Becky Mulqueen
For my Senior Independent Project I knew that I wanted to work with an NGO or an organization related to the United Nations that would hopefully link to my interest in Public Health. Unanima was beyond anything I could have hoped for because it has a close relationship with the UN and I was able to attend the Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. Before the forum, I was not even sure who indigenous people were, let alone the challenges that over 370 million of them face daily. From viewing the elaborate outfits to hearing indigenous youth speak, the forum was a learning experience I will never forget. Unanima made it possible for me to meet and observe these distinguished people and become more passionate about an International Relations undergraduate degree. My internship with Unanima has showed me how an NGO operates and the passion that Unanima has for making a difference is inspiring to me. I am extrememly grateful for the opportunity to work with Unanima and I am sure that my experiences there will lead me back to the NGO community in the near future.
Mariel Delgado
For my Senior Independent project, I was gladly welcomed to work for the NGO Unanima, which works to help women and children recover and stay away from human trafficking, conserve the environment and help immigrants and refuges restore into normal lives. With Unanima I have been lucky to attend different conferences at the United Nations headquarters based on, the importance of water, the rights of indigenous peoples and the horrifying national issue of hydraulic fracturing, also known as “fracking”. Throughout these conferences, I have been opened to both global and national problems that I was previously unaware of. Having been informed, it made me realize how the media excludes important topics that can threaten humanity and the quality of life. Also, knowing that these problems do exist furthers my want to major in International Relations during my college career. Knowing that someday my voice might be heard to combat against these issues is really fascinating to me. Without this experience to work with Unanima I would not have been able to realize that there is more than what is read on the Internet and the newspapers. I am incredibly grateful for this opportunity and I hope that after I graduate from college an opportunity like this will be available to further my career in something that I am deeply passionate about.