Participants

Brandon Alston

Hello! My name is Brandon Alston. I reside in the city of Allentown which is about an hour north of Philadelphia. I currently work as a recreation counselor at the Children’s Home of Easton. I am a 2008 graduate of Penn State with a degree in African/African-American Studies. I am especially interested in the Civil Rights and Black Power/Nationalist Movements, as well as community building and development.

I was part of the Tanzania cultural immersion experience during the summer of 2007 and loved every minute of it. I am most looking forward to the people, the food, and the landscape. I hope to learn as much as possible from the various groups we interact with and use that knowledge for community building and development in the Allentown area. I am a die-hard hip-hop fan but I listen to a little bit of everything. I also love sports, exercise, and my family most of all. I am going to need some help catching up on my Kiswahili, so please be patient and help a brother out! Till the trip…Amani na Upendo!!

Jatnna Paola Amador

My name is Jatnna Paola Amador and I am currently a sophomore at Hamilton College. I came to Hamilton College as a recipient of the Posse Foundation Scholarship. I was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic on May 31, 1989, and I am 19 years old. I intend to double major in Communications and Africana Studies. I enrolled in the Tanzania Seminar because I have always been interested in learning both about African countries and more specifically women’s experiences around the world. This class provides further contexts for these academic interests. I have taken Women’s Studies courses in the past and I am currently enrolled in multiple Africana Studies courses. I look forward to traveling to Tanzania and immersing myself in to the culture. I look forward to exploring the differences and similarities among American, Dominican, and Tanzanian cultures. The seminar and field study are great opportunities to step out of my comfort zone and broaden my horizons. I hope to learn a lot about myself, the group that I am travelling with, and the Tanzanian culture.

Gabriela Arias

My name is Gabriela Arias, Gabi for short. I am 20 years old. I was born and raised in New York City, however I have called Wallkill, NY home since 2001. I have a younger brother and hope to be his role model as he grows up. As a member of the first generation in my family to be born in the United States, I am proud of my roots. The African ancestry of Dominicans from across the diaspora is central to my identity as a Dominican American woman. The history and culture of Afro-Latinos fascinates me and is an academic interest which I’ve been fortunate enough to explore at Hamilton. I am an Africana Studies and History double major. Other personal interests include relaxing, traveling, and watching lots of movies. Last year, I traveled to Tanzania with Women’s Studies 332. My personal growth and increased understanding of the intersections of gender, feminism, grassroots organizing, and post-colonialism along with a whole host of other concepts led me to partcipate in the field study once more as a mentor. I hope to be a resource for the women participating in the field study this year and further research we started last year on grassroots organizing in Tanzania.

 

 

Jamie Bushell

I am majoring in Comparative Literature at Hamilton College. I enjoy skiing, snow, reading, meditation, writing…
The opportunity to travel to Tanzania initially appealed to me because I enjoy adventures that necessitate challenges. I have a personal interest in social justice/advocacy and am interested in learning more about NGO’s relationships to the state and their effects on rural villages. Western influence, in regards to sustainable development, that is going on in Tanzania is a complicated issue that I am looking forward to experiencing first hand.
I am also really looking forward to learning a lot about myself, other cultures, and the other fabulous people on the field study.

 

 

 

 

Michelle Choi

I am a sophomore Psychology major at Hamilton College from Tenafly, New Jersey. I love trying new foods, skiing with my family, having picnics, taking photographs, and traveling. I have never traveled to Africa, so I’m really looking forward to this experience. This trip to Tanzania will provide the opportunity for me to experience grassroots organizations and NGOs in Tanzania at work. I hope to learn more about current women’s movements in Tanzania and to see how these compare to those in the U.S. I am most looking forward to experiencing a culture completely different from my own, meeting new people, and getting to know my fellow field study participants. I hope to gain a greater knowledge of Tanzanian history, Tanzanian culture, Kiswahili and more about myself throughout this process.

