IST=
In-Service training, also to signify that our in-country travel lock-down is
over. Equals Hallelujuah.
For a solid
10 days, me, myself and I got to check into a lovely hotel, Tlotlo (which means
respect in Setswana). At this hotel I got access to wifi (very limited when
competing with 74 others to download), 18 degrees Celsius air-conditioned room,
a plushy white Queen sized bed (envision a cloud), a strong jet shower-head,
and unlimited availability to tea/coffee/soaps (might have gone overboard with
taking some home with me).
During IST,
we had sessions covering a range of topics including: Fitness 101, Recycling,
Container Gardening, and Composting, First 6 weeks of service, Community
Assessment reviews, Intimate Partner Violence, Maintaining Mental and Emotional
Health, Grant-writing (Peace Corps Grants Online tutorial), PCV Committees
Fair, HIV/AIDS online resources, Kings Pack Training, Sexual Education/HIV
Educational demonstrations, Economic Empowerment opportunities, and Alcohol
Abuse within communities.
My personal
favorite of these sessions was the Diversity Panel, which was led by fellow
PCVs. I was invited to be a guest speaker on the panel, and present my single
story on my identity as an Asian American (this session was followed by a
powerful session on the Ted talk on Danger of A Single Story- a must watch).
The theme
of the panel was “Backlash of the Elections”. After the elections, a lot of
people felt opinionated and had something to say about whose leading America,
and what it means to be an American. This platform was not a means to discuss
political standpoints, but to open the conversation and educate our fellow
peers on diversity and how racism has impacted each marginalized group.
Unfortunately
post the session, fellow PCVs expressed the need for conversation, mutual
dialogue, and individual questions to be answered; however, some people have
been waiting on the stands to speak their whole lives. My favorite quote from a
fellow PCV, “Some people are sweating about the next 4 years, while we’ve been
sweating for the past 400 years.” Needless to say this isn’t my first
experience being “woke”, especially since living in New Orleans has opened my
eyes to the racial and social injustices that negatively impact communities and
lives, but it was my first time being active in voicing myself and my opinion
to others on my own struggles with the first generation Asian American identity
and growing up discriminated against. Let us begin to dig deep within and know
we each have our stories, but those that don’t get spoken enough of have been
suppressed for reasons beyond our lifetime and years. [Please insert Solange’s
album “A Seat at the Table”, any and all lyrics].
It has been
especially tough having to defend an American identity that is associated with
the election of Trump as President… however, after conversing with many fellow
PCVs that are known as a minority, all were not surprised at how the votes
turned out. That is a depressing thought, and also a reality for multiple
individuals. Continuing onward, I hope to have more open and thoughtful
conversation about the danger of stereotypes, and how “fair and just” America
is. Particularly I hope to engage with more Batswana, as well as, fellow
Americans who just don’t realize the barriers and challenges created by a
white-supremacy supported system back home.
“I have a
lot to be mad about,” said Solange. I support my sister’s words and hope to
continue the good work and representing American diversity despite all
adversities we face.
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