Ten Months, Seven Countries, Two Students, One Grant: Adventure Learning Grant

What links a South American bluegrass band, racial inequities in South Africa, and Indian street food? Richard Vinh and Le\u27Ana Freeman will share their experiences first hand living in foreign lands and all the complications that follow. They will examine the life of a traveler and how they connected with communities through education, music, and food. Le’Ana taught children in South Africa and travelled through India discovering new definitions of personal identity and racial politics. Richard travelled through five South American countries studying urban planning and ultimately becoming the most famous banjo player in Buenos Aires. Valued Co-sponsors of Fairhaven College’s Winter 2016 World Issues Forum: Border Policy Research Institute, Canadian American Studies, Center for Law, Diversity & Justice, International Studies, Departments of Anthropology, History, Political Science, Sociology, Women, Sexuality and Gender Studies, WWU Diversity Fund, Ethnic Student Center, Whatcom Community College, Whatcom Peace & Justice Center, Veterans for Peace Chapter 111, Voices for Middle East Peace. About the Lecturers: Le\u27Ana Freeman is a world traveler, writer, food enthusiast, and make up artist. She is a senior at Fairhaven College studying Human Rights with an emphasis in Racial Identity and Colonialism; conducting several research projects abroad studying race and contemporary social issues in India, South Africa, and Thailand. Le\u27Ana Freeman received the prestigious 2014-15 Fairhaven Adventure Learning Grant and traveled to India and South Africa to study civil rights, resource mobilization and social movements, as well as life in post independent societies. Freeman is now working on her first book publication while working to motivate students of color from marginalized backgrounds to travel and share their stories with the world as diverse Americas. Working for Student Outreach Services an administrative assistant and peer mentor. Richard Vinh is a Fairhaven senior studying sustainable community development through architecture and law. He spent the past year in South America on the Adventure Learning Grant working with children, and discovering the South American folk experience. Born and raised in Seattle and Bellingham, his interests bounce between banjo plucking, rock climbing and writing flash fiction