As a Vinson Fellow working with Dr. Rusty Brooks this semester, I explored the effects of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) — the country’s multi-trillion-dollar mission to reroute global trade and ocean traffic while projecting its growing influence across the world.
I was born in Brussels to Congolese parents and raised in Atlanta. Dealing with the push-and-pull of these varying cultures has shaped my interest in cultural differences, inequality and the experiences of underrepresented groups in the United States and abroad. Now, as a Vinson Fellow, I’ll get to investigate a topic that’s completely different from the direct community empowerment work that I have been involved in through nonprofits and student groups.
I am a West Coast baby, born and raised! I lived in California, Oregon and Washington before moving here to attend the University of Georgia. I love calling this little slice of the South my home. UGA and Athens have taught me two things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life: good food and good football!
An Atlanta native, I am a fourth-year student studying political science and international affairs. Growing up, I was afforded many opportunities to travel to less-fortunate corners of the globe. Witnessing the consequences of crime and corruption first-hand instilled in me a deep appreciation and passion for good governance, well-crafted public policy and security — something that continues to motivate me as I strive for a career in foreign policy.
