By Elizabeth Liang Hudak ‘18, ‘19
About me: Elizabeth attended camp in 2018 and 2019 and is now the Communications and Outreach Intern for LAJF while attending school in Philadelphia. She is passionate about sharing diverse stories through her journalism and writing. Connect with her here.
(These interviews have been edited for clarity)
From New Jersey to the Netherlands, from EMTs to climate justice activists, these alumni are changing the world. We will be hearing from five changemakers who are inspiring their communities in different ways, a continuation of and an addition to our series of Instagram takeovers over the last few months. And Kristen Chang ’14, Linda Barry ’16, Dominika Lasota ’18, Woohyun Kwen ’19, and Anneteke Adoga ’20 all certainly have a lot to say.
Woohyun Kwen ’19: River Edge, NJ, USA
Woohyun Kwen is an 18-year-old senior at the Bergen County Academies in Hackensack, New Jersey, where she is studying to pursue medicine and public health and working as an EMT. Having immigrated to the United States from South Korea at age seven, she has gone on to do research in diabetic retinopathy and is currently an intern at the NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital where she treats patients through horticultural therapy. Woohyun speaks about the power of young perspectives in the medical field and how she is not afraid to contribute even when she is the youngest person in the room.
When asked what brought her to this point in her life, Woohyun references a K-Drama she watched.
“I applied to the Academy of Medical Science Technologies because I watched a Korean Drama about doctors. I was very inspired; I applied as my first choice and got in so I was committed to four years of learning about medicine in high school. I’ve heard it’s either you love it or you hate it, but I ended up loving it. We have lots of pre-med advising at our school so I got into learning to be an EMT and do medical research.”
What brought you here?
“My childhood isn’t too interesting I don’t think. We just immigrated.” Woohyun’s experience as a new member of her community inspired her to get involved in local healthcare and community service, but also allowed her to see the flaws in the system itself.
We didn’t have any family here so we didn’t know anyone and we weren’t too prepared; none of us spoke fluent English, so that was interesting. After first grade, I became like the translator for our family. We didn’t have health insurance, so I couldn’t go to the hospital because it was too expensive. So what I realized about healthcare when I was younger was that there are probably a lot of children like me. That’s what made me realize I wanted to study public health.”
Woohyun’s work as an EMT and her experience in the field has assured her of her own value and input. When asked how she inspires her community, she discussed how this self-assurance has played out through her experience so far.
“Even though I’m young, especially within the EMTs who are all middle-aged, I’m not scared or intimidated, because I know that my opinion counts. Just because you’re young, doesn’t mean you’re dumb or you can’t have an opinion. You give a new perspective and they understand that. I’m not timid; I always suggest new things. I’m actually the most recent graduate from EMT school so it’s cool how, even though they have so much experience, I still have knowledge that they don’t have because they might have forgotten. It’s good to remind them and they know that I really care.”
You said you were confident. How does this confidence and your experiences from being an EMT show in other parts of your life and how do you maintain confidence?
“To be an EMT, you have to be certified. That means passing tests, the course, and the final exam. So it’s not just me guessing. And you also keep learning from others. Now, in simple things like classrooms or meetings, I’m not afraid to talk about what I know. Even if I’m not sure, I just say it because I know the feedback I get will make me better. So there’s no negative part to telling people what you think or what you think should be done.”
When you were growing up, what was your biggest inspiration to become a changemaker?
Woohyun describes the impact her English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher had on her when she was growing up.
“She was very accepting. She always brought my mom to school and explained American culture to her and helped us adjust. Even after I graduated ESL classes in first grade we were still really close. I’ve mentioned her in every graduation speech I’ve given.”
Define the word changemaker. What does it mean to you?
“I think a changemaker inspires other people. Not necessarily to walk the path you did but walk a path that helps other people as you did.”
Favorite camp memory: That’s hard. Oh, when we all made popcorn together for the Never-Ending Variety Show
Favorite book: Anything by Isabel Allende.
Favorite movie: McFarland USA. I’ve watched that movie over 20 times! I decided to do cross country because of that movie.
Music: Hmm. Which BTS song. I’d say Spring Day. That’s an all-time favorite.
Place to eat: Bobaland in Palisades Park. Uh so good. I get it like every week. The green tea bubble tea is the best thing in the world. It’s like a Starbucks frappuccino with bubbles. It’s amazing.
