East Villagers Non-Profit Community News » East Villagers

Meet New EV Interns: Kaitlyn Cheung

kaitlynn — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 21:00:43 +0000

“世上无难事，只怕有心人。” –Unknown

Hi! My name is Kaitlyn Cheung. I am currently enrolled in Mountain View High School as a sophomore. Some activities I find interesting and enjoyable are dancing, painting, track and field, and writing. I also love to watch Asian dramas, jam out to Korean pop, and shop until I literally drop to the ground with exhaustion. I am definitely one of those people who look forward to being trampled on Black Friday. Some see me as introverted and quiet while others see me as outspoken and headstrong.

I grew up in a family of four with a younger sister, and as a result lugged around the burden of playing the role of the “good influence” 24/7. The young childhood version of me feared the dark unknown, and admired those who were daring enough to plunge into it. Although urged by my parents and peers to simply loosen up and do something crazy for once, I did not yield. I was sensitive to who I was seen as through the eyes of others and had problems saying “no” to others. As a result, I was often walked over. Then in the midst of it all, a spontaneous event occurred that changed my old ways.

Moving to Shanghai, China, changed me for life. Shanghai, considered as one of the most modernized and prosperous cities in the country, the major financial center, the Oriental Pearl. I cannot bring myself to say that I was exuberant upon hearing the news that I was going to attend public school half way across the world, but it sounded somewhat glamorous to me. I expected the city to appear similar to downtown San Jose, but with an innumerable population and an uncontrollable humidity. It all seemed true when I first arrived; I found myself gaping at the looming skyscrapers across the Huangpu River, the ancient buildings on the Bund etched with history of imperialism, the fanciful restaurants and the savory food. Although strikingly industrialized, there were things I could not help but notice. Resided adjacent to my neighborhood was a large cluster of shacks. I remember walking past it every day, not failing to note that the roofs were peeling and falling apart. The size of one of them might have even been less than the area of my kitchen back in America. I knew this, having been inside of one, since one of my classmates lived there. Beggars were a daily sight. Some would roam from street to street, person to person, shaking a tin can while murmuring incomprehensive Chinese. Some would kneel by the sidewalk, hopelessly begging passersby to spare a yuan. I saw children, adults, elderly, and handicaps among them. The native people did not find it shocking, for it was such an ordinary sight to see, but I was completely dumbfounded. All this time, I had been living in the refuge of a protective bubble, and at that moment it was popped, exposing me to the harsh reality of the human race. That year, I was eleven years old.

As a fifteen year old adolescent, I am here because I want to make a difference. Being an EV intern means more to me than simply representing my generation. It gives me the opportunity to take action and responsibility for what I saw three years ago in the country of my roots, the opportunity to spread awareness about those who live in the darkness. Together, we will be strong. The pitch black room will soon be illuminated with dancing lights, helping them find their way out of the dark to bask in the glorious sunshine. I understand that the world will never be a flawless utopia and we cannot mold it into one, but what we can do is make it a more beautiful place to live.

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Meet New EV Interns: Kevin Mo

kevinmo — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 18:53:09 +0000

Hey! The name is Kevin Mo and I’m kicking it at Los Altos High School as a junior. I love life, and everything it throws at me—happiness, love, sadness, trials—they’re all worth persevering through. I pray that my actions and words would positively impact people, even if it’s just one person, because I want to know that I made a difference in someone’s life. Everything I do shapes the person that I am; I love frolicking in the meadows with friends, playing music, talking to people, and eating out. You can find me sitting on the same piano bench that I’ve had for seven years, in the back of the school trying to learn how to dance, on the courts smashing them birdies, but most importantly, everything I do cannot be complete without my family and friends who I hold dear to.

