Well Folks....It looks like this will be another summer of new experiences all around!
Thanks to the Cultural Bridge Fellowship and the Women and Public Policy Program (WAPPP) at the Harvard Kennedy School, I will be spending the better part of my summer in Port Elizabeth, South Africa, which will mark my first time in South Africa! This seems to be a summer of firsts because this also marks the first time I'll be trying my hand at this whole blogging thing. This is both exciting and a little scary, so forgive me if my reaction to this might be a little like my friend's.
First, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Marissa(a picture of me is below) and I'm passionate about community-based development. I've spent much of my time working with historically underserved communities that have endured realities of socioeconomic, racial, and educational inequity, yet continue to yearn for a better life. This summer will be no different in that regard.
That's me in the center helping to deliver books to some awesome kids in New Orleans
on behalf of my organization, NOLArize!
So what will I be doing might you ask?
Well, I am going to be working with an awesome organization called ArtWorks for Youth to assist in developing, implementing, and monitoring a program for young girls in the province of Port Elizabeth. ArtWorks' mission is to provide free visual art instruction, mentoring, and academic support to under-served students in South Africa with the hope that doing so will allow these young people to express themselves and develop skills not often taught in the traditional classroom setting.
Beyond that, however, they've noticed that many of the young girls in the area are in trouble. Three in five of the first sexual experiences of girls in South Africa are not consensual, and that number is not much different in Port Elizabeth. I hope to devote most of my summer to working closely with ArtWorks to develop a program that seeks to provide an opportunity for healing and support for the young women impacted by the realities of sexual violence.
I know that this will be no easy feat, and this summer will be busy, but I am embracing it with open arms and I invite you to join me on this journey. Look out for more posts and pictures in the weeks to come and stay tuned!