Connect with Woohyun here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/woohyunkwen/
Linda (’16): Leiden, South Holland, Netherlands
Linda Barry is an anthropologist and activist for girls’ rights and equality. Originally from Guinea, she came to the Netherlands as a refugee when she was three and has lived there ever since, with brief interludes to continue her research and work in East and West Africa.
What brought you here?
“I’m originally from Guinea, West Africa. I was born there and fled to the Netherlands at age 3, which is where I grew up for the rest of my life; I am Dutch by nationality. In college I first studied anthropology and law and then got my master’s in anthropology for which I went back to Guinea to do research, which I really enjoyed.”
She describes herself as a pan-Africanist. “Even though I grew up in the Netherlands, I identify very much as African and Guinean. I also still speak my ethnic language at home. One of the reasons I chose the college I chose was because they had a summer program in East Africa.
After travelling to Kenya and Tanzania with her university, she then completed several internships in Ethiopia on HIV/AIDS and maternal health. Linda says her passion for sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) truly began after these experiences and led her to what is, in many ways, her “dream job” today.
Linda currently works at a child rights organization in the Netherlands called Defence for Children.
How does your background contribute to your goals in your work today?
“I work on girls’ rights. I remember when I saw the job opening thinking “this is me,” because they had a program that focuses on eliminating gender-based violence, — the Girls Advocacy Alliance — in Asia and Africa, which included topics such as child marriage and also female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C). Those are issues that are very prominent in the community that I come from. There is a lot of child marriage in Guinea. It has one of the highest rates of FGM/C, I believe it’s at around 97% so that’s virtually almost everyone. Those are things I work on now and those are also things that were an issue for me when I was a child.
With Defence for Children we supported the implementation of the Girls Advocacy Alliance in Ethiopia, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Ghana. I always keep finding my way to Africa. I’m passionate about gender equality in general, but West Africa has a special place in my heart. I think I studied anthropology not necessarily because I wanted to change things, but because I wanted to understand people. As much as I like human rights, how can you stand up for the human rights of someone else without knowing them? Now I believe it’s better to support someone to stand up for their own rights than stand up for them yourself. I came to the Netherlands as a refugee and I think I was in primary school when I discovered Nelson Mandela. It’s very cliche but I was really hoping growing up that I could be like him and I could make sure that girls would not have to go through the same things that I went through at that age. That was my red line through life.”
When you were growing up, what was your biggest inspiration to become a changemaker?
“My sister. I was raised by her in the Netherlands; she was 16 years old and I was three. Even though our situation was not the easiest, she was there for me and others, especially women in our area, lots of whom were refugees or asylum-seekers. That inspired me but for the longest time, I didn’t dare to actually speak up about the things I wanted to see changed. Because as a refugee I didn’t think it was my place and also because many of the things I wanted to see changed were seen as a stigma.”
Linda made a point to comment on the power that the younger generation has to influence the world they have stepped into.
“They have the power to influence, but also to support each other and create these safe places to actually flourish and stand up for their rights but also to call on their governments for accountability.”
Define the word changemaker. What does it mean to you?
“A changemaker is someone who sees something in their community or in the world and wants to change that but also works with other people and gets their opinions on it. Someone who listens, someone who is a good communicator, and someone who just follows their drive and passion and looks for solidarity. I think a part of being a changemaker is also being inclusive of diversity- diversity of perspectives and diversity of backgrounds. For me at least I think that real changemakers do not discriminate against or exclude people.”
Favorite book: Homebody by Rupi Kaur
Favorite movie: Blood Diamonds. That movie really makes me cry. Also how he talks about the color of his black skin and how beautiful it is.
Place to eat: Just go eat fries. You can do that anywhere. Or apple pie. And if you travel to Guinea then my favorite dish is cassava couscous with plantain. If you have that with fish, that’s going to be the best thing you have ever eaten.
Connect with Linda here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/linda-barry-023a5527/
Anneteke Adoga ’20: Woodbury, MN, USA
Anneteke Adoga is a junior living in the suburbs of St. Paul, Minnesota after moving there from Minneapolis. Over the summer, Anneteke was an outspoken voice in her community for the Black Lives Matter movement and injustice in her school and has participated in community organizing in her area.
