planet 世界杯欧洲预选赛免费直播 des lewis and social media and communications intern dre pedemonte joined multimedia editor aaron dye at the annual conference, which featured three days of keynote speeches, workshops and networking opportunities. they were able to learn from some key leaders and innovators using adobe technology to further enhance and reshape their fields.

it was the first time the creativity conference, which has been running since 2003, took place on the east coast. the day before the start of the official conference, dye spoke on a panel for adobe’s non-profit day during a section called, “storytelling for good.” along with fellow panelists from human rights watch and doctors without borders, dye spoke about the world-changing potential of science narratives and the importance of bringing storytelling education to students of all backgrounds. 

“non-profit day was so much fun and i made lovely connections with other organizations who’ve partnered with adobe over the years. we’re all trying to use their tools to enact positive change in the world, so it was a really good little community,” dye said. 

as the conference began in full, thousands of attendees descended on the miami beach convention center, many of whom were creative professionals and students. 

“my experience at adobe max was unlike anything else,” pedemonte said. “getting to really see creators in person and seeing how they use adobe for their literal livelihood, to make an income, to make art, was really exciting… i met medical cartoonists, i met people who work in the film industry, photographers, climate scientists. and you really just got to see how creativity touches so many different aspects of different professions and different livelihoods, and that was really, really exciting.”

pedemonte said the highlight of her time at the conference was a workshop she attended led by award-winning graphic designer valentina d’efilippo, a self-described “data designer” who turns numbers and datasets into visually striking art pieces. pedemonte said that d’efilippo’s workshop was so inspiring that she is now seriously considering a career in graphic design, and has already started exploring ways she can implement the craft into her day-to-day life.

“her session was insanely monumental. i remember standing there and my mouth was dropped,” pedemonte said. “i left the conference being like, ‘i think i’m going to start pursuing graphic design,’ and i have. … i’ve been trying to include it in every element of my life.”

lewis found herself awestruck by some of the new features adobe showcased for its creative cloud software, like photoshop or premiere pro. adobe has invested heavily into expanding its ai offerings, and there was no shortage of new technology for the company to show off at the conference.

a few stuck out to lewis, particularly an upcoming feature that will allow video creators to use ai to expand videos that may have ended on an awkward cut off or that were a little bit too short to be used for the project they’re working on. she also noted some of adobe’s projects still in the development stage, including one that allows users to generate sounds for a project instead of combing through a stock audio library to find the perfect bird chirp or stream of water.

“it’s so, so helpful and beneficial, because that happens to me a lot, once i get [a video] into post-production, and i’m scrambling to find this noise that brings it all together,” she said. “i think that’ll be really helpful as well, especially in what i’m doing.”

lewis, who has worked primarily in print journalism, said that some of adobe’s new offerings make it much easier and more accessible for someone, like her, who is trying to break into the digital media landscape without a ton of experience. but she also echoed the concern of many others that ai could become a means for cutting costs on hiring professionals in many fields for the sake of convenience, and stressed that ai should be used as a tool for media professionals, not as a replacement for them.

“i’m an artist that uses ai a lot as a tool, and it could be very beneficial as that, but i do feel like there are some people that are like, ‘oh, it’s helping us,’ but it’s really just kind of stifling creativity,” lewis said. “i do think ai could be used effectively as a tool, if we don’t go too far, and i think sometimes we dip into it a little too far.”

lewis and pedemonte both agreed, though, that the adobe max conference has given them a new set of tools to tell stories in ways they never thought possible, whether it be through stunning, data-driven visuals or through videos that expand beyond conventional industry norms.

“i really pride myself on being a visual storyteller, but i actually feel like my background is visually telling stories through words. i always felt that writing was my strength,” pedemonte said. “as i’ve gotten more into sustainability journalism and environmental storytelling, i’ve found that visuals are of the utmost importance, because we’re able to show our audience what we’re trying to say, what we’re trying to move forward. … everyone learns differently, everyone takes in information differently. and i think being able to produce effective graphics and images is a really accessible way to capture your audience.”

