Global Connections Face-to-Face
For the first time in over two years, Poly hosted an in-person Global Initiatives Program event on Monday, April 11 in Garland Theatre on the North Campus. Ever since Covid forced our school into quarantine in March of 2020, Global Initiatives Program events have been continuing online via zoom or webinars, but we had not had speakers come to our campus in person until this month.
The event, titled Stories as a Catalyst for Change Featuring Narrative, brought panelists Maru Castañeda, Taelor Lewis, and Babalwa Tetyana. First, Castañeda, Narrative 4’s Mexico Regional Manager, and Lewis, Narrative 4’s Midwest Regional Manager, delivered a presentation about Narrative 4, their past projects, and what they plan to accomplish in the future. Then, Tetyana, a Narrative 4 Student Ambassador from South Africa, shared her experience with Narrative 4 and how participating in their story exchanges has transformed her into a more empathetic and understanding person.
During this event, all three speakers highlighted the importance of active listening. The idea of active listening was one of the most impactful concepts I learned from this event and I now think about it in my daily life. The speakers pointed out that people usually listen to others with the intention of answering or responding to what they are saying, but they argued that we should listen to others with the intention of listening and understanding what they are saying and feeling before we answer or respond. Since this event, I have been trying to listen with good intentions and improve how I perceive others’ experiences. I hope that this change in perspective results in a better understanding of the people and world around me.
Overall, I was so excited to be back in person for this Global Initiatives Program event. Some of my fondest memories from freshman year were of listening to fascinating speakers from in-person Global Initiatives Program events because it was one of the first times I had an education on global issues. These experiences helped shape who I have become and what I am interested in, so it was a good reminder of my favorite aspect of global initiatives: connections with people from different backgrounds.
