A Providence College student who participated in the 2016 Humanity in Action Fellowship program is taking that experience to the next level.
Cassandra M. Chislom ’17 (Boston, Mass.) is collecting books for high school students as a component of Humanity in Action. The monthlong summer program brings together international groups of college students and recent college graduates to explore national histories of injustice and how those histories — along with current political and economic situations — impact minority groups today.
As part of the program, fellows are asked to design an action project that will impact the community. Chislom plans to provide books on role models to 360 High School in Providence, a secondary school dedicated to immersing students in real-world learning experiences and civic involvement. She hopes the books will “tell the stories of marginalized voices” — people of color and women.
Chislom noted that she read many books written by black scholars during her summer fellowship and wants others to share in this transformative experience.
“I realized how important it is, as a student of color, to learn about other people of color’s lives and personal experiences as a way to be informed about my own history, and to seek a better understanding of who I am as a person,” said Chislom, who is a double major in political science and in public and community service studies.
Chislom is currently in the book-collection stage of her project and is working toward finding space to store them in the school.
By giving students access to books about role models, Chislom wants teens of color to discover their potential by experiencing the same self-reflection and empowerment that she encountered during the fellowship.