I have been exposed to the topic of social justice throughout my life, from praying for a little girl with congenital heart disease to loving on the homeless. However, I wasn’t too thrilled about doing what I did and didn’t really have a heart to serve unconditionally and wholeheartedly. But recently this past summer, I went on a short term mission trip to Belize where I discovered my zeal to genuinely serve others and how much fun little kids are. In a group of 35, our team went to Belize, an underprivileged, poor country. Coming to Belize, I realized how fortunate I was to have the life that I was blessed with. We spent most of the time at the Youth Hostel, but I felt that the most moving part was at the island of San Pedro where we held block parties and a Vacation Bible School for young kids. Though the outside of the island seemed to be just as extravagant as Hawaii, the rural area behind the beauty was the complete opposite, and it really broke my heart because of how little they had yet the kids were enjoying themselves more than I was. The spirit of servitude fell upon me and it gave me the desire to show God’s love to as many people as possible. It broke my heart when I saw how hard and unfair of a life they had, and how social injustice keeps them trapped where they are. At that time I knew I couldn’t do much to break their hopeless cycle, but I still helped and loved for them as much as I could.

When I first read East Villager’s vision and goals, I immediately thought that it would be another opportunity to help the less fortunate children in the world and I knew right away I wanted to help serve. I wish to learn more about social injustice and also discover more talents or ways that I can serve the people around me. I’ve been blessed with so many gifts and opportunities my whole life and it would only be selfish of me to keep them for myself; I believe anyone can make an impact on someone’s life, and that’s exactly what I’m going to do.

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EV Charity Dinner 2011

steveko — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:26:39 +0000

The EV Service Scholars Interns cordially invite you to…

All proceeds will go towards supporting students in China recovering from congenital heart diseases continue their education.

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Meet New EV Interns: Sophia Huang

sophiahuang — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 19:10:02 +0000

Imagine Michael Jackson’s “Cry” music video in 2000, the human chain linking every race, color, and gender together as one. The power of unity, working together to aspire change. This human chain image marks my existence. I believe I exist in order to contribute to a change that unifies our world as one, ending poverty, discrimination, and the hate in mankind.I am seventeen years old and a junior in high school. My favorite subject is art. It is my passion, because it give me the ability to express myself in levels beyond words. Art is filled with so many dimensions that allow people to explore and create. As for my background, I consider myself an Americanized Chinese. I live with my mom, dad, and my brother is in college. I am a family oriented teenager, and I believe that a successful family consists of flaws. We can love, fight, hate, and laugh because that is the definition of a family. Besides art, I enjoy playing field hockey. I have been playing school field hockey for three years now. There is so much action and fulfilling vitality that comes with the sport that I cannot get enough of. I love taking on new adventures and risks. I believe that in life, you are suppose to take that extra risk because you never know how great the outcome could be.Starting from a very young age, I had already questioned why equality did not exist in our world. Why do some families drive around in a car worth three houses, while some cannot even afford a home? I remember watching Haiti clips during my freshman year, the pile of destructed cars and airplanes from above looked like broken toys. I always felt hopeless as I skimmed through the photos on Yahoo! headlines. I wanted to do more than donate my money to these causes that were killing my brothers and sisters across the world.I joined East Villagers to become a part of a change. I know that creating a unity, a human chain cannot happen overnight, but just by becoming a part of such an organization, I can actually help make a difference. I am so honored and thankful to be a part of East Villagers and am looking forward to a year of stepping down and looking at the world in a different perspective. From my EV internship, I hope to become more acquainted of the world’s circumstances and gain abilities to help fight social injustice.

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Meet New EV Interns: Isabel Auyeung

Isabel — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:08:15 +0000

“Let yourself be open and life will be easier. A spoon of salt in a glass of water makes the water undrinkable. A spoon of salt in a lake is almost unnoticed.” –Unknown

Hello! My name is Isabel Auyeung and I am currently a Junior at Saint Francis High School. I’m just a normal teenager striving for a spectacular life, trying to make a difference in this world. I love playing soccer, making music, attending Interact events, fellowshipping with friends, and eating food. My ideal day is a delicious picnic at the beach with friends followed by a relaxed time of talking and fellowship. I value the sweet and simple things in life.