 

 

 

 

Caroline Davis

Jambo!  Ninaitwa Caroline Davis.  I am a sophomore from Hingham, Massachusetts majoring in an Interdisciplinary Concentration titled Social Justice, Peace, and Development.  After spending last summer working with a Shuar and Kishwa indigenous community in the Amazon of Ecuador, grassroots organizations, experiencing different cultures, and learning from all ways of life has been of great interest and joy to me.  In Tanzania, I hope to embrace the rich culture we will emerse ourselves into.  I am very interested in international public health, and I hope to gain a broad perspective of public health issues in Tanzania.  I am also very interested to visit several of the grassroots organizations and communities we are studying throughout the semester.  And above all, it will be wonderful to experience this all and continue with my education with a wonderful group from Hamilton.

 

Alexandria Dotson

Hi all! My name is Alexandria Dotson, but everyone calls me Alex. I am born and raised in beautiful, sunny Pasadena, California. I am current Sophomore at Hamilton College with an intention to major in Hispanic Studies and minor in Women’s Studies. I am the current President of the Black Latino Student Union (BLSU), Co-Chair of the Voices of Color Lecture Series, Resident Adviser and Hamilton College Journal Writer. I love to travel, and have been to Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, and numerous places within the continental U.S., However, I have yet to visit Africa. Some of my other interests include jewelry making, horseback riding, reading, and sleeping. I am thrilled to be going on the Tanzania Field Study because I feel that this is an opportunity to not just see the tourist side of Tanzania, but to actually interact with the Tanzanian community on a real level. I am ready and excited to be taken out of my comfort zone and learn about Tanzanian customs, traditions, and a way of life totally different from my own. 

 

 

 

Megan Frame

I am a sophomore majoring in Comparative Literature at Hamilton College.  I was born in Boston, although I’ve lived in Rochester, NY for most of my life. More than anything, I love spending time with my younger brothers who are always pushing me to try new things. In my spare time, I like to snowboard, play with my puppies, learn to dance, and make collages. I’m thrilled about going to Tanzania this spring. I have really enjoyed our seminar thus far, learning about Tanzania’s history and the issues currently facing the country. I am anxious to find myself somewhere far outside of my comfort zone, but I am looking forward to the questions that it will raise within the group and myself. I’m also eager to communicate in Kiswahili as best as I can. I am ready to open my eyes and spirit to someplace new, in an attempt to truly understand more about the world.

 

 

 

Laura Gault

I am a sophomore at Hamilton from Newton, Massachusetts. I am double-majoring in French and World Politics with a concentration in Africa. I love traveling, skiing, hiking, camping, and cooking. I first became interested in Tanzania when I spent five weeks there during the summer of 2006. Since then, I have focused my academic studies on African politics, development, and indigenous peoples. Women’s Studies 331 and 332 will enable me to revisit Tanzania with a new perspective on the role of tourists and Western NGOs, a greater background knowledge of Tanzanian history, and the ability to speak a little bit of Kiswahili (I hope!). I look forward to learning from our partners in Tanzania, working as a team with my classmates, and facing all of the challenges that the field study will entail. I hope to come away from this experience with a better understanding of what non-profit organizations are doing well and what needs to be changed to benefit better Tanzanian communities.

 

Robyn Gibson

Hi my name is Robyn Elise Gibson. I am currently a junior at Hamilton College. I am from Boston, MA. I enjoy watching movies with my family and friends and listening to R&B slow jam music really loud. I am an Africana Studies Major. The reason why I became an Africana Studies Major is because I think that to create real change in the world, we have to change how we view history and education, which is what Africana Studies does it gives you a different lens of looking at the world.

This trip to Tanzania will be the first time that I left the country and I am excited that I will be going to Africa. In Tanzania, I would like to study the ideas of pan-africanism and community building. I hope to really make connections with people so Tanzania does not just become a school program but a place where I can continue to be involved.

In the future I would like to work in the non-profit field and run a media social change agency that gives grants and networking tools to people of color in the film industry. In addition, I would like to work with young women and use film as a medium for empowerment and self-esteem.

