With the desire to make Myanmar an equitable place for its citizens in the future and an interest in racism, discrimination, politics, and citizenship studies, Parami sophomore student Mozart seized the opportunity to do his service learning at a local non-government organization dedicated to enhancing community and social cohesion this summer.
Compassion and curiosity brought him to the organization. He discovered it while researching resources for his ongoing Yale research paper about Burmese Indians. He was among the 22 selected Myanmar Junior Scholars in the Yale University Council for Southeast Asian Studies mentorship program.
Growing up as an individual from an unofficial minority, Mozart Brang experienced discrimination, which inspired him to promote equality for minority groups and be the voice for the voiceless.
To broaden his knowledge about social cohesion and widen his impact, he has always wanted to be part of an organization that aligns with his passions and interests, which led him to volunteer at this local NGO, focusing on projects and research about unofficial minorities. "They mostly focused on 'Unofficial Minorities' of Myanmar, like me," Mozart said, referring to those such as Chinese, Indian, and Nepalese descendants of the country who are excluded from official recognition in the census because they are not considered native to the country.
At the service learning, he was assigned different responsibilities, such as writing summaries of project proposals and collecting news data for tentative research about the Unofficial Minorities. He also got to work on audio interview transcriptions. As a researcher, he realized that transcription requires dedication, accuracy, and attention to detail, as this transcribed information will serve as the primary data for analysis to elicit insights and policy recommendations. Mozart expressed, "These experiences are impactful for me; I am learning everything I can."
Mozart appreciated the opportunity to give back to his community through the service learning program, which provided hands-on experience related to his interests and passions. The entire service learning experience was fulfilling and beneficial for his personal development and improved his communication, organizational, and interpersonal skills.
"Parami has such a great vision and intention of providing and leading the program for service learning for its students," Mozart stated. The service learning also allowed him to expand his professional network in his field of interest.
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