Ashleigh Mahabir

I was fortunately born and raised on the multicultural island, Trinidad, where I was exposed to many different backgrounds, cultures, and traditions. I, myself, am a product of many different racial, and cultural fusions as I proudly identify as a half Lebanese, half mixed West Indian. My home country, personal identity and world exposure from travel has deeply instilled in me a passion for learning about and working with people stemming from different communities. With this passion, I am on a journey to do work regarding human rights, migration, and conflict resolution.

I am currently a senior at Tufts University, where I am working toward a major in International Relations, with a concentration in Globalization, and a minor in Spanish. My life at Tufts thus far has granted me with amazing opportunities to further my passions in human rights, migrations, and conflict resolution. I have conducted research on topics such as the Syrian refugee crisis, gender violence in Latin American countries, and the development of many global cities. In my Spanish classes, I have been able to advance my understanding in, not only the language, but also developments of the social, cultural, and political formations in Spanish speaking countries as well as I have engaged with many native speakers about many interesting topics such as discrimination against minorities. Beyond the classroom, I have elevated my interest in working with a range of different people, including children, through my engagement with the Tufts Peace Games club. There, I visit elementary schools to educate young children about mindfulness, mental health, and peace.

My life experiences to date have sculpted me into an individual who really hopes to get to know, work with and help as many people as I possibly can. After I graduate, I hope to work with minority groups, such as refugees, residing in the United States through making sure that they are receiving the resources and opportunities that they have rights to.