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PersonalStatement

JessicaZahnd

Theworldasitstandstoday,isrunbyinstitutionalstructuresthathavebeenmolded,
securedandrunbytheclassofpeoplewhoarethefaceofprivilege.Money,healthcare,
accesstobasichumanrights,and,mostimportantly,education,areessentialelementsof
aprosperouslifethatspanraceandclassyetareneglected,unaffordableandoverlooked
bythepeoplewhoneeditthemost.Thisintolerableproblemisoftengoneunseenbythe
blindnessofprivilegeofthosewhoinstituteit.Mypurposeforbecomingateacher,isto
acknowledgeandinspirethevitalityofaneducationthatallhumans,byvirtueofbeing
humans,areentitledto.Mypurposeforbecomingateacher,istoensurethatregardless
ofwhatendoftheeconomicandclassspectrumoneis,aqualityeducationisdelivered
byateacherwhocaresaboutthevalueandpotentialofeverychildonanindividuallevel.
Withastubbornandfirmhand,Iwillstandfortherightthateverychilddeservesinbeing
inthebestpositionpossibletochaseandfulfillthetruepotentialoftheirfuture,tocreate
equalopportunityforeducation.Iwanttoemphasizethefocusonindividualityofevery
childandmoldteachingaroundthechildratherthanthechildaroundteaching.Ibelieve
itisourresponsibilityaseducatorstocatertothedistinctneedsofeverychildanditis
ourresponsibilityashumanstoensurethatopportunityisnotexclusivetothosewhoare
spoonfedit.

Privilegeissomethingthatisonlyvisibletothosewhodonothaveit.Aneducationis
takenforgrantedbythosewhoarehandeditjustasequalityisconsiderednormalfor
thosewhoaremeasuredequal.Whattheseconceptsshowme,istheterrifyingtruthof
manscreationofaspectrumofhumans.Ourworldtodayfoundationallyrevolvesaround
money,socialclassandstatus.Basedononescategorizationintotheseboxes,theyare
affordedrightsandaccess.Nolongerissomethingasfoundationallyvitalaseducation
affordedtohumansasabasicright,ithasbecomesubjecttowhereonthisfictional
humanspectrumwelie.Thelackofaccess,equityandrighttoaneducationintheyear
2016intheworldisunimaginableandIbelieveacontributortothis,istheblindnessof
thosewhohavethepowertochangeit.Nooneknowstheextremeneedforaneducation
untiltheyarestripedofit.Iwasabletoexperiencethisfirsthandgrowingupintwoof
themostpovertystrickencountriesinourworld,NepalandIndia.InNepal,Ilivedinthe
middleoftheHimalayaswherecleanwaterandshoeswereapreciouscommodity.In
India,IgrewupoppositeoneofthelargestslumsinNewDelhiwherediseaseandpain
weremorecommonthananeducation.Myresponseatayoungagewasthatthiswasthe
normtheseformsofenvironmentsandanuphillbattleforaneducationwaswhatevery
childintheworldneededtodo.Myperspectiveofaneducationandalifebeyond
walkingunbelievabledistancestofetchabucketofwater,becomeoneofutmost
privilege,exclusiveanduncommon.UponmovingoutofAsiahowever,realizingthatan
educationisarightnotaprivilegeturnedmyperspectiveofthenormintooneofangerof
whatisbeingstrippedfromthemillionsofchildrenthatsharethesamevalueontheother
sideoftheworldandevenworse,withindevelopednationstoo,basedonasystematic
identifier,oftenonebasedonmonetaryorclassvalue,thatcategorizesonesrighttoa
qualityeducation.WhileattendingUniversity,IvolunteeredwithJuvenileHallandhad
manyconversationswithkidswhohavebeeninandoutofthecriminaljusticesystem,
kidswhosnowcriminallabeldictatesalotoftheirfuture.Ihavelearnedthatitishardto
makeasystemworkforthoseitwasnotdesignedfor,themarginalizedinaparalyzing
cultureofprivilegingtheprivileged.Ilearnedthataclassroomconfinedbytheoreticals
thatonlyappearaswordsinatextbookdoesnotcomparetothepotentialandvalueseen
intheeyesofthosestrippedofhope.Ilearnedthatforthoseofuswhosvoicesweigh
heavierinsociety,itisourresponsibilitytofightforpivotal,essentialthingslikean
educationforthosewhohavebeenstrippedofit.Ilearnedthatvalueandpotentialisnot
dictatedbyazipcodeoraracebutmyvirtueofbeinghuman.Andfinally,Ilearnedthat
Idonotbelieveinaworldinwhichchildrenslivesaremappedoutbyaninstitution,
whichcategorizeslivesbyvirtueofgeneralizingtheirsocialclassandracetotheirright
foraneducation.

Havingmovedcountries,continentsandcitiesallmylifestartingattheageof4,
challengesandobstaclesmetmeateverycornerofmylife.Thefightforfindingmy
identity,whereIbelongedandwhoIwasbeganataveryyoungageformeasIwasoften
toolightskinnedtobeAsian(whereIgrewup)andtoodarkskinnedtobeSwiss(my
nationality).Formingcloseknitbondswithfriendsandfamilyinvariouscontinentsand
countriesjusttohavethemuprootedchallengedbygreatlyandforalongtime,createda
lotofresentment.WhycouldInotjustbeanormalchildwithasuburbanupbringing?
Livingnexttothesameneighborsfor18years?WhowasIandwheredidIbelong?Only
afteryearsofselfreflectionandfindingwhatIbelievetobemycallinginlife,wasIable
torespondtothisidentityandnotbelongingchallenge.IrealizedthatwhoIamand
whereIbelongisnotrestrictedorboundbyaphysicalplaceorpeople,itisthe
contributionsImaketotheworldthroughmycharacter.Iamdefinedbythe
characteristicsinmethathavegottenmethisfar.Irespondedbyemittingathirstfor
knowledgeandadesireforuncoveringtheunknownineveryplacethatIwentandthus
replacedthefeelingofnotbelongingandconfusionwiththelightandradianceofnew
places,newcultures,newpeople.FromtheseIwasabletodevelopasaperson,realize
whatmypassionsareandretainnewcharacteristicsthatIformedbynecessityfor
survivalineachplacethatIwent.Ilearnedthereisneveranendtolearningand
uncoveringnewideasandwitheverynewexperiencecomestheirreplaceable
opportunitytointernalizenewfragmentsofyourselfandyoursurroundingstocreatea
whole,everchanging,everbuildingbeautifulperson.

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