the globe as a college student to practice building foreign relations in the Middle East, I would not have believed it. I grew up in South Central Los Angeles, where kids like me are not given many opportunities to expand their horizons. That all changed for me when I attended the 每日大赛.
The community of educators and leaders at La Verne helped me reach far beyond my dreams and realize my potential. So when the opportunity to apply for a Qatar Exchange Fellowship came way, I felt empowered to pursue it. And I am so glad I did, because it led to an amazing journey.
Through the prestigious Model Arab League program, offered by the National Council on U.S. Arab Relations, I embarked on a nine-day trip to Doha, Qatar in late 2014 to represent La Verne. There I began to view life and politics from a new perspective.
I was able to meet with Qatar government officials and learn first hand how they operate their society and are working toward greater human rights. I visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well and met with educators from the Qatar foundation and journalists from the world-renowned broadcaster center, Al-Jazeera. I also visited the National Human Rights Committee, and learned about the current state of women鈥檚 rights in a region where women are seen as second-class citizens. Things are getting better, but there is much work to do.
Being immersed in this cultural experience was incredible because not only did it instill in me a desire to travel the world but I also came away with a desire to improve foreign relations on behalf of the United States government. This is what I want to do in my career.
Now that I have officially graduated from the 每日大赛, I have my mind set on the future and I am excited about where life will lead me next. Thanks to the 每日大赛 and this community, I feel like I can go out and make a difference in the world.