“i believe that storytelling is just such an innately human trait; we are all storytellers, whether we want to think that or not,” lewis added. “i feel the power of these new mediums is [that they can] broaden the horizon of how people choose to consume their media. … so i think having this arsenal of tools to tell the story in the way that it deserves and needs to be told is really beneficial.”

editor’s note: adobe is a planet forward sponsor and made this trip possible through their support of our project. we thank adobe for their continued student educational support.

this year, four planet 世界杯欧洲预选赛免费直播 s had the opportunity to attend the forum and be a part of the conversation, along with director of academic adventures imani cheers and associate director kim ossi. while in rome, they reported on a variety of topics, from indigenous food sovereignty to the water scarcity. in addition to attending events at the conference, correspondents had the opportunity to explore the eternal city and connect with new and old friends. 

they say rome wasn’t built in a day. and that’s definitely because you have to walk so much! each morning, the students made the trek to the fao building, either by foot or by piling into the rome metro from their apartment in re di roma. the closest metro station was quickly renamed “dupont circle” by the district folks on the trip. 

upon their arrival at the event, and once the group got past security, everyone quickly learned that the fao is one gigantic labyrinth. the floor-standing maps of the building, set up in nooks and alcoves, did little to guide you in the right direction. it was a bit like a “choose your own adventure” — wandering down random hallways and hoping you weren’t walking into someone’s office! 

the forum began with the highly attended world food forum youth assembly opening ceremony. during the event, the world food forum global coordinator, kazuki kitaoka, spoke about implicit bias and demonstrated this concept by engaging the audience in a clever activity. he began by asking half of the audience to look at a photo of vegetables, and the other half at someone washing their hands. he then displayed the text “so_p” to the audience and asked them to identify the word. the ones who saw vegetables said “soup” while those who saw someone washing their hands said “soap.”

the message behind this exercise was that people’s experiences make them implicitly biased toward one answer, or way of life, over another. this was a reminder that forum attendees carried with them throughout the event while engaging with the international crowd.

other sessions included the fao science and innovation forum and the rome water dialogue. the event’s sessions emphasized youth participation, despite the median age of those in attendance being somewhere between 30 and 40. this age average was due to the many ambassadors and country representatives present.

events located in the plenary, or the main meeting space in fao, also lacked a youth presence as only those with special guest passes or diplomats were allowed inside. instead, young attendees convened to watch live streams in other rooms. this did not deter younger participants from getting involved, and many attendees made connections with others at these sessions.

participants weren’t limited to learning inside the fao building. to the back of the main hall, the global family farming forum was set up outside in a modern wood barn. inside, participants could play a modified version of minecraft known as farmcraft, learn about the farming forum, explore how climate change is affecting agriculture, and more.

in the front of the main hall were two indigenous tents serving up lively discussions, dishing out foods, and hosting musicians. the tents were also a place where people could relax for a few minutes in front of a crackling fire, sip on hot soup, ponder the latest session they attended, and chat with new friends.

around the corner from the tents were the food trucks, and food was certainly another highlight of the trip. outside of the forum, the planet forward group took full advantage of their host city and devoured fresh pasta and creamy gelato on a nightly basis during classic two-and-a-half-hour roman dinners. when in rome! 

the fao also invited the planet forward cohort to the american youth world food forum 2024 leaders welcome reception, hosted by the u.s. representative to the fao ambassador jeffrey prescott, at his villa overlooking rome. the group gathered in a beautiful garden under a moonlit sky and heard impassioned stories from the youth representatives and a special guest speaker: u.s. special envoy for youth issues abby finkenauer.

but the highlight of the evening might have been the familiar face in the crowd. upon entering, the group ran into 2018 planet 世界杯欧洲预选赛免费直播 , alaine johnson, who is now a mickey leland international hunger fellow and fao world food forum youth representative. after the reception, johnson joined the group for dinner and shared all about her work as a fellow in ghana.

planet forward found that rome is full of stories, both old and new. our time at the forum fostered the kind of invaluable connections needed to help share them here with our audience. we departed the ancient city with our hearts, minds, and bellies full.

thanks very much for the fao’s support during the event. the group is so grateful for the experience and we hope you enjoy the correspondents’ stories. 

now, gentleman will join the planet forward team as the education lead, where he will build and maintain strong relationships with our pillar and 2022年世界杯亚洲预选赛结果 schools and work to expand planet forward’s reach around the world. 

gentleman, who has a ph.d. in chemistry, brings to planet forward not only his immense experience in the scientific world, but also his work teaching scientists and others how to better communicate their ideas, research and findings with the public.