I was first introduced to the topic of social injustice my Freshman year when I went to San Francisco with my church for a retreat. Our main focus for the weekend was to work alongside a church and reach out to the homeless. Inititally, I struggled with going out of my comfort zone to interact with them. But once I learned more about their lives, I was truly able to empathize with their situations.

I confirmed my passion for helping others when I went to Belize in the summer of 2010. It was a 10 day short term mission’s trip with my church in July. The majority of our time there was spent at a Youth Hostel , a place where youths who had committed minor crimes or who were thrown out of their homes were placed. During those couple days, I was able to learn a lot about their individual lives and the hardships they had to go through. They experienced things that I wouldn’t even imagine happening in my life, yet liked the same things that I did, and enjoyed the same hobbies. I realized that the reason that they were in such hard situations was because of social injustice, and it was unfair that they had to be placed in this environment.

When I first heard about EV, I was immediately drawn to it because of its mission and purpose that was so similar to what I wanted to achieve in my life. I’m looking forward to learning more about myself: my beliefs and passions, as well as learning more about the social injustices currently plaguing others and finding practical ways of approaching them. Social injustice is everywhere and the things I learn this year can be applicable in many aspects in life. Having grown up in my protective bubble, I wish to learn more about the reality of brokenness in this world. And through EV, gain knowledge about simple steps I can take in my own life to impact the lives of those around me or of those halfway around the world.

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Meet New EV Interns: Emily Cheng

emilycheng — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 18:06:05 +0000

Hi! I’m Emily Cheng and I am a junior at Los Altos High School in northern California. I enjoy listening to music, making art, reading fiction, writing poetry, blogging on Tumblr, and drinking pearl milk tea. I have played piano for eleven years and am involved in the worship team at my youth group. I’m interested in business and am involved in Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA). I sprint and high jump on my school’s Track and Field team. I volunteer with Key Club International and National Honor Society (NHS). Above all, I value spending quality time with my family and friends.

I became interested in social justice when our church sponsored Kexin Zhou, a little girl from China who had congenital heart disease but could not afford the proper treatment. Barely able to speak English, her mother brought her all the way to New York to get help, and she was later transferred to David & Lucille Packard Children’s Hospital. I was very young, but it left a lasting impression on me. I still remember the little blue bear that I won at the carnival held at my church to raise money. In the end, we were able to meet the financial need, but unfortunately Kexin died after treatment. Her mother’s efforts were very touching, and despite Kexin’s death, it was still a success story in terms of garnering support from the community. This was my first exposure to poverty and disease, and it broadened my worldview beyond my small town in the Silicon Valley.

In the summer of 2011, I went on a week-long missions trip to Belize, a poor country in Central America. We organized block parties for the poor neighborhood kids and held a Vacation Bible School for the kids at a Chinese church. We also built a computer lab at a youth hostel, which houses teenagers who committed minor crimes or could not live at home. During this time, we met some girls who were forced to live at the hostel because of physically or sexually abusive parents and/or relatives. I realized that they are victims of social injustice, and without a good education they are stuck in a helpless cycle. When I returned home, I realized that these problems aren’t limited to foreign countries; they are everywhere and affect everyone. This missions trip was a blessing because it taught me to stop ignoring social injustice and face the harsh reality.

Through this internship with East Villagers, I hope to learn more about social justice issues around the world. But more than that, I want to learn what I can do to help, whether it be through raising awareness, fundraising events, or organizing projects. Having grown up in an affluent area, I am particularly interested in the uneven distribution of resources and its effects on society. I look forward to this exciting opportunity this year with my team!

