This Is Me

By Abagail Tso

Hi my name is Abagail Tso, i am 16 years old I am from pittsburgh pennsylvania and my tribes are Todích’íí’nii (bitter water) and Haltsooi (meadow people) I go to school at N.A.C.A (Native American Community Academy) And someday i hope to be a journalist, This school year I was very fortunate and had the chance to intern at C.S.V.A.N.W a fantastic place where the mood is always  positive and happy, every Individual there is friendly and hardworking.

 

Why intern at C.S.V.A.N.W you may ask, well i had joined a club called peer education (now called N.A.C.A healing peers) in 10th grade this club was being monitored by Keiosha Peter and Becki Jones at the time i wasn’t really interested in a internship because it wasn’t required in 10th grade and i  just saw this club as something to do, but as time passed i started to see peer education as well kinda a second home for me.

 

There are people in there i can rely on and tell my problems too, During 11th grade one of my classes required me to intern somewhere, the first place i chose wasn’t very ideal for me so i quit the internship. In peer education i was sharing my problems about not having an internship with Keiosha she then recommended the Coalition i was skeptical at first seeing as i don’t really like to try new things but i trusted keiosha and her judgment.

 

Plus Keioshiah has this energy that can make anyone happy, so the thought of working with her made me thrilled I also wanted to do something amazing in my life like make a big impacted. I said yes and a few weeks later i was interning at the Coalition,I normally work with Keiosha and Angel, both of them hard working and brilliant individuals, just like the rest of their staff.

 

When i told my relatives i was interning at the Coalition they praised me, the look on their faces were the looks of joy and pride the feeling i had at the time encourages me to keep doing my best and it filled me with pride, pride for where i am interning at. The impact i wanna make in this world that would be amazing is bring awareness to younger generations about M.M.I.W (Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women) also to encourage the use of non-gendered language, basically i wanna make an impact on everyone that will leave them astonished.

 

I am currently working on at the Coalition is Teen dating violence awareness month campaign, info on healthy relationships and sharing resources with individuals who are interested in the kind i stuff i do. Again i am grateful and honored i get to intern here and be apart of their organization its like a little family here. I take inspiration from their work and their mission statement i know i will uphold the honor of the title they gave me and carry this experience with me throughout my life.