“we are absolutely thrilled to add darcy, with his expertise as both a communicator and a storyteller, to our team,” said kim ossi, planet forward associate director. “there’s nothing more important to planet forward than our relationships with our schools, and darcy’s going to take that engagement to a new level.”

“science and sustainability need to be as much a part of [societal decision making] as economic policy or urban planning or what type of government you want to have,” gentleman said. “it’s how we learn how to live, to have the life expectancies that we do, to use the technologies that we do. so whether people consider it on a daily basis or not, it is on a daily basis considered and applied in many of the things that touch us.”

gentleman graduated from the university of toronto in 1999 with a bachelor of science in planetary science, a degree program that he helped create, convincing faculty from the astronomy, physics, geology and chemistry departments to work with him on crafting the coursework. he went on to earn his doctorate in analytical chemistry from arizona state university in 2003, where he conducted nasa-funded research using spectroscopy involving fiber optics to measure salt content in water.

after finishing his research at arizona state, gentleman’s career pivoted to telling others about science and the impact that scientific research has on government policy and the public’s daily lives. as a managing editor at the american chemical society, gentleman shepherded editorial content for the journals environmental science & technology, and the journal of agricultural and food chemistry.

he later began offering science communication workshops to students around the country, eventually leading one for george washington university professor chris cahill’s class in 2018. cahill, who is now the chair of gw’s chemistry department, was impressed, and gentleman began teaching science communication as an adjunct professor of chemistry at gw in 2019.

shortly after gentleman started teaching in gw’s chemistry department, he had his first encounter with planet forward.

“through that work … i met, all across the university, as many schools and administrators as i could get a chance with, and that’s how i became exposed to planet forward,” he said. “so in that sense, i’ve been aware of and a fan of planet forward for five or six years.”

“a huge part of planet forward’s mission is to provide both the storytelling outlet and the instruction to students who know a lot and care about our environment, but who don’t necessarily have the skills yet to communicate that knowledge effectively,” said planet forward founding director frank sesno.

as an expert in science communication, gentleman said he is most excited about finding even more ways to bridge the gap between scientists and the public in his new role at planet forward. he explained that scientists aren’t always taught how to communicate their research to the public in a way that is easily digestible.

though he doesn’t agree with the notion that scientists aren’t good communicators, as is often believed by some outside of scientific circles; he contends that scientists are actually communicating all the time. whether it’s writing peer-reviewed research articles or reports to be shared with other scientists, the profession’s communications are often destined for audiences already familiar with core concepts. the disconnect, he explained, comes when scientific jargon is not clearly defined for a broader audience.

“if you’re speaking with a scientist who isn’t used to engaging with non-scientists, or hasn’t prioritized that, then it’s just not that understandable,” he said. “that realization has come into teaching science and engineering more and more, and that’s why the importance of science communications has gone up over the years.”

gentleman is confident that in his role at planet forward, connecting with students, scientists, and institutions across the globe, he can help both journalists and scientists become stronger storytellers about some of the planet’s most pressing issues.

”it’s very possible to tell a story about climate that has very little science in it whatsoever. it’s also very possible to tell a story that is entirely science and has very little human aspect in it,” gentleman said. “the thing that’s so exciting about environmental and climate reporting is that most stories are going to have a mix of both.”

gentleman’s role will include maintaining and growing university relationships and building enhanced curriculum for schools in the planet forward 2022年世界杯亚洲预选赛结果 .

