Multiculturalism and I

With a multicultural ancestry as well as growing up in Silicon Valley, a highly diverse community of the Californian central coast, I've always had a strong interest in multiculturalism. Throughout my early life in California, I have had many friends with differing bi- or multi-culturalities. 

The simultaneous immersion into distinct cultures is complicated, at times isolating, yet also enlightening. I've dealt with many culturally stressful moments, but my multiculturality has more importantly enriched my perspective, pushing me to be viscerally aware of the multiplicity of lived experiences. Wherever I am, I systematically examine languages, worldviews, and behaviors as inter-cultural concepts. This has taught me skills such as empathy, cultural relativism, and curiosity towards all people. 

After taking courses relevant to culture and individuals, I've become much more interested in the topic and wish to understand human attachment to culture and further inter-cultural reciprocity through multicultural education and social change. 

My first degrees are in Anthropology and Communications; these were my academic introduction to comprehending the importance of education, culture, and community. I started understanding how society 'happens', the differences between collectivism and individualism, and how socioeconomic structures cause systemic inequalities. 

My time at U.C. Berkeley, pursuing B.A.'s in Social Welfare and Psychology, have been representative of my desire to focus my academic studies on identifying how social policy affects people's mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical states and how these vary according to their position in their political and economic social organization. 

At Sciences Po, Paris, I foresee driving change at the legislative level by designing testable solutions for societal issues while maintaining a holistic attitude that incorporates individuals' psychological experiences as part of equitable policy reform. My ambition is to pursue a career in re-imagining public affairs at both the national and the international levels, emphasizing social change and social equity amongst all peoples. 

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