My name is Hera, and I attended Pearson College, UWC, Canada. I am originally from an academically rigorous school in Kingston, Jamaica. Though I excelled academically, I always yearned to challenge myself and learn practical skills I would be able to use to influence the societal and political systems around me.
Going to UWC was substantially the most academically and socially challenging experience I have encountered so far in my life. Though there were many hurdles to overcome during the two years, my time at Pearson was filled with moments of tremendous joy and laughter. The most treasured experiences I had at UWC were the 3 am just dance sessions, midnight walks in the woods, and the chances to connect on an interpersonal level with people from all over the world. I was exposed to a plethora of ideologies and cultures I was previously oblivious to. Through my experience at Pearson, I was able to put a face to many experiences and ethnicities that ‘othered’ my own.
When pondering about what I wanted my college experience to look like, I saw an institution where I could comfortably explore both my academic and social interests before making a comfortable transition into the career I wanted to specialize in. With Lewis & Clark being a Liberal Arts College, with a beautiful campus, in the heart of Portland, I knew that this was the school I was destined to attend. Portland, also being home to ‘Powell’s City of Books,’ the largest independent bookstore in the world, also cemented my drive to be accepted into this prestigious institution.
I have always had a multitude of academic interests, that stemmed across different fields of study. English Literature will always be my favorite subject, due to the analytical and critical skill sets needed to excel in the subject. Other subjects I enjoyed in school were global politics and economics. However, as someone who has always been passionate about social justice and the idealistic view of revolutionary change, I see myself doing a double major in English Literature and Political Science during my time at L&C. With these majors, I hope to transition into a law school where I would study criminal/civil defense law.
Non-academic interests of mine include swimming, activism, screaming Hamilton lyrics at the top of my lungs, reading, writing, doing voluntary service, and being around animals! One interesting thing to know about me is that I am a firehouse when it comes to anything I am passionate about. I am extremely diligent and will go the extra mile to see a project through, especially if I believe it will make a positive impact on the people around me.
One thing I hope to accomplish during my time at Lewis and Clark is to honor the commitments I have made to myself, as well as being a part of something greater than myself. I hope to make a positive, lasting impact on the LC community by being an advocate for students of varying identities.