By: Amanda Peña
Hi, everyone! My name is Amanda Peña and I am a graduate of George Mason University where I studied Government and International Politics, and Conflict Analysis and Resolution with a concentration in Global Engagement. I am also the 2022-2023 Shinnyo Fellow that is offered through the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School at GMU.
The Carter School reviews candidate submissions and selects one graduate for this fellowship to promote peace in their respective paths. The purpose of this fellowship is to identify an organization that enables the graduate to create professional experiences and to gain skills for the future. The fellowship is funded by the Shinnyo-en Foundation and I will receive a stipend for my partnership for the next 10-11 months.
My path to peacebuilding started around seven years ago when I learned about the Rwandan Genocide on a deeper level and heard about the experiences of survivors. I had a difficult time wrapping my head around the violence that ensued and the schism within the country as a result because I could not imagine going to such lengths. I once heard a survivor speak on the genocide, but instead of focusing on the violence that engulfed the community, the survivor chose to focus on the rebuilding of the community in the aftermath of the genocide. That part of the talk caught my eye as I realized that working through a traumatic event is crucial for a society or community to heal. This experience is what led me to study Government and Conflict Analysis. In my professional career, I hope to work with communities in helping them heal after atrocities.
During my time at GMU, I had taken a couple courses about the politics and governance of Latin America, and human rights, in the region. In these courses, I was introduced to Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRCs). In these classes, we discussed how TRCs may affect countries and communities, specifically citing the TRCs implemented in Argentina, El Salvador, and Chile as examples. I became interested in TRCs because of the positive impact that TRCs have had in certain contexts and through these studies, I learned that reconciliation practices are on my paths to peace.
My main goal is to work with organizations that work towards transforming communities for the better, which is why I decided to partner with MHCR. I value the work done in this organization as it brings together students and experts to bridge reconciliation research and practice. I hope to use my time as a Shinnyo Fellow and MHCR staff member to learn more about my passions as a peacebuilder as well as how to be a ripple of change through different avenues.