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Meet New EV Interns: Ally Nguyen

alysianguyen — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 17:45:32 +0000

“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance… Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.” – John Lennon

Hello there! My name is Alysia Nguyen, but it would be much easier to refer to me as Ally. I am a junior at Saint Francis High School in Mountain View, California, where I soak up the sun as much as possible before winter dawns. Whimsical and vivacious, I can easily be found representing the Area 13 Neon Ninja Turtles at Interact events, performing at speech tournaments, volunteering anywhere and everywhere, singing or dancing without a care in the world, and trying to be more than just a someone in this crazy world we live in. My joie de vivre leads me to seek adventures and new opportunities in all I do, so do not fret if I appear lost or confused – I am merely trying to discover an alternative perspective with which to see the world. My innate love for words and ever-burgeoning curiosity are just minor constituents of all my idiosyncrasies.

I grew up with both parents and an older brother, all of whom have attempted to shelter me from the “monstrosities” of the outside world. Because of their restrictions at a young age, I have now attained a fervent desire to explore the unknown or “improper” facets of the world. This has prompted me to ask a multitude of questions and immerse myself in as many activities as I can possibly handle. Through countless explorations and a gradual maturity in my thoughts, I’ve discovered my truest passions: interacting, writing, and volunteering.

By working with East Villagers, I hope to expand my horizons and grasp an even better understanding of what it means to serve others before yourself. Additionally, I want to learn more about issues that too many are ignorant about and consequently spread awareness about the injustices of the world. I look forward to meeting with NGOs and others who have devoted their lives to the sole cause of benefiting the unfortunate, and I hope I can join them in their mission. Through this internship, I hope to inspire the minds of others to promote the “fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life” that is necessary for us to live in a better world. As cheesy as it may seem, together, we can make a difference.

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final reflection

Stacy Hsueh — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 20:39:39 +0000

It has been a rewarding experience working with East Villagers over the past year. I was able to explore and reflect on numerous global issues through blogs and discussions with other like-minded peers. This experience allowed me to hone in on specific topics of interest and analyze them from different dimensions, such as writing and facilitating team discussions. I learned to think about social issues in a systematic way through writing blog articles. The process of translating emotional responses into concrete words was valuable in shaping my stance toward various cases involving injustice and corruptions without sacrificing objectivity. Writing helped establish the connection between my topics and I. However, there was still an element of passivity within writing. And the team discussions provided the interactive piece. I had stimulating conversations with my teammates about current events and articles. Those conversations were moments when I started connecting the dots and seeing relations between issues I had written about and other existing issues around the globe.

Social justice is an enormously complex area of study. Through the process of actively thinking about various related issues, I began to delve deeper into this area. Equipped with a new perspective on the vastness of issues in social justice, I feel at once humbled and imbued with a sense of purpose. The writings and discussions have inspired me to join other communal efforts in tackling particular areas in social justice. I’m currently designing a service project that hopes to combine technology and creative expressions to alleviate injustice.

Being a team leader was a great experience. It forced me to take the active role in questioning what I read, saw, or heard. In order to discourage bias and vacuous claims when examining an issue, I sometimes played devil’s advocate. I also learned the importance of asking the “right” questions. Some questions led to dead ends while some sprouted more interesting questions. While encouraging fellow students to be enthusiastic about social issues, I learned much from my teammates. They often brought up things I had not considered and shed new light on issues I thought I was familiar with.

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My Service Scholar Experience

Phillip Hon — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 01:22:07 +0000

Over the past year, I have had the privilege of working for East Villagers as one of their Service Scholars Interns. Over this time period I have worked in many facets of the organization including blogging on their website, reflecting and leading discussions with other bloggers, helping to organize their Annual East Villagers conference, and coordinating their Essay and Art Contest. All of this work has helped inspired me as I have seen and spoken to so many people with a passion and commitment to community service. I have seen how our common will and desire to social change can bring us together, and bring such positive changes to the world.

During my time blogging it was amazing to see both the opportunities and challenges surrounding me in the realm of social justice. Everyday I encountered areas of the world where inequity and injustice were faced, but everyday I saw opportunities and people combating those to make the world a better place. Such writing and reflection helped me to create a more clear picture of the world, one that was not my world and a community service world, but one where all of this coincides together. My opportunity to team lead a number of East Villager scholars was also very meaningful as well. On a weekly basis I also had the opportunity to connect with other East Village Service Scholars to talk about our interests, passions, and ways of connecting with and finding community service. No matter with what level of experience or what we were all interested in (our passions were very diverse) we all connected on how important it is to serve. The common bond helped us to synthesize our thoughts, and even find opportunities of service and social justice I never would have thought of on my own.

