User:Pwoods
From Social Justice Wiki
"Doing as much as you can, in the way that you can, in order to leave your community more beautiful and beneficial than you inherited it" (Kuumba, the 6th Principle of Kwanzaa)
Hello! I'm Paris Woods, a senior at Harvard University. Born and raised in St. Louis, MO, I'm a relative newcomer to the East Coast scene. I must say that after almost four years here, I'm still not quite used to it. Here's a little about me...
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Education
At Harvard, I concentrate in African-Amerian Studies with a focus on education. In fact, I was recently profiled on the department's website, feel free to check it out. Education is something that I care deeply about because I believe it is truly at the root of success in America. I'm not talking about the "American Dream" here. Nor am I espousing the view that the people who work the hardest always get the most opportunities. What I am saying is that knowledge is power, and the sooner we can educate our youth about what's going on around them, the sooner they can empower themselves to affect change in their own communities and the world at large. That's what I'm trying to do with myself, and I hope to inspire others to do the same.
Social Justice
One reason I decided to take Professor Kelley's class on "Black Intellectuals and the Politics of Liberation" is because social justice is very important to me. My interest in issues regarding oppression materialized through an experience I had the summer after my junior year in high school. I attended a camp called the Anytown Leadership Institute put on by the National Conference for Community and Justice, and there I learned a lot about how oppression functions in our society, and what role I have in affecting change. My experience there was so important that I returned as part of the staff in the following year. I have since been profiled on their website, expressing how this particular experience forever changed my outlook on life.
Interests & Activities
One of my favorite hobbies is singing. Before college I rarely sang in any type of solo situation, but always found msyelf nestled in somebody's choir--be it at school or at church. Joining a choir was a natural move for me when I got to Harvard, but I couldn't have predicted the tremendous impact that being a member of the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College would have on my college career. Kuumba has been the highlight of my time at Harvard.
All of my other hobbies fall under one general category: chilling. I enjoy watching movies and television, listening to music, surfing the internet, and acting foolish with my friends. Some time ago I realized that once my life's journey is complete, and I reflect on the many years past, the moments that will mean the most to me are those spent with the people I love. Those people are my friends, and my goal is to maximize our time spent together.
South Africa
In the Fall of Junior Year, I studied abroad in South Africa. Although my program was based in Cape Town, we got a chance to travel throughout the country. I found my experience particularly valuable because our group got a chance to do what most South Africans never have--spend time learning about each ethnic group in their own communities. We spent time in townships and rural communities, with Africans, Indians, Coloreds, and Afrikaners. We even got to see Nelson Mandela speak. It was amazing!
When I found out that my group was doing a webpage on Steven Biko, an activist intellectual in the anti-apartheid movement, I was pleased to revisit the rich history that I was exposed to during my experience abroad.
Check out our webpage on Steve Biko, and I'll holla! Peace.
Harvard University: Seminar in Black Intellectuals (fall 2005) Credits