Jessica Ponce's Passion for International Development Work

I am Filipino-Vietnamese American. Growing up, I was exposed to both Filipino and Vietnamese cultures. Of all the things I grew up learning, the most valuable thing that has stuck with me were the stories my family told me of their lives in their native countries and their journeys to America. Like many immigrant stories there were obstacles and years of struggle, but their memories have taught me to recognize the privilege I have being born in America. From a very young age, I have come to recognize the importance and benefit of my family’s culture in my own life In my academic career, I've learned to consider different perspectives and within the International Development Studies (IDS) classes I’ve taken, I believe I have a unique perspective that is also those of my family. The University of Montana is a predominantly white campus and there is a limited number of BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) students. In my Honors, Psychology, and IDS classes I am typically the only person of color and so in discussions, there are times where classmates are confused about the perspectives and experiences I talk about in relation to the learning topics. Although it can be discouraging to be not understood, I’ve found that its given me the opportunity to share my Asian cultures and has given me the opportunity to share new ways of approaching problems. As I look to the future in my academic career, specifically in the IDS minor, I’m excited as I have found an area that I am deeply passionate about. In the classes I’ve taken towards the IDS minor, the content and the discussions that I participate in are connected to my family in the sense that some of the issues that I have been asked to consider and help find solutions for are reflected in the stories I was told as a child. The struggles of escaping a war-torn country, living in a village where the amount of food is scarce, the obstacles faced when trying to move your whole family to a completely different country in hopes of a better life, all are experiences my family members have lived through and have shared with me. As the first person in my family to attend college, I’ve felt it's my responsibility that their stories are given a voice and that more people are aware of some of the problems and struggles that were and still faced in places across the world. Although these experiences aren’t my own, they have influenced the way I think and the person I am today to where I want to work in a career that collaborates with people of underserved communities and helps make their lives easier and better.