“from a training perspective, whether it’s how to talk to a scientist to get useful content out of them … [or] teaching student correspondents how to ask the questions,” gentleman said, “we can help [students and scientists] find planet forward as a platform where conversations, stories and reporting can inform the growing examples of good science and give a voice to those who care so deeply about our environment.” 

the policy and advocacy subcommittee has decided to pursue a year-long project on equitable land use in d.c.’s waste infrastructure. this project will further focus on waste systems in d.c., looking at the distribution of waste facilities and practices over the eight d.c. wards. the team is currently in the process of gathering further background information on the history of waste in d.c., current procedures, and the different stakeholders involved. they are hoping to combat the discrepancies in this system that disproportionately affects poorer neighborhoods in d.c.. ejan’s co-presidents kaitlyn gang and jonathan lippolis spoke on the importance of advocating for the environment in the political sphere.

ejan is a relatively new organization at gw. “it’s kind of a complicated story, originally ejan was started in 2020 by a group of students,” lippolis said. “they came into the first year with the idea of having subcommittees, i think that was kind of from the jump, and then that first e-board came about and founded ejan.” after the original e-board graduated, gang and lippolis continued the club with the rest of the subcommittees.

gang and lippolis share a strong passion for environmental advocacy. “coming into gw i was undecided, i didn’t know what i wanted to do, i was actually more interested in stem before this, like biology. then i took the society and environment class and just loved it,” gang explained. “that entire class i feel like really made me fall in love with environmental studies which is why i ended up choosing the environmental studies major.” gang is also a political science major at gw, making a policy and advocacy subcommittee perfect for her skillset. lippolis first became interested in ejan out of a desire to participate in climate groups. “i wanted to get involved in climate related issues and movements.”

nasef partnered with the united states department of state to create a modified version of minecraft, dubbed farmcraft, to teach students about new innovations in farming through gaming with the broader goal of connecting play and learning along with showing students farming as a possible career path. chief innovation officer of nasef claire labeaux said farming in recent years has been more innovative and farmcraft is looking to provide students with this new knowledge. 

“our objective is to help kids view what careers they might pursue and then help them sort of get a little sampling of it,” labeaux said.

learning by playing minecraft

maurizio pastore developed farmcraft for nasef by designing the gameplay students experience. he said students are given enough money to begin the game where they buy their first plot of land in the rural area and choose a crop to plant.

the plants include fictional crops such as posh plum, ring radish, moon melon, root fruit, dream berry, and bloom bean. the end goal of the game is for students to grow 1,500 of each of the six crops. 

students then plant their crops and start by watering them. but pastore said plants dry out, weeds begin to grow and bugs infest plants, which students either need to manage manually or pay up for machines in the game to take care of those problems. 

after the first round pastore said students harvest then sell their grown crops for money, which they can then use to purchase upgrades in the laboratory for the crops or technology, along with more plots of land, to make more productive farms.

“farmcraft 2024 is focused on the impact of digital technology on agricultural productivity,” the farmcraft website states. 

pastore said the newest version of farmcraft, or farmcraft 2024, introduced students to farming in suburban and urban areas. he said students are forced to purchase plots in these areas because certain crops grow the best there. 

getting kids excited about solving real world problems

pastore said nasef and developers tried to make farmcraft as applicable to the real world as possible.  

a volunteer, who helped run the game at the wff and wished to remain anonymous because she is not associated with nasef, showed local middle schoolers how to play the game and educated them about its real world applications.

“kids are really interested while playing minecraft because they actually learn and remember things,” the volunteer said. 

the volunteer was present for all four days of the wff and said people and students have kept coming back to try out farmcraft. 

“people kept going so there was a line to play,” she said.

labeaux said every year nasef releases a new version of farmcraft with 2024 being the first year they introduced suburban farms with greenhouses, and urban vertical farms. she said they decided to include these different farms to show students how technology has evolved within farming. 

“farming today is not what a lot of kids view it as,” labeaux said. 

tapping into a global community

besides having students play at the wff, labeaux said nasef takes farmcraft to other conferences to introduce the game to students. labeaux also said many elementary, middle, and high schools have implemented farmcraft as part of their curriculum. 

