Alicia's Sojourn to South Africa!
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Greeting All!
My name is Alicia Frison. I am currently entering my senior year at UCLA as a Philosophy & African American Studies major. I have truly enjoyed every aspect that I've been able to take advantage of.
I started as a wide-eyed freshman lured by the amazing opportunities, the football and Bruin Bash!, but something was missing.
Throughout high school I was incredibly active. I was a student leader and team member of several orgs and sports team. Nonetheless, I was always committed to giving back my time to my community. I quickly realized that being at UCLA insulated me from my world.
I grew up in the Bay Area around a pretty common narrative of crime and poverty around my Black community. I came to UCLA so that I could muster up every resource in order to reverse such a narrative.
Since I've been here, I've been able to take advantage of resources throughout campus in order to advocate and improve the condition of Black students on my campus. I've been able to intern in Washington DC with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation as a Congressional Intern with Congresswoman Maxine Waters where I worked with the Chief Legislative Counsel who fought tirelessly to diversify the public sphere of finance. I was able to intern serve Jacky Lacey in the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office as a Law Clerk at just my second year in undergrad where we challenged the lack of state resources for those suffering from mental illness. And I've even been able to work with our Vice Chancellor on Enrollment Management to help increase the enrollment rate of Black Bruins on my campus to its highest since legislation haulted our presence on campus (98 Black students in 2006 to 400 in 2016). Throughout some pretty exciting adventures, the most memorable has been the opportunity to inspire hope and change on my campus by advocating for my community directly in my role with our Afrikan Student Union.
Today, I've been able to speak with nearly 500 Black Bruin hopefuls to inspire the same change and progression and I can't stop there. Admist my time at UCLA, I have managed to continue to stay busy. I've been active with our Mock Trial team, our Residential Life student government, TAMID business club, our UCLA student government and as of lately, our Afrikan Student Union where I server as the Chair. Here I have the chance to advocate on behalf of Black students, staff and falculty everyday! In this, I found my home.
Now, I have been presented with the opportunity of a lifetime to travel halfway around the world to challenge the same growth in consciousness with my brothers and sisters in South Africa.
I have been invited to join the Bringer of Hope Foundation in their Sojourn to South Africa as they build a library comprised of Black Bruin author publications in order to develop the same consciousness of Black student activists, in that of high school students.
We will be travelling throughout South Africa as we eventually make our way to KwaHluzingqondo High School and join the Kuenene Foundation in opening the library.
I have been very busy in my time at UCLA and have yet had the opportunity to take advantage of a study abroad experience. But I hope you can invest in my future as I invest in others'. I am giving up my Thanksgiving holiday with my family to share it with hopefully a new family.
Thank You and I appreciate your love and consideration!
My name is Alicia Frison. I am currently entering my senior year at UCLA as a Philosophy & African American Studies major. I have truly enjoyed every aspect that I've been able to take advantage of.
I started as a wide-eyed freshman lured by the amazing opportunities, the football and Bruin Bash!, but something was missing.
Throughout high school I was incredibly active. I was a student leader and team member of several orgs and sports team. Nonetheless, I was always committed to giving back my time to my community. I quickly realized that being at UCLA insulated me from my world.
I grew up in the Bay Area around a pretty common narrative of crime and poverty around my Black community. I came to UCLA so that I could muster up every resource in order to reverse such a narrative.
Since I've been here, I've been able to take advantage of resources throughout campus in order to advocate and improve the condition of Black students on my campus. I've been able to intern in Washington DC with the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation as a Congressional Intern with Congresswoman Maxine Waters where I worked with the Chief Legislative Counsel who fought tirelessly to diversify the public sphere of finance. I was able to intern serve Jacky Lacey in the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office as a Law Clerk at just my second year in undergrad where we challenged the lack of state resources for those suffering from mental illness. And I've even been able to work with our Vice Chancellor on Enrollment Management to help increase the enrollment rate of Black Bruins on my campus to its highest since legislation haulted our presence on campus (98 Black students in 2006 to 400 in 2016). Throughout some pretty exciting adventures, the most memorable has been the opportunity to inspire hope and change on my campus by advocating for my community directly in my role with our Afrikan Student Union.
Today, I've been able to speak with nearly 500 Black Bruin hopefuls to inspire the same change and progression and I can't stop there. Admist my time at UCLA, I have managed to continue to stay busy. I've been active with our Mock Trial team, our Residential Life student government, TAMID business club, our UCLA student government and as of lately, our Afrikan Student Union where I server as the Chair. Here I have the chance to advocate on behalf of Black students, staff and falculty everyday! In this, I found my home.
Now, I have been presented with the opportunity of a lifetime to travel halfway around the world to challenge the same growth in consciousness with my brothers and sisters in South Africa.
I have been invited to join the Bringer of Hope Foundation in their Sojourn to South Africa as they build a library comprised of Black Bruin author publications in order to develop the same consciousness of Black student activists, in that of high school students.
We will be travelling throughout South Africa as we eventually make our way to KwaHluzingqondo High School and join the Kuenene Foundation in opening the library.
I have been very busy in my time at UCLA and have yet had the opportunity to take advantage of a study abroad experience. But I hope you can invest in my future as I invest in others'. I am giving up my Thanksgiving holiday with my family to share it with hopefully a new family.
Thank You and I appreciate your love and consideration!
Organizer
Alicia Frison
Organizer
Vallejo, CA