 

 

Marla Jaksch

Professor Marla Jaksch has been organizing field study programs in Tanzania for over 5 years.
Her goals for this work include opening up opportunities for youth to exchange ideas, as well as to establish deep and long lasting relationships with communities that seek to address complex social problems, and promote positive, sustainable, indigenous knowledge focused development.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robin Joseph

I am a senior at Hamilton College majoring in Women’s Studies. The furthest that I have ever been from home (Watertown, Massachusetts) is Paris, France. Living in Paris was great experience, but it in no way forced me out of my comfort zone. This field study is incomparable to my experience abroad making it all the more appealing. I’m excited to travel throughout Tanzania, and not just visit the urban centers or tourism cites. It is wonderful to be at a point in my life where I have so many interests, and am discovering my passions. I am thinking about entering the public health and/or non-profit sector upon graduation. I feel that it is necessary that I traveling to non-Westernized countries before I can decide the role I want to have in these sectors. I really enjoyed my course last semester on truth and reconciliation commissions and community rebuilding in South Africa and Rwanda. I am excited to enhance my knowledge about Africa, social movements, and grassroots organizing through this course and trip.

 

 

Tony Keith

Hey! I’m Tony Keith – currently serving as Assistant Director of the Paul Robeson Cultural Center at Penn State University, where I also teach an undergraduate Racism & Sexism course. This will be my second time participating in the Tanzania cultural immersion experience – I was a part of an initial group while I was a graduate student at PSU.
I’m an educator at heart and an artist by nature – so I hope to bring a little bit of teaching & learning about culture, leadership and social justice, and infuse it with a little poetry and spoken word. I’m a giant ball of energy and really enjoy group adventures. I’m not a morning person, and I hate onions and mayonnaise. I’m a fully identified Nerd so I love a good cup of coffee and inspiring folks to have critical conversations about really complex social issues.  I’m originally from DC so I’m certainly a city-minded individual who walks fast, talks faster, and has an impeccable taste for ethnic food, neo-soul & underrated hip-hop music artists, and a serious orientation to metropolitan fashion lol  Peace! 

Linda Lam

Hello! My name is Linda Lam and I am currently biochemistry major  from New York City. I enjoy doing different form of dances, visiting  museums, working with animals, and watching performances. I am 
thrilled to participate in a trip that is led and accommodated by  indigenous people. I would love to experience the diverse cultures in  Tanzania, put my technological lifestyle on hold, and learn how to  become more self sufficient and self reliant. On another note, I have  always been amazed of National Geographic’s documentary on  Africa’s pristine beauty and abundant wildlife! I am excited to  journey through small villages, lush green forests, and mountain 
ranges to witness the unique mammals, reptiles, plants, and most of  all insects!

 

 

 

 

Temiwumi Omo

My name is Temiwumi Ojo. I am originally from Nigeria, but grew up in Chicago, IL. I attend Hamilton College and I am enrolled in the Women’s Studies Tanzania Program. I am a sophomore majoring in Biology in hopes to attend Medical School in 2011. I am very excited to come to Tanzania, because I can’t wait to be immersed into the culture. I want to learn more about the Tanzanian government and Grassroots Organizing. I want this to be an experience I will never forget!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emma Racine

My name is Emma Racine and I am a sophomore from New York City. I am double majoring in Sociology and French at Hamilton College. I enjoy music, painting, museums and traveling. I am really looking forward to going to Tanzania as I have never been to Africa before. As a sociology major, I am very interested in different societies and cultures. The sociology courses that I have followed at Hamilton have focused solely on American society; this field study will provide me with the opportunity to experience and learn about societies and cultures that are very different from those I have studied. In turn, I hope that the trip will allow me to develop a more comprehensive understanding of the field of sociology. On a more specific level, I am looking forward to learning about NGOs in Tanzania, and the work they have done with women in particular. I am also excited about getting to get to know and form relationships with the other students in the class.
 

 

Isabel Rittenberg

I am a sophomore at Hamilton College, originally from Hillsborough, California. I am double-majoring in French and Religious Studies, and my other academic interests include Government and Italian. From my experience learning in class and working on the ground this summer, I hope to gain a better understanding of grassroots organizing and the ways in which we as a world community can work to provide those in need with the means to improve their own lives. On top of that, I view the Tanzania seminar and field study as an opportunity to open my eyes to the world around me and to inform my worldview. I look forward to developing relationships with the people we meet in Tanzania and with my classmates.