“this game is played around the world,” labeaux said. 

she said more than 12,000 students from more than 63 countries, including colombia, japan, kenya, and the united states, have played farmcraft.

labeaux also said after students have finished playing farmcraft at the world food forum, they have the option of joining farmcraft’s virtual programming. she said there are two challenges that students aged eight through 18 years old can join along with virtual exchange programs. 

students are first challenged with creating a minecraft world educating others on food transportation in the student’s area. another challenge is using a custom map created by nasef to grow crops then ship them to a desert biome where crops cannot be grown. 

nasef with farmcraft also hosts virtual exchange programs connecting students with other students around the world to discuss their different educational and personal experiences. the virtual exchange programs for 2024 will happen on nov. 12 and dec. 12. 

“we would love to have them join,” labeaux said.

davidson-hiers, a well-accomplished freelance journalist, is on a mission to mentor students interested in journalism all across florida while fostering a deep respect for the natural world within them. she believes fostering such attitudes will prepare students for the increasing amount of eco-anxiety they will face in newsrooms amid the climate crisis. 

the florida student news watch began in 2020 while davidson-hiers was the education reporter for the tallahassee democrat. she was inspired by her own journalistic beginnings to launch her program.

“i’d reached out to the local newspaper with a pitch, and they partnered me with their sports reporter, and i went out for the weekend and covered the event that i wanted to cover, and he, just like, mentored the heck out of my writing, and then my stories got on the front page that weekend,” she says. 

though the program initially centered around students in tallahassee helping davidson-hiers report on the education beat, it evolved with her decision to become a freelance environmental journalist.

“and about two years ago, i realized that i respect education reporting, and i’m a good education reporter, but it’s not what i want to do,” she says. “i wanted to turn more to the natural world, to be able to document and understand it better. i just find it to be a lot more peaceful and rewarding. i wondered if students would keep up with the change. i didn’t have any idea of who would be interested in that. i was like, well, it’s just what i want to do. so we’ll see who shows up. and lo and behold, students still kept showing up.”

since then, the florida student news watch has been reborn as an environmentally focused journalism mentorship. each student, about eight per semester, is paired with a current environmental journalist in the field and works one-on-one with them to bring multiple stories to completion.  

besides building skills and confidence in the profession, mentors also work toward tackling eco-anxiety in their students.

“but when i think about climate anxiety, i don’t think about climate. i think about anxiety. and you know, anxiety does not equal fear. but one of the things i think that anxiety very quickly turns into, without people noticing, is a sense of helplessness and i can work with helplessness,” davidson-hiers says.

davidson-hiers believes a key strategy to combating such feelings is fostering a deep and grounding respect for the environment.

but in the moments where i have felt the most excited to be alive, have been the moments where i mattered so little, in the landscape where i was in. when i’m among the mountains, being able to look around me and be like, ‘wow, this is an entire landscape that does not depend on me, and that i am just a piece of the fabric’ is absolutely thrilling to me, because it takes so much weight off of my shoulders.”

c.d. davidson-hiers

in addition to teaching this reverence to her students, she also believes their deep respect for nature will seep into their work and leave a similar effect on their readers. 

“yeah, there’s self-expression to it, but it is a connection with people that you’ll never meet. and what i love in stories is when i learn something new, especially about something that i take for granted. it just makes you feel grounded like you’re a part of something bigger than yourself in a collaborative way.”

to see work done by the florida student news watch visit their website: https://www.studentnewswatch.org/ 

editor’s note: des lewis is a staff writer for florida student news watch.

the experience led me to reflect on the opportunities i’ve had to create strong bonds with nature and the cultural heritage of mauritius, my home. but in this rapidly changing world, new technological factors like increased screen time threaten the relationship this generation of children have with the world around them.

as i return home to mauritius, this storymap outlines my plan to reconnect young people with my island’s magnificent natural environment and the stories passed down from older generations. but this is just the beginning.

the storymap below offers a glimpse into how the vision for protecting these invaluable parts of our identity first took shape in my mind. but the true journey lies ahead — creating a lasting space for youth to become stewards of their environment and culture. it’s a movement to ensure future generations cherish and safeguard the heritage that defines us.

this week, we’re connecting with aaron dye, multimedia producer and editor at planet forward. 

