University of Miami senior Breana Ross, a broadcast journalism and political science major, was awarded the 2018 Global Citizen Award for volunteering with SHAWCO Education, a program in South Africa serving children who live in townships, or areas of forced segregation under Apartheid. Breana shared her thoughts with UM News about the importance of community involvement, her plans after graduation, and what it means to wins this award. For Breana’s full story, click here.
Q. How has volunteering and community outreach changed the way you see the world?
A. I think volunteering and community outreach opened my eyes to the problems that exist in our world, but also to the small things that all of us can do to help address those problems. I have had a first-hand look at how poverty, systematic racism, and oppression plague our world. Yet, I have simultaneously become hopeful that if everyone uses their own gifts and talents to serve others, we can make the world a better place.
Q. When you learned about winning the 2018 Global Citizen of the Year Award by IES Abroad, what was your first reaction?
A. I was very excited and shocked when I found out I won the award! Although the things that I have done have stemmed from pure passion and never for recognition, it feels good to have someone confirm that you’re doing something right—that award was my confirmation.
Q. What are your plans after graduation?
A. After graduation, I plan to work as a television news reporter where I hope to continue to tell impactful and important stories. I hope to eventually work for a major national news network.
Q. Tell us what’s on your bucket list.
A. Fortunately, I have checked many things off of my bucket list while at UM, including sky diving and living abroad. The remaining items on my bucket list include traveling to Greece and Dubai and writing my own book!
Q. As founder of Written in My Soul, why do you feel that poetry is a valuable outlet of self-expression for children and teens living in poverty?
A. I’ve always used poetry as a form of therapy for myself, so I wanted to share that with youth who could use it to cope with their experiences. Poetry is a valuable form of self-expression because it is a way for youth to share their stories in a way that is creative, and it also helps supplement the creative writing skills they learn in school. It also gives youth living in poverty a healthy way to express themselves as opposed to developing destructive habits to cope.