 

 

Stephanie Tafur

I am originally from Boston, MA and my family is from Colombia. I am a first generation child, with a mother and father who have worked more than hard to get me where I am today and with an older sister who wants nothing more but for me to achieve all my aspirations and then some. I am a scholar of the Posse Foundation, meaning that I came to Hamilton College through a scholarship with 10 amazing individuals from Boston. I am a junior at Hamilton College majoring in Africana Studies with the intention to graduate May 2010. After graduation, I am not sure what goal I would like to tackle first; some of them include organizing labor campaigns for migrant workers in and out of this country, going to graduate school for labor studies then law school for labor law, but also I want to be a community activist for the rest of my life. I want to make a difference in my community, tangible change, which will help those who need it; I want to be an advocate for those who never had one. I was a part of the Tanzania Seminar and trip last spring 2008. My experiences in Tanzania were unforgettable and really made me think outside of my comfort zone. I am currently a TA for the seminar along with Laura Gault and Gabi Arias, which is a great way for me to understand the pre-departure work that goes into planning a trip to Tanzania. It is quite a remarkable experience and gives me another perspective at what the trip consists of and how impacting it might be this upcoming summer. My interest in the course, for a second time, came specifically because of the experiences I had last year and how much I wish everyone could take part of a trip like this one to learn about oneself and the world in a different light.

Lyndra Vassar

Hey everyone I’m Lyndra – spelled with a Y. I love my name and think it’s very telling of who I am: just a small twist out of the ordinary. My mother is an international globetrotter and we rarely stay in one place too long as a family but I consider home Los Angeles, CA. The sunshine state is my favorite place in the US and where I intend to settle eventually. In the meantime, I’m on a journey to learn a little more about myself and the world around me. Some random facts about me are: I love the color green, I collect converse all stars, I enjoy music and writing, my 2 younger siblings are like my children, and I’ve never broken a bone before. A more serious point about me is that I’m a Comparative Literature major and a senior at Hamilton College. In my education at Hamilton, I’ve taken several classes in Africana studies and many of these courses have focused on domestic issues within the US – Women Studies 331 and 332 offers the chance for me to add a more global perspective to many of the race, class, and gender issues I’ve explored thus far. In travelling to Tanzania I’m hoping to be challenged personally and learn more about a different way of life. I’m also excited to learn more about how NGOs and non-profits operate particularly within indigenous communities. I have a great interest in journalism and am hoping that some of the things I learn in this seminar could be applied to my writing, hopefully offering another perspective on global issues for American readers to consider. I’m very thankful for this opportunity and can’t wait to learn more about my classmates as well as the partners we’ll be working with this summer.

Melissa Young

My name is Melissa Young and I am currently a senior at Hamilton College. By the second semester of my sophomore year, I had decided to major in Africana Studies. I grew up in inner city Chicago and never thought I would find myself in Clinton, New York studying global Africa. Honestly when I took my first course, I had absolutely no idea that I could get a degree in Black studies. Blackness, African-ness or whatever people want to call it is everywhere and always changing. I have traveled to several countries in Latin America and even Italy, where I observed the spaces that dark people occupy, particularly those clearly of Africa descent. Recently, I am unraveling the research I did this past summer with Afro-Nicaraguan women. In this work, I explore the personal testimonies of Creole and Garifuna women on Nicaragua’s Atlantic coast. In my study, I investigate race and gender discrimination in Bluefield, Nicaragua. This is still a work in progress that is kind of stressful because sorting out field research is new to me, but it is slowly piecing itself together. I am so looking forward to traveling to Tanzania. I must say that I am a bit anxious because I am unsure as to how I will respond to the experience. In either case, I am optimistic. Even after almost four years of being an “Africana” studies major, I still only imagine AfriKA. I dream of it. I mean, I have never been there and experienced it firs hand. Why not begin in Tanzania? This field study seems perfect. We will be traveling to places that take us off the touristy radar. I have no idea what to expect. The Kiswahili lessons, the seminar on women’s movements and grassroots organizing in Tanzania and any other course work is the first to step to preparing for our travels in May. I am hoping that this trip is more than an academic excursion for me. When and if I come home after five weeks, I just want to feel overly empowered to help cultivate change.