Harvard College
Bachelor's degree program
2018 – 2024
Majors:
- African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
- Anthropology
General information
Hobbies & Interests
- African American Studies
- Anthropology
- Choir
- Ethnic Studies
- Foreign Languages
- Gardening
- Geography
- Linguistics
- Music
- Piano
- Research
- Singing
- Social Justice
- Social Sciences
- Spanish
- Theology and Religious Studies
- Trombone
Daniel Foster
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Finalist1x
WinnerDaniel Foster
1x
Finalist1x
WinnerGeneral information
Hobbies & Interests
- African American Studies
- Anthropology
- Choir
- Ethnic Studies
- Foreign Languages
- Gardening
- Geography
- Linguistics
- Music
- Piano
- Research
- Singing
- Social Justice
- Social Sciences
- Spanish
- Theology and Religious Studies
- Trombone
Bio
I am a senior at Harvard College pursuing a joint concentration in Social Anthropology and African American Studies with a secondary in Ethnicity, Migration, Rights and a language citation in Spanish. My academic interests include African diaspora religious studies, Afro-Caribbean history, digital ethnography, and sociolinguistics. On campus, I have cultivated my passion for music of the African Diaspora as a member of the Kuumba Singers of Harvard College and built community among Caribbean students at Harvard as Vice President of the Harvard Caribbean Club.
Education
Miscellaneous
Desired degree level:
Doctoral degree program (PhD, MD, JD, etc.)
Career
Department of Education Intern
Museums and Institutions · Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology
Jan 2022 – Jan 2022
Communications Intern
Non-Profit Organization Management · ERASE Racism
Jan 2021 – Jan 2022
Research Assistant
Research · African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica/Jamaica Memory Bank
Jan 2021 – Jan 2022
Miscellaneous
Dream career field:
Museums and Institutions
Has nursing license:
No
Future Interests
- Advocacy
- Politics
- Volunteering
- Philanthropy
Ella Hall-Dillon Scholarship
WinnerMy father migrated to the United States seeking security amid the violence and political turmoil of 1970s Jamaica. My mother left the island in search of better educational opportunities and the prospect of a brighter future. With their guidance, I developed a tangible relationship with my heritage through near-annual family visits to Jamaica. We learned the history of Black Jamaicans fighting against injustices inflicted by British colonial rule when touring the Morant Bay Courthouse. We admired Edna Manley’s intricately carved sculptures and Kapo’s brightly colored paintings at the National Gallery of Jamaica. On these visits, I connected with Jamaican scholars such as Rupert Lewis, a professor emeritus of political science, Maureen Warner-Lewis, a professor emeritus of African-Caribbean languages and orature, and Erna Brodber, a sociologist and author who researches her rural hometown of Woodside, Jamaica. Conversations with each of these individuals about their work and knowledge of the Afro-Caribbean experience emboldened me to study the African diaspora through the lens of the social sciences during my time in college. I am now pursuing a joint degree in Social Anthropology and African American Studies.
Through my coursework, I have taken an ethnographic route to better understand my family’s journey to the United States. By interviewing members of the older generation in my family, I have written two term papers highlighting their story: “Perspectives of the Second Wave: Observing a Jamaican-American Family’s Experience with Race and Ethnicity” and “From Having a Barrel Child to Raising a Latchkey Kid: Grandma and Mom’s Separation and Reunification Story.” My exposure to my heritage from a young age inspired me to uplift my family’s story through my coursework, documenting it for generations to come. I aim to continue to use my academic training to honor the experiences of communities that are meaningful to me.
Research
Identified and summarized peer reviewed articles. Wrote article analyses for research officers, contributing to the development of the “Return to Roots: Medicinal Plants in Everyday Life” exhibition.
The African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica/Jamaica Memory Bank · African Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
2021 – 2022
Research topic:Medicinal Plants and Holistic Living
Arts
Musicians' Representative; Choir Member.
The Kuumba Singers of Harvard College · Music
2018 – Present
Commissioned by Dumbarton Oaks to create linocut prints to honor the legacy of enslaved people who lived on the property.
The Bow and Arrow Press · Printmaking
2022 – 2023
Productions:Ancestors Exalted
Public services
Organized logistics for 3rd Annual Jubilee, to celebrate Caribbean culture at Harvard, including assembling auxiliary board, delegating tasks, and identifying guest awardee and event host, with over 150 attendees.
Volunteering · Harvard Caribbean Club
2019 – 2020
Mission:The mission of HCC is to foster a sense of community among Caribbean students and students interested in the Caribbean at Harvard by celebrating Caribbean culture and heritage. Furthermore, HCC shall aim to promote a greater awareness regarding the people, affairs, and culture of the Caribbean throughout the Harvard Community.Participated in weekly discussions on the intersection of race and politics with guests. Led Harvard tour for approximately 30 New York City public school students and served as a panelist, sharing information about the undergraduate experience.
Public Service (Politics) · Politics of Race and Ethnicity at the Institute of Politics
2019 – 2019
Mission:PRE’s mission was initially to create a space within the IOP to discuss the intersection of race, ethnicity, and politics through holding workshops, facilitating discussions, and inviting guest speakers to the IOP space. PRE has expanded to deal with issues concerning minority political engagement, representation, moral versus career aspirations, immigration reform, health policy, criminal justice, and the makeup of current political systems.Provided weekly tutoring to elementary and middle school students in a housing development in Dorchester, MA.
Volunteering · Franklin After School Enrichment
2020 – Present
Mission:PBHA’s Franklin Afterschool Enrichment (FASE) is a free afterschool program that strives to cultivate an inviting and structured space to nurture the academic, emotional, and social development of grade school students living in or near Franklin Field or Hill public housing developments in Dorchester. Throughout the academic year, we aim to empower our students by reinforcing their academic skills through small-group tutoring, providing them with mentoring relationships, and creating opportunities for students to strengthen community bonds with their peers in a safe environment. Our grounding principles center restorative justice and socio-emotional learning in our curriculum, field trips, and day-to-day interactions. Every day at FASE, we make an intentional effort to create space for joy, play, and fun as we grow closer as a community. We believe that by learning and playing together, our youth will develop qualities that will not only spark their growth in the classroom, but also outside of the classroom, as they become better citizens in their community and in the world.Mentored students of color at Putnam Avenue Upper School through weekly group discussions about navigating academics, dynamics at home, and future ambitions.
Volunteering · David Walker Scholars
2019 – 2020
Mission:Members of the Harvard Black Men’s Forum created PBHA’s David Walker Scholars to empower young men in Boston through education and mentorship. The program strives to create a sense of black cultural and historical pride, to provide guidance and leadership in order to prepare young men for a positive and prosperous future, and to break the negative stereotypes of the common black man in America. David Walker Scholars teaches and mentors young men on black history and life skills including college planning, understanding drug use in the community, and interacting with the police and other figures of authority. Programming extends beyond the classroom and includes field trips and other activities to create and strengthen mentoring relationships. David Walker Scholars serves Vassal Lane and Putnam Avenus Upper Schools in Cambridge.