C A S P I A N

In March 2019, I graduated from University of California, Los Angeles with bachelor's  degrees in both Middle Eastern Studies and Arabic, minoring in Armenian. My studies in college, my past work experience, and my travel experiences have inspired my desire to work in climate change and human rights activism. Additionally, I aspire to work with and advocate for refugees and refugee rights around the world.

 

Growing up in an Armenian-immigrant family, I was taught to be aware of the economic, political, and social disparities around the world and why the exist. Additionally, I was taught the importance of language and communication as a way of connecting and understanding people and the world around me. These ideals motivated me to gain fluency in both Arabic and Spanish.

 

In 2017, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to study abroad in Amman, Jordan. Living in Jordan deepened my understanding of the refugee crisis growing throughout the Middle East and into Europe. The experience that I gained from living, studying, and traveling through the Middle East is undeniably one of the strongest catalysts in my life for pursuing human rights activism. Furthermore, living and growing up in southern California has exposed me to the grave and ever-growing migration crisis on the border between the U.S. and Mexico. This past year, I backpacked through Southern Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala. I volunteered, improved my Spanish, and better developed my photography and writing skills. Through these travels, I was able to meet and learn about the life of locals in these countries.

 

My aim is to raise awareness of the struggles faced by refugee and migrant communities through writing, photojournalism, and non-profit, NGO work.