I've had the nickname "diva" since elementary school, I think, and somehow it's something that's stuck with me. Those who know me know I've always had a flair for the arts - performing, acting, singing, dancing, piano, drawing, designing - you name it, I probably did it. I was always just a little bit too dramatic (in case the scouts were around the corner, searching for America's next great talent). And through my first few years of high school, I actually considered pursuing a career in theatre, thinking I would change the world one stage at a time.
But in 2003, while a sophomore in high school, I had a unique opportunity to leave my small Michigan community and spend a year in the southern African nation of Namibia. Among the many eye-opening experiences the year brought forward was my experience with a girl name Faith. At just eight-years-old, Faith was an orphan of the AIDS epidemic and the oldest surviving family member of her four younger siblings. My interactions volunteering with an AIDS Orphan Center just outside the capital of Windhoek over the course of the year inspired me to take the skills and passions I had and channel them towards a cause much bigger than myself, to empower children like Faith and the other 35 orphans to empower themselves and their communities. More than 10 years later, I'm still working in public health...
Although the nickname "diva" may have started because of my artistic background, I maintain it because of the positive elements that title signifies. People often draw from the ridiculous happenings of pop icons like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, but as Shana Montesol Johnson wrote, these "diva" tendencies may be "an awareness (hyper-awareness?) of what it takes for them to be their best." Her article, "Want to Succeed at Work? Go Ahead, Be a Diva" captured the benefits of what is often a controversial title.
In response to her interesting article, I've called for a reminder that "being a 'diva”'entails demonstrating energy, excitement, and painstaking commitment to your work. Whether in global health, like myself, or any field, it signifies not just “what you need to be your best” but putting in the time and effort to reach those levels."
Moreover, my current blog "is exactly about using these elements to improve global health...and critically think about issues in health, policy, programming, race, culture, and more in order to make the world a better place. And although many have been surprised by the title I’ve selected, I think that [Johnson's] revelations help to capture that. Divas are not just selfish people with demands to do their best; they are people who continually do their best, and that passion should not be forgotten!"
For those who know me, I'm a much quieter, slightly less dramatic version of the superstar I once dreamed of being. But I'm going to continue to be a "D.I.V.A" - or, as I like to say, a Diligent, Innovative, Vivacious Advocate - in global health and development!
But in 2003, while a sophomore in high school, I had a unique opportunity to leave my small Michigan community and spend a year in the southern African nation of Namibia. Among the many eye-opening experiences the year brought forward was my experience with a girl name Faith. At just eight-years-old, Faith was an orphan of the AIDS epidemic and the oldest surviving family member of her four younger siblings. My interactions volunteering with an AIDS Orphan Center just outside the capital of Windhoek over the course of the year inspired me to take the skills and passions I had and channel them towards a cause much bigger than myself, to empower children like Faith and the other 35 orphans to empower themselves and their communities. More than 10 years later, I'm still working in public health...
Although the nickname "diva" may have started because of my artistic background, I maintain it because of the positive elements that title signifies. People often draw from the ridiculous happenings of pop icons like Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, but as Shana Montesol Johnson wrote, these "diva" tendencies may be "an awareness (hyper-awareness?) of what it takes for them to be their best." Her article, "Want to Succeed at Work? Go Ahead, Be a Diva" captured the benefits of what is often a controversial title.
In response to her interesting article, I've called for a reminder that "being a 'diva”'entails demonstrating energy, excitement, and painstaking commitment to your work. Whether in global health, like myself, or any field, it signifies not just “what you need to be your best” but putting in the time and effort to reach those levels."
Moreover, my current blog "is exactly about using these elements to improve global health...and critically think about issues in health, policy, programming, race, culture, and more in order to make the world a better place. And although many have been surprised by the title I’ve selected, I think that [Johnson's] revelations help to capture that. Divas are not just selfish people with demands to do their best; they are people who continually do their best, and that passion should not be forgotten!"
For those who know me, I'm a much quieter, slightly less dramatic version of the superstar I once dreamed of being. But I'm going to continue to be a "D.I.V.A" - or, as I like to say, a Diligent, Innovative, Vivacious Advocate - in global health and development!
*Adapted from the original post at http://yoedivainmalawi.blogspot.com/2011/09/why-diva-method-behind-madness.html
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