“What brought me to activism is my school. It’s really not that diverse- at all and as a result, we’ve really just had a lot of issues -- race-based, religion, sexual orientation. Our school is just not very good at protecting its students and being on the receiving end of it, it is very hard to watch and not do anything. From the race-based incidents that happened to me and my friends, I wanted to talk to the administration and get it to stop. Unfortunately, it hasn’t, but living here and seeing that no one was doing anything kind of pushed me to want to try activism.”
The move from Minneapolis to St. Paul had an impact on Anneteke; the culture shock of the lack of diversity and awareness particularly stuck out.
“It was hard to adjust but it made it easier to call out problems when I see them because where I lived before didn’t have the same issues that they have over here. Living here and experiencing it made me want to pursue activism more seriously.”
At school, when she’s not studying, preparing for the ACT, or running track, Anneteke is a member of her speech team where her ideas and communication skills shine.
What do you like about speech?
“It kind of sounds selfish, but in speech, you have ten minutes and you get to talk about whatever you want and everyone has to listen to you. We all give each other the courtesy of being respectful. Even if they don’t like it, they are still going to learn something regardless”.
Though Anneteke talks about often feeling alone in her community, impacting others who felt the same, and making friends through her outspokenness empowers her.
What is the most rewarding part of speaking out? Most challenging?
“The most rewarding part has been getting so many messages from so many people who are grateful for what I’ve done and who say that my speeches helped me feel like I wasn’t alone. While I was going through all those issues with my school, it sometimes felt like I was alone and there was no one else there and to see that I can be a person that people can come to if they’re dealing with anything means so much to me.
A challenging part of it is that a lot of people who I thought were going to be there for me were not and that made it harder to speak out. I guess that comes with speaking on somewhat controversial topics, but it’s hard to see people who you really look up to disappoint you. Everyone has room to grow though so I guess that’s to be expected.”
How did you turn your negative experience into a positive force?
“It was easier to turn my negative experiences into positive experiences by meeting people who have been through similar things. As much as where I live right now is not diverse at all, there are pockets of people that are kind of all going through the same thing. When I would speak about it, I would meet more of those people and we would all have conversations. It’s made it so I don’t feel so alone and made me feel grateful for who I have.”
How do you take care of yourself?
“I love to read. My friends and I are obsessed with reading. We’ve been doing this a lot over quarantine but we wake up, get coffee, go to Barnes and Noble, pick a book and read it in one sitting and then talk about it. It sounds really boring but I promise it’s not! It’s so fun.”
When you were growing up, what was your biggest inspiration to become a changemaker?
“I went to this protest over the summer and when I looked around, I saw how many people were there and how organized it was. People were so determined to make their community aware of what was happening and I had never seen it on that large of a scale before. When I went back to where I lived, I realized that there were people who actually cared; it wasn’t just like this all the time. That was the moment when I realized I wanted to keep doing this.”
Define the word changemaker. What does it mean to you?
“A changemaker is someone who doesn't really care about the scale of their influence or how many people they can reach but rather what change they can make in their corner of the world regardless of the consequences. Sometimes people doubt themselves because they don’t think what they are doing will make a difference. I read this thing that was like if you’re worried about how many people you can change rather than just change then you’re doing it wrong. That changed the way I looked at things.”
Favorite book: Ties That Tether by Jane Igharo
Favorite movie: I’m obsessed with the movie National Treasure. I have no idea why but I’ve watched it so many times.
Music recommendations: Giveon. It’s so good.
Place to go in your area: Go to uptown Minneapolis. There’s so much graffiti and art everywhere; the art in Minneapolis is insane.
Connect with Anneteke here: https://www.instagram.com/aanneteke/?hl=en
Kristen Chang ’14: Queens, NY, USA
Kristen Chang is a proud New York City native. A 2020 graduate of Wellesley College, Kristen has been involved with almost every community she’s been a part of, from political campaigning to helping POC-owned small-businesses get started. She discusses the impact Camp has had on her, the value of “radical-softness,” and the power to change another’s day.
What brought you here?
