I am JC, a rising senior at Williams College and a current intern at Empower House. As a concentrator of public health, I have a particularly fervent interest in education and health policies for the vulnerable groups of individuals, such as immigrants and refugees, in our society. Last summer, I had the privilege of working with North Korean defectors at a school in South Korea, which was an eye-opening experience that led me to decide to pursue a similar line of work this summer in the U.S. I believe that understanding immigrants and refugees and embracing their cultures are crucial for not only creating a harmonious society but also promoting the effectiveness of medicine and public health policies in a heterogeneous population like that in the U.S. I found my philosophy to align well with the founding principles of ENoK and its Empower House, so I chose to work here.
As an in-house intern, I have been living with the students at Empower House, which has enabled me to forge close relationships with them. Though I am a Korean American, the issues of North Korea and the prospect of Korean reunification are important matters, and conversing with the students on various topics has enabled me to better conceptualize and understand their cultures. Outside of the social context, I have also been enjoying my work as an intern whether it be academic assistance or logistical management. My stay at Empower House has been truly educational, and it is my hope that this relatively new organization burgeons in the coming years.