Inspiration for my Personal Project

My Personal Project was inspired by the CAS club, Human Rights Club (HRC). This club focuses on several topics including gender inequality, abuse, violence, child-trafficking and women power. Being a part of the HRC really enforced me to engage in activities that raise awareness in our community and focus on donations to a greater cause. 

One big topic that I wanted to focus on this year, whether it may be a CAS project or another project was women empowerment. The idea of women empowerment inspires me because women have had a history of fighting against discrimination (of gender and wage), segregation, inequality, racism, low self-esteem, holding power in higher positions, voting and the ongoing dispute for reproductive rights. Being a woman, I find that what we lack today, is the importance of supporting other women and empowering them in what they do. It's not just about me, it's about all those women out there trying to make a difference today.

So, this project is ideally based on the idea of women empowerment and how women and girls in our Lincoln community are empowered. The questions I asked my interviewees are based on the research that I had conducted before planning the process of how and what I would be asking my audience. With all my research and prior knowledge in mind, I formulated ten solid questions from which I would select five for each person depending on whether they are a student or teacher. For example, if I were interviewing a teacher, I would ask them, "How do you feel about gender inequality and wage gaps between men and women?" while I would ask a student, "Talk to me about your future plans and dreams..." 

Below are the five questions I asked all the students that I interviewed for this project

Being a woman, what makes you powerful in this community?

Being a woman in our Lincoln community really enforces me to speak up for myself and bring the best out of myself. This community also enforces me learn at my best ability and engage in activities in and out of school. Specific assignments really bring to my attention the issues women face today and what they are doing to solve those issues. Throughout the first semester of English class, I had analysed a commentary written by Leena Kulkarni, where she studies the amount of money women have to spend on a lifetime basis for their uterus. In this commentary, she mentions one quote that really brings out the real side of what women have to pay to keep their uterus protected and out of danger. "Let's do the math now.  My wages lost after one year + my out-of-pocket pregnancy-related expenditures (assuming my deductible wasn't met) = $154,643. That’s about the price of one 2018 Porsche Panamera Turbo Sport or four years of private college tuition (with plenty of cash to spare...)" This assignment in class is exemplary of work that is done to give us students more insight on what is going on in the world today. Overall, being a woman makes me powerful in this community because I'm able to talk about issues women face worldwide as I am able to relate and understand their arguments put forth to society. 

What are some personal events, that have impacted how you feel about being a woman?

Being an Indian citizen and visiting India at least once a year, the idea of a corrupt society I have seen not in just news articles but in real-life too. I don't even think there have been situations where I can walk on the streets in India past 7 pm because it's simply too dangerous and risky. I think watching the news covering stories on rape cases in India has really brought out the need for me to do as much as I can to protect and speak up for women in our community because I find it important for us women to stand up for each other in any circumstance. I think rather than an event, a genuine idea that has impacted how I feel about being a woman is the idea of us women "not being good enough". I think this idea has basically seized communities consisting of different genders around the world because this isn't only a downfall for women, it's also an idea that's hard to get rid of. The growth of this idea has inspired me to become a stronger person on the inside and outside to prove that it's not just men who can do it.

What are your dreams and future plans?

To be honest, it's changed quite a lot throughout the past three years. I originally wanted to study astronomy but not really become an astronaut because the idea of going far away from the planet scared me, however, I really wanted to study astronomy. When 9th grade started, I realized that I wanted to do something that allowed me to be creative and different with the work I do. Research and further studies in astronomy soon sounded boring and too long-term for me. 9th grade gave me the opportunity to be a more creative person, especially in classes like graphic design and drawing and painting so, therefore, I tried to dig more into career choices that involve creativity throughout the existing process of technicality and I found out that architecture seems like the type of career that consists of both. Along with that, I did realize that there are courses I have to take in 10th that I didn't want to in the first place. Physics is a huge part of Architecture and I hadn't realized that until I had done some research and so now here I am doing physics which isn't as bad as I thought it would be. 

Do you have a role model(s), someone you look up to?

I have many role models but I would narrow it down to my parents because they've been through a lot to get me to where I am today. My father inspires the most because he's always calm in some of the most stressing situations but he says he's got his own secrets. My dad has always supported me with whatever my plans are for the future as long as they make sense and live up to the expectations. As for my mother, she has always been by my side as well as my little sister who is almost five years old. She has the ability to take care of all of us as a family and give us whatever we want but despite that, she is a strong woman who has always been willing to help me with whatever I need. My parents inspire me and motivate me with the values they've passed on to me too because those values have truly changed me as a person and I'm proud to say that I am what I am today because of them.

If you were to be portrayed in a portrait of yourself, how do you see it?

If I were to be portrayed in a portrait, I would like to be seen as a happy and sweet person. A big smile on my face because I think this year has been an amazing and long journey but a little laughter has made me a really happy person in general.