December Alumni Spotlight: Ya Awa Kaira (John F. Kennedy High School)
This month's Alumni Spotlight shines on Ya Awa Kaira, Alumna of our Civics and Citizenship program at John F. Kennedy High School.
Awa graduated from the University of Maryland with a Bachelors's degree in Government & Politics and recently completed her Master's degree in International Development from the University of Portsmouth in the United Kingdom. Her focus was on migration and gender, which culminated with her writing a thesis on how the socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have made Gambian women and girls more vulnerable to exploitation by human traffickers.
We spoke to Awa about her journey and here is what she had to say:
"I was born in Serrekunda, Gambia in 1994. However, my family and I moved to Norway when I was a year old due to increasing political instability in Gambia. I spent most of my childhood in Norway but would frequently visit family in Gambia. At the start of seventh grade, I moved to Silver Spring, Maryland because my mother got re-married to a Gambian-American man. Adjusting to life in America was challenging at first, primarily because I had limited knowledge of English and was not accustomed to American customs and norms. After making friends, however, I quickly adapted, and went on to live in America until I moved back to Gambia in 2018. Living in these three different countries, on three different continents, sparked my interest in learning about different cultures and how countries communicate with each other. I also had a keen interest in political science, and thus, early on in high school, I knew I wanted to work in international relations or development. I thought this would be the perfect way to merge my multi-cultural experience with my interest in political science.
During my sophomore year at Kennedy High School, my friend and I happened to stay after school for cheerleading practice. While we were waiting for practice to start, we met a group of students who were preparing to attend an LP meeting. We began talking to them and they explained that LP was a program for students with immigrant backgrounds. We went on to express our interest to join the program to Julien, the program officer, and explained to him that when cheerleading season was over, we would like to officially be part of the group.
I kept going to LP meetings due to the shared experiences I had with many of the members. I was one of the few people among my friend group who was born outside of the U.S, and as such, there were certain experiences I did not have in common with them. LP was a place where I could connect with people from diverse backgrounds who shared the experience of being born outside of the U.S or who had immigrant parents. These unique experiences enabled us to bond and learn from each other in a meaningful way.
I learned many things throughout my time in the program, but I would say the most impactful lesson that still resonates with me is that there are so many opportunities out there to take advantage of. Granted, it may be more challenging for LP members because they may have to navigate through processes (college applications, job searching, school-related aspects, etc.) independently because their parents may not be in a position to offer guidance, so LP can serve as a community where they can seek support. I still remember when an LP alum came to our meeting to share his experience as a freshman at the University of Maryland, College Park (UMD). He offered advice, shared his experience, and offered to support anyone who needed more clarity on the college application process. This was such an amazing opportunity to connect with someone who came from a similar background as me. I reached out to him and he provided me with guidance during my college application process, and when I later joined him at the University of Maryland, he also served as an important source for information. So, the most important thing I learned from my time at LP would be to take advantage of the opportunities to connect with people and the importance of reaching out for support when you need it.
In 2018, I decided to move back to The Gambia to be closer to my family as well a to gain work experience. Though I grew up in the U.S and in Norway, I always wanted to move back to The Gambia at some point in my young adulthood. I currently work for the International Organization for Migration (IOM) of Gambia, as a Strategic Communications Officer. In this capacity, I work primarily with the Gambian government in enhancing their ability to communicate about migration-related issues. Migration is a cross-cutting issue with rapidly evolving trends and dynamics, as such it is important for governments to be able to communicate about these issues accordingly. Working at IOM has given me the opportunity to utilize the knowledge I learned throughout my studies as well as the interest I have gained in international development. It is also incredibly rewarding to contribute to the implementation of programs that have meaningful impacts on the lives of many Gambians. I feel like this has been the perfect way for me to achieve my desired goal of moving back to The Gambia to contribute to the development of the country, even if it is in a small role in my current capacity.
My advice to younger alumni is that you do not have to have it all figured out just yet. Regarding your future plans and goals, school (especially college) can be the perfect place to learn more about yourself and what you want to do. Building networks and reaching out for support to people who can help you is so important. Use the networks you build in and outside of LP to gain more information on specific concerns you may have. These networks can be useful in sharing various forms of opportunities ranging from academic ones to others. Take advantage of opportunities that interest you that you can learn about. Also, connect with people who you meet who may be in the field you are interested in studying, or go to the college you are thinking about applying to, or perhaps share a similar background to you."