“I grew up in a family that very much encouraged me and motivated me; I was very fortunate. Even doing things that weren’t typical in Asian-American households. I was also quite outspoken; I recognized when things weren’t fair or when there was more than could be done. That’s how I found my way to Camp Rising Sun. Camp really saw something in me that I didn’t even see myself, but that’s what everyone says. I learned the ability to be vulnerable and through that grow stronger. I went to high school then Wellesley College. There I had the opportunity to study abroad in Geneva and that was where I deepened my interest in international relations and affairs which, along with political science, is my major. Currently, I am working as a campaign manager for a city council candidate here in NY.”
You’ve done work in your community since high school. Talk about some of your experiences.
“When I was in high school I had an organization called LoveBuds which is still very close to my heart. I was already in a place where I was so privileged to be surrounded by opportunity, but—it sounds lame to say—amp really emphasized the ability of kids to do things. I think that was what started the flower donation idea. I reached out to vendors and event planners and asked if I could repurpose these flowers. It really only takes one person to say yes. That was the first time I was called tenacious and I had to ask what that meant.”
The success of Lovebuds commenced a journey of discovery and interaction with her community. Kristen has campaigned in District 1 in Lower Manhattan where her grandmother grew up, one of the most diverse and disparate areas of the city.
“You’re dealing with a wealth of diversity and seeing an incredible socioeconomic disparity all while trying to communicate with and relate to all these different demographics. It was the first experience where I was hands-on and speaking to people constantly, but you could see how important it was to people.”
After the pandemic, Kristen felt an urge to empower her city after months of loss. This led her to seek work with local small businesses, often those run by people of color.
“I just keep searching for new firsts. The first time I start my own club, the first time I’m involved in a small business, the first time that I’m campaigning. I think that’s what I hope to spend my life doing.”
When was the first time you felt you had “made change?” What is a changemaker?
“A few years ago, I discovered the potential to be a changemaker within myself. Sometimes, when I would say something nice, someone would say “you made my day.” And of course, I was on the receiving end of that as well. I recognized that we all have the power to change someone’s day and you get to decide if you make it. If you do, then you have just made someone’s life a little better and you’re a changemaker. With this mindset, you will never stop being a changemaker. It doesn’t matter if you’re pulling off these incredible projects or meeting the most important people, you believe in yourself and in the fact that we can all have a small impact on other people and it will be worth it.”
You discussed the power of more traditional femininity when working in these fields. How do you approach that yourself?
“I was sitting in on this lecture at Wellesley and there were these two incredible women both of whom were working within refugee spaces. And they said that we often overlook feminine power; how we view power is very traditionally masculine. But she said there’s a power in femininity; there’s a power in “radical softness” as she put it. And I had never heard that before. She said that equality is not always in a binary, fifty-fifty matter. There could be 99 men and one woman and she could be capable of changing everyone’s opinion and way of thinking. And that is power. I cannot pretend I’m a young white man. And that’s not me and that’s not where my power lies. By the end, what I had done was play into my own strengths. Regardless of gender and identity, there is something in certain people, and more people than society would expect, that shifts. Sometimes it takes a certain catalyst, but we have power and agency and you just have to be you and it will shine through in the way you carry yourself. I think the most important thing to ask yourself is “are you stepping into everything you can be?”
Favorite book: The Midnight Library. It’s excellent.
Music recommendations: Take me back to Manhattan. I’m a big musical theater nerd. Or All My Girls Like to Fight.
Place to go in your area: Jacob’s Pickles in the Upper West Side. They have an incredible brunch. Also there’s a place in Chinatown called Shanghai Asian Manor and you’ll know it because they have a giant soup dumpling outside their store.
Connect with Kristen here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/k-chang/
Dominika Lasota ’18: Osielsko, Poland
Dominika Lasota is a climate justice activist from Poland, currently on a gap year to advocate for reform and equality within the fight for climate action. She speaks about the impact her time in her home country had on her as well as how she takes care of herself and retains hope in the world.
Best camp memory?
“The camping trip. When we were at the stargazing tower with all the girls and the fireflies. That was the best ever, even now just thinking about it brings me warmth.”
What brought you here?
