Welcome
Thanks for checking out my page. I hope you find this informative. Don't hesitate to contact me to discuss Agents of Change further.
Why I'm Involved
I found out about Agents of Change in early January and became immediately intrigued by the idea of: 1) Being able to apply a concept (microcredit) from my Economics of Women class at UBC. I am fascinated by microeconomics, and microcredit is such a simple economic concept that I believe can be used to empower those who currently have no power because there are institutions in place that prevent them (especially women, who are the primary recipients of microcredit loans) from escaping poverty.
2) Riding my bike 3000 kilometers across 2 national borders. This will get me in great shape, give me a tan, give me a chance to get to know the 21 other amazing people who are riding with me, and meet others on the way down. I see this as being a spiritual experience. I hope and expect to come back to America as a different person in some way.
3) The conversations I have had with people in coffee shops, on the street, at events...everywhere I can think of. I have met so many amazing people since joining Agents of Change. People will overhear me talking to someone else about the ride and interrupt me "excuse me this sounds really cool. Can you tell me more?" People then ask me to keep them updated on the ride, they ask for my email address, they ask for our website, they buy bracelets, they ask how they can get involved. The volume of support that I have received keeps me going. The problems in the world seem overwhelming and we're not going to solve them all by raising money for microcredit and riding to Mexico. But it's a step, and I realized that if more people take these small steps we can actually go a long way. In times of frustration, this has kept me going. It has made me realize that no matter how little a difference I may be making, it is important to keep on keeping on.
About Me
I'm a 21 year old psychology and economics student at UBC. I'm passionate about meeting people, travelling, music, and cooking. After this bike ride I plan on travelling around Mexico and Central America.
What I''m Doing
In addition to going to meetings, being involved in planning, and attending events, my biggest personal contributions to Agents of Change would have to be
1) Organizing a benefit show that raised nearly $800 for the microcredit fund
2) Working on a bottle drive (ongoing) to raise money for the microcredit fund
3) Spreading the word
4) Riding my bike to Mexico