My other responsibilities as a Service Scholar involved coordinating the Essay and Art contest. With over 200 applicants, it was an honor to read all the inspiring stories and see all the inspiring messages of service and social justice that students have to share. These are young people actively taking a stand and taking action to make a difference in our communities and our world. It was very difficult to narrow down applicants and choose finalists and winners (even with a rubric), because everyone had such positive and inspiring messages to share. It is my hope with organizing their upcoming Essay and Art Content it can outreach to more people so their message and great work can be shared with the world too!

As I move forward I will continue making progress towards areas of community service and social justice that I am passionate about. The most important one to me personally is that of Educational Inequity. The fact that so many students in this nation are not receiving the same quality of education to live their life to the fullest and take advantage of the same opportunities is horrendous to me. This is why I have decided to teach and go into a career focusing on Education. So, as I have grown older and my time has become much more limited, I have found that my career and my life can be devoted to helping others and I have concentrated in the area I will do so.

Similarly, with my scholarship I have decided to give to an organization that focuses on two areas that are very important to me; education and my hometown of Stockton. The Phoenix Scholars is an organization that provides pro bono college counseling to students from low income and/or first generation backgrounds. In its third year I am serving as a mentor to a mentee from my hometown. I see how much education can unlock the dreams and potential of many people, and hope this scholarship can continue helping well deserving students enter the colleges they deserve to enter.

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The end of the beginning…

Joy Liu — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 22:31:32 +0000

As I sit down to write my final article, I’m surprised by how fluid time is. It seems like only yesterday when our team (Karina, Jenny, and I) first met and yet it seems like a long time ago as well. Writing articles for East Villagers really became an extension of interesting topics explored in classes I was enrolled in. Reading other articles sometimes made me nod or shake my head in disagreement. In either case, it helped me recognize my own position on issues more clearly.

The most rewarding part of the internship for me has been getting to know some of the other interns, particularly those who took the time to help organize the 2011 East Villagers Service Conference. I would especially like to thank Karina Legradi, Steve Ko, and Phillip Hon-all of whom I met in person-for all your help (and for running around like crazy during those two days). I wish all of you the very best in your post-college endeavors. As I think about your post-college choices, I am also partly forced to think about my own. What do I want from these four years? Where do I want to go afterwards? This year really opened my eyes to the possibilities. Like I said at the conference, I came in as a somewhat lost freshman-a good student in every aspect of the word, but lacking the voice and passion that make good public servants. This year, through engaging courses, inspiring professors, and some amazing opportunities (my summer in Kenya), I have found my calling. As I move into sophomore year, I want to try something new and de-clutter my life. Instead of being busy (running around “like a chicken with its head cut off” as my friend puts it) doing what I think I should do, I’m going to minimize my schedule to engage in the things that I want to do and matter to me. I want to be a stress-free pre-medical student (if such a person exists). Service, especially in the areas of health and gender issues, is first and foremost on my priorities list. I would like to continue working abroad during my time at Duke, and would like to use the $1000 for that purpose.

I want to take a moment to comment on the 2011 East Villagers Service Conference. It was an idea I proposed at the very beginning when I applied for the internship. There’s still some part of me that can’t believe it actually became a reality. Granted, it was an extremely long, arduous, sometimes frustrating process. However, it means a lot to me that the event happened and I hope it means something to those involved and who attended. It was in thinking about what I wanted to say at the conference that I first came to the realization that I did find my personal growth and most importantly, my voice.

So this is the end. Thanks for being a part of this. God bless.

Joy Liu

Team 2: Servant Scholars

Durham, North Carolina

Sophomore – Duke University

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