“I think there are a lot of aspects that go into it. I consider myself a climate justice activist but I have some issues with calling myself an activist because what is an activist? Just a normal person who does these things, not a superhuman or anything, but still. The factors that pushed me in that direction are both related to my family roots and my experiences. My interest in climate issues began when I was seven or eight. Half of my family is from the north and whenever we would go from the north to the south, we would cross all these industrial complexes among which is Bełchatów which is the biggest coal energy plant in Poland and in Europe. It would be such a bizarre sight but I didn’t know what it meant. My dad would be proud because of the electricity plant that is the base of the Polish economy but to me something felt wrong. . When I was a teenager I started reading about climate issues and also I watched a documentary called Before the Flood. Also, at Camp we talked a lot about climate change. So the pieces of the picture started to connect. How the economic, social, and political aspects related to nature and to us eventually. Different opportunities have led me to officially become part of the Youth Climate Movement so I see it as a journey of connecting the dots and then finally doing something to address these problems. My family history of being part of the opposition movement during the communist times and then in the democratic movement have also been aspects that inspired me to become engaged.”
What are you currently working on during your gap year and what are your future plans?
“During the beginning of the pandemic I was supposed to go to university, but I actually joined the Youth Climate Movement and became so involved and saw there was so much work to be done on this very pressing but very exciting issue that I changed my plans and became even more involved. As I become aware of how big of a threat this issue is, the idea of university has been pushed farther away to the point where I don’t even know if I will be going. My priority is in the movement and if university can offer me that, that would be ideal but it doesn’t have to. At the moment, we are planning climate action events for March because we are having a global mobilization of the movement.”
Dominika is also actively working on a plethora of other campaigns and projects, the main one aims to put pressure on the Polish government’s recovery plan, which currently doesn’t include the climate.
When addressing the gargantuan problem of climate change, Dominika stresses the equally enormous gap between individuals and the system itself.
“A lot of times, in industries in capitalist society, we are told that we are the ones to blame. We are told we have to save up water, don’t use cars, or be vegetarian because it’s our fault as human beings. Just to put it into perspective, an average Polish citizen uses 8 tons of carbon dioxide in a year. The Bełchatów electricity plant I mentioned uses up 100,000 tons of carbon dioxide in a minute.
We need systemic change, and that takes education on our current system and how it works. Awareness suddenly gives you the tool to question and take action. You don’t necessarily have to join the movement and go in with banners, but you can observe and follow the movement and question your own beliefs and those of your community.”
Define the word changemaker. What does it mean to you?
“You do not have to run marathons or donate millions or find world-saving technology. It starts at the very core of you. A changemaker sees the strength within themselves and helps others’ find that strength within themselves. If we fostered that, we would not have these crises. Anyone can be a changemaker because everyone has that power. I believe that so strongly.”
What is your biggest strength as a changemaker?
“I would say resilience. Which is connected to unbreakable hope, which isn’t optimism, I guess. We think of optimism as being joyful all the time, which I definitely am not, but I do have hope and having hope and resilience lets me push through anything. It also helps me understand that people might be in a different place than I am not and I might need to put myself into their position and be patient with their journey.”
How do you take care of yourself and maintain that hope especially when working with something so heavy?
“That is a difficult question. It’s something that my friends and I and our community struggle with. We often think that we don’t deserve to rest because there’s so much to be done; there’s so much injustice, risk, and danger that we cannot stop. But I also think that rest is rebellion. In a system that really pushes everything to its limits, not only nature but also people, I need my renewable energy to push through and get going. That is very powerful. I work on giving myself space. I love walking around the city, listening to music… dancing really helps; I dance all the bad stuff out.”
Favorite book: I’ve gotta say Becoming by Michelle Obama. I read it at a very low point of mine and it gave me a lot of strength.
Favorite movie: A musical called Hair. I wish I was in that one; it’s my absolute favorite.
Music recommendations: I have a strange obsession with Polish rap. I love dancing to it and it gives me this boost. I also love Rosalía.
Place to go in your area: When you come to Warsaw, I would take you to a beautiful, amazing pastry shop where we could eat all the amazing desserts that Poland has to offer. I’m very much a dessert person.
Connect with Dominika here: https://www.facebook.com/dominika.lasota.5
So what is a changemaker? After conversing with or reading about the diverse, inspiring, stirring, impressive lives and careers of the women featured in the lines above, a few things are evident. There are myriad ways and paths to becoming a changemaker, but that change starts from within; it is not exclusive nor does it have to revolutionize the world immediately or all at once. These five changemakers are, more than anything, a reminder to seek that spark within ourselves.