Oracle Online

O: What is your major?

MB-T: I have yet to declare it, but I want to be a Social Justice major concentrating in Human Rights. I was going to do a double major in Women’s Studies, but I don’t think I have the time. So, I’m going to do a minor in Women’s Studies.

O: Why did you pick those?

MB-T: Originally, I wanted to stay away from them because my parents are active in those subjects. I didn’t want to be like my parents at all, but I realized at Hamline, those subjects really grabbed my enthusiasm and attention fell under the Social Justice umbrella.

O: Do you participate in other activities?

MB-T: I’m really active in MISA and various clubs, I am the keynote coordinator for Commitment to Community. You know I was just randomly thrown into the Social Justice housing my freshman year and that spun me into other things.

O: What year are you in school?

MB-T: I’m a sophomore.

O: So you were in Peterson’s Theme Housing last year. How did you like it?

MB-T: It was fun. I made a lot of good connections with people on my floor and they’re in my groups, they’ve networked with me and are involved in the same organizations. It was nice to live with people who had the same kind of thinking, similar ideas. They’re all really good friends of mine. That was really nice.

O: Do you have any positions in MISA?

MB-T: I am the Vice President of Students of South Asia. It’s a big responsibility. I am also part of the Multicultural Alliance and I am a member of APAC, the Asian Pacific American Coalition. Those are the main things, but I’ve been involved with MISA since I was a freshman on campus.

O: Why did you decide to come to Hamline?

MB-T: I have huge family connections here. I am from New Hampshire and I wanted to get away from that East Coast preppy feeling. I mean, I love the East Coast and my town, but I’m originally from the Midwest. I am adopted and my parents actually lived here in St. Paul before we moved to Wisconsin and Indiana before moving to New Hampshire. I’ve really connected with Hamline.

O: Do you have any favorite classes so far?

MB-T: I’d have to say I loved my J-Term class last year, “Role of Conflict in Social Change” was one of the best classes I’ve ever been in. It was taught by Colleen Bell and any of her classes are worth taking. My second favorite would be my history class which is “Topics in History: Ethnicity, Class and Gender.” It’s focused on immigration. We are reading a lot, but I’m also learning a lot, which is nice.

O: What do you hope to eventually get into?

MB-T: Law. I want to go to law school and I want to possibly pursue becoming an international human rights lawyer. I think that’s pretty much where I am headed right now.

O: What got you thinking about a job like this?

MB-T: I think just hearing some of those awful things coming out of the war. People always compare things, like human rights, to the United States but our concept of human rights is pretty crappy. Just from a person of color’s perspective, I think a lot more internal human rights work needs to be done. My parents and what my family stands for also influences what I want to do.

O: Are there any projects you’ve worked on in this realm?

MB-T: Well, not yet. I did work with Amnesty International in high school. I’ve been looking at internships through the Innocence Project and Amnesty International.

O: What do you do in your free time?

MB-T: Well, when I have free time, usually my friends and I just go out to eat, watch movies, we just hang out, and go to concerts. My friends and I just seem too busy sometimes so when we do have free time, we just kinda kick back and hang out. Even though my best friend and I are roommates we never see each other, so it’s cool when we get to hang out.

O: Was there a concert or a time that you were hanging out with your friends when you just felt like this was the best time ever?

MB-T: The weekend after this year’s HUCORE was fun because there were a bunch of people that became really close and I think that because it was also midterm break people got to hang out a bit more that weekend. It was a great weekend because there were literally 20 or 25 people just hanging out that weekend, just laughing and having a nice relaxing time.