Blog

  • Lead. Serve. Create.

    Welcome to the Fellows' Blog

    Every other week from February through June meet us back here to find a new post by our 2018-2019 cohort of Ethiopian Diaspora Fellows.

  • Our Fellows

    Meki Shewangizaw

  • Our Fellows

    Rebekah Tsadik

  • Our Fellows

    Feven Abiy

  • Our Fellows

    Edom Wessenyeleh

  • Our Fellows

    Samrawit Tamyalew

The Holiday SZN

By Meron Begashaw

EDF_Blog2The holiday season has officially come and gone. In Ethiopia, it seems a little longer for those who observe the festive Timket, or Epiphany.  This holiday is held in mid-January, elongating an already packed month touting New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day, and Gena, or Ethiopian Christmas. Being here for the Fellowship keeps me far away from the familiarity, and the sights, sounds, and smells of the holiday season – the garland and tinsel, packed shopping malls, eagerness to welcome the upcoming new year, delicious leftovers, and more.

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by Meron on 19 Feb 2018

Arts in Addis

By Eden Mekonen

Eden_Blog2
EDM tracks, beatboxing, singing at karaoke night, and poetry night…this is Addis.

I attended performing arts schools throughout my primary and secondary school. I studied music, dance, and drama alongside traditional subjects such as English, History, Math, and Science; an educational anomaly amongst Ethiopian-Americans.

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by Eden on 09 Feb 2018

See Something, Say Something?

By Maceda Alemu

Maceda_AddisInsight

How do you define the term active citizen? Based on your definition, would you consider yourself an active citizen? In my opinion, an active citizen is an individual that believes he or she has a responsibility to take on a role in his or her community; active citizens are engaged advocates for themselves, as well as other members or groups in society. They do many ‘things’ to be advocates through activities ranging from volunteering, to recycling, to donating, to voting. In short, active citizens work to improve the lives of others and contribute to social justice in their community by taking action on issues in order to make a positive difference. They question the way things are done to ensure that all members of a community are following practices and supporting systems that foster a fair and inclusive society.

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by Maceda on 26 Jan 2018

Get Out…of Addis

By Maceda Alemu

maceda_blog1This past September, as part of my fellowship with St. Paul’s Hospital Millennium Medical College, I had the chance to travel to a few cities outside of Addis Ababa, including Mek’ele, Axum, Gondar, and Bahir Dar. It was an incredible experience. After a bit of reflection, I wanted to share the top three moments from my travels with you, the reader and share some professional tips (pro tips) for adventures in Ethiopia with you, the future visitor. For those who know me, being brief is… practically impossible, but I always enjoy a good challenge – so here goes and hope you enjoy this short read!

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by Maceda on 20 Nov 2017