I am incredibly grateful for being selected as one of the 142 individuals from 100 countries for the Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) Program, which is sponsored by the U.S. Government. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity has granted me the chance to represent Indonesia on an international platform, and I will always cherish this honor. The application process was intense, with over 4,700 applications received, but I am thrilled to have been one of the few selected to participate. I am excited to immerse myself in American culture, work alongside an NGO, and gain practical knowledge and experience that will enable me to make a significant impact in my home country.
I am particularly grateful for the chance to work with the Social Capital team through this program. During my fellowship, I was able to hone my communication skills and gain invaluable insights on how to raise awareness about mental health. Moreover, I had the opportunity to explore innovative ways to design projects that will help me make a meaningful impact in my community. As a high school teacher in Indonesia, I am passionate about helping students to develop and reach their full potential. However, I am aware of the challenges that come with this job. I have seen firsthand the detrimental effects of bullying on students, and I am committed to working on a community engagement project aimed at educating students on how to prevent bullying when I return to Indonesia.
While interning as a CEE Fellow at Social Capital, I was fortunate to delve into the world of mental health, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB). Through my research, I gained valuable insights into how these factors impact the social and emotional well-being of individuals, especially in educational settings. My findings led me to design an Anti-Bullying program that focuses on the principles of DEIB and how they can be applied to create a culturally inclusive classroom.
One of the most important lessons I learned during my internship was that DEIB plays a critical role in promoting a culturally inclusive environment that celebrates and respects diversity. By teaching these values to students, they are empowered to spread the message of inclusion and cultural respect in their everyday lives. This is particularly important in the context of an Anti-Bullying program because it emphasizes the importance of understanding and accepting ‘the other.’
In essence, DEIB fosters cultural respect and understanding of people from different backgrounds, which is crucial in reducing instances of bullying. By embracing DEIB, learners gain a better understanding that while we all experience the world differently, there is power in honoring our shared humanity. This solidarity is key to creating a better world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. I am confident that my experience in the CEE Program and my internship with Social Capital will help me to make a positive impact as an educator and a community leader in Indonesia.
Eka Santi was the 2024 Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) Fellow for Social Capital Inc. (SCI), one of the joint organizations of the Leaders for an Equitable Tomorrow