aaron dye is the multimedia producer and editor on the planet forward team. he earned his b.a. in visual media arts at emerson college in boston. aaron’s lifelong passion for filmmaking inspired him to fully focus on documentary filmmaking, digital media, and teaching, earning a master’s of fine arts in documentary production and studies from the university of north texas. he’s focused on experimental and environmental documentaries, is passionate about using film to raise awareness of land use and management issues, and explores communities’ relationships with nature.

a former educator in philadelphia, indonesia, and a lecturer of film production at the university of north texas, aaron’s love of nature was shaped by childhood trips to the pine barrens in southern new jersey.

for the past two years as a staff member at planet forward, aaron has led the planet 世界杯欧洲预选赛免费直播 ’s program, and led experiential learning trips to an electric vehicle manufacturing center in michigan and an agricultural research station in arizona. he’s also accompanied winners of the planet forward storyfest contest on lindblad expeditions to iceland and to the galápagos.

q: how would you describe your role at planet forward to someone who doesn’t know anything about working at the nexus of education, media, and the environment?

aaron: i do a lot of different things here! mainly, my job is to help students through the process of constructing and refining stories on the environment for publication on the planet forward site. beyond developing compelling stories that accurately inform readers of environmental issues and innovations, i also focus on helping students make their stories more visually engaging through the use of multimedia tools. 

we know that attention spans on the internet are fleeting, and so if we want to create consensus and impact in the realm of environmental protections, the communications around that topic need to be relatable, understandable, and striking to the average reader. 

creating stories that capture that balance can be a learning curve for new writers, podcasters, and filmmakers, so teaching that process is something i absolutely love doing.

q: what’s your favorite project you’ve worked on at planet forward? or, your proudest career development here?

a: i was hired at a very interesting time for planet forward; when we were revamping and debuting our new website. the new design for the website was built with multimedia storytelling in mind (and is also just a much cooler viewing experience in general!)

so the proudest aspect of my work here has been to push students to really take advantage of the site’s new capabilities, and to push themselves to make more creative, ambitious, and visually engaging work. 

i love scrolling through the site and seeing it filled with a motley of videos, art, photo essays, and podcasts. it speaks to the diversity of the student community we work with, and to the various ways that young people can communicate with each other about this topic that so fundamentally affects our future on this planet.

q: what advice can you give to students, faculty, and staff from across the country (or world!) looking to get involved with planet forward?

a: my advice is to send us an email! we offer direct submissions of story drafts through the planet forward website, but i guarantee that you will have the best experience learning and publishing with us if you reach out directly. explain a bit about yourself; what your passions are, where you’re going to school, and what kinds of stories get you excited to take action. 

our team of editors can then help you pitch, craft, or refine your story, no matter where you are already in the process. publishing is an amazing way to beef up your resumé, demonstrate communication skills, and spread awareness of an issue you care about. 

you can reach us at editor@planetforward.org

q: what is the one thing people don’t know about you? 

a: i own a 4-year-old australian cattle dog named marcy. she loves going on hikes in washington, d.c.’s rock creek park almost every weekend and her favorite game is fetch.

this year, the students in the ilíiaitchik program truly embody the meaning of the program’s namesake, which roughly translates to “speak good things” from apsáalooke. they aim to tell stories that bring awareness to local issues with far-reaching impacts, such as proposals to construct acid-generating mines along the biologically rich chilkat river watershed and the hard-fought battles wildland firefighters have undertaken to protect traditional cultural practices for tribes in the southwest.

beyond highlighting the causes and consequences of these issues, the students are excited to showcase the resilience and ingenuity of local communities. they are drawing from cultural practices, ancestral knowledge, and technology to address challenges ranging from habitat degradation to pollution and human health risks. in doing so, the students tell stories that truly do “good things” for the world—providing inspiration and examples of how we can create a more vibrant, resilient, and equitable future.

members of planet forward’s ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program undergo an application process that encourages them to reflect on their passions, aspirations for storytelling, and the topics they hope to explore. while many students come from non-media and non-journalism backgrounds, a shared commitment to storytelling unites them. this storytelling takes many forms, including song, poetry, education, and on-the-ground outreach, all with the goal of uplifting their communities and connecting them to the wider world.

throughout this year’s program, the indigenous correspondents will receive one-on-one mentorship from award-winning diné filmmaker, producer, director, scriptwriter, and actor ivey camille manybeads-tso. they will also participate in a series of eight monthly workshops led by indigenous creatives working in fields ranging from healing-informed storytelling to music and podcast creation.

we eagerly anticipate the storytelling journey ahead and invite you to tune in to read, watch, and listen to these students’ inspiring works.

p.s. click check out the students’ profiles below to read their bio, and stay tuned for their stories!

correspondents

taliyah medicine horse

chief dull knife college | ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program (icp)

shawna hotch

north dakota state university | ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program (icp)

robyn iron

university of montana | ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program (icp)

chase kamikawa

dartmouth college | ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program (icp)

joshua massey

arizona state university, ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program (icp)

karli moore

stanford university | ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program (icp)

sydney neel

institute of american indian arts | ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program (icp)

trinity norris

university of arizona, ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program (icp)

sagen lily quale

ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program (icp), university of wisconsin-madison

angel stickman

university of oklahoma college of law | ilíiaitchik: indigenous correspondents program (icp)

the mandela washington fellowship is a flagship program of the u.s. government’s young african leaders initiative (yali). it brings young african leaders to the united states for academic coursework, leadership training, and networking to support their development and promote positive change in their communities.

during my first six weeks, i was in baton rouge louisiana, residing and attending courses at the outstanding louisiana state university (lsu). my experience as a lsu tiger was extraordinary! discovering the food, the music and the culture of this southern state was simply heartwarming. from our amazing facilitators to the diverse hosts throughout the program, and the groundbreaking fellows who were also part of lsu’s inaugural cohort, this institute was a real growth journey for me.

we then traveled to d.c. for the mandela washington fellowship summit 2024, where all 700 fellows from other institutes around the us convened. while it was overwhelming at first, it was beautiful to see the power and impact of even more african leaders. following the summit, a select few were chosen for an immersive experience within different organizations around the us. selected for this next step, i landed at the george washington university’s (gw) project, planet forward.

as a socio-ecological activist, and with my experience in both the environmental and storytelling fields, it was an honor to meet this wonderful team and to learn about planet forward’s mission to use media and storytelling to drive dialogue on innovation and sustainability.

through interesting group discussions, mind-blowing training sessions and mesmerizing site visits, my experience at this organization has been nothing short of unique. the team members are so supportive and it is always inspiring to work with people who are so passionate about what they are doing and working towards a cause as beautiful as environmental advancement. as a pde fellow here, i had the opportunity to refine my multimedia skills and create meaningful connections. additionally, i got the chance to work on the project that i would like to establish once back home. the project – which is called “zenfan patrimwann” and means youth of heritage – is a series of workshops for the youth aiming at mitigating the loss of cultural and natural heritage loss through the years.

beyond these professional endeavors, i had the extraordinary opportunity to be a fellow in washington, d.c. this summer. the city’s vibrant energy and rich history made every moment an unforgettable adventure. it was a thrilling experience, and i can absolutely see myself returning to d.c. to relive the magic. each and every person i met here and each place i visited have created a life lasting imprint on my heart and mind. strolling through the story-filled streets in my free time often resulted in me spending hours admiring the murals, or simply enchanted by the monuments and architectural masterpieces.

one of the best moments from my time here was during my day at the smithsonian national zoological park. as someone who once dreamt of becoming a primatologist, i was filled with emotions when i came face to face with the orangutans and the gorillas.

i remember it vividly – goosebumps were all over my body and my heart was hammering in my chest. as the happiness took over, my tears rolled down my cheeks as a smile made its way to my face. i believe those moments in life are really limited so i decide to embrace it fully. 

while i originally felt sad that i could not get a better picture because of the reflection in the glass of the indoor enclosure, the blurry picture of a gorilla actually captured one of the purest and happiest moments of my life.

coming to the us was a dream of mine, but none of the millions of expectations came close to reality of this wonderful experience. so my biggest take away from this trip is: never be afraid to dream big.

as the well known ghanaian author lailah gifty akita once said, “the excitement of dreams coming true is beyond the description of words.”