| Name: | Lily Dayanim |
| Year: | Freshman (1st Year) |
| Major: | Anthropology/Plan I Honors |
| Trip: | South Texas |
| Email: | ldayanim@utexas.edu |
Why I Serve Statement:
Serving isn’t a choice, it is an obligation. That’s what I was taught growing up. My parents instilled in me the value of giving back to my community from a very young age. As I matured into my teenage years, my motivation to serve shifted from external to internal. I began to observe my community on a local, national, and global level; I took notice of many pertinent issues and injustices. From then on, I vowed to do all that I can to help make the world a better place, whether that be regarding environmental policy, immigration policy, racial injustices, pay equity, or any of the other plentiful issues that persist in my city, country, or the Earth as a whole. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to learn about immigration policy and serve with Alternative Breaks in McAllen this spring. This issue is very important to me coming from a family of refugees and having volunteered with newly arrived refugees and immigrants for the past three years in Philadelphia. I look forward to gaining a new perspective on this pressing issue and connecting with a community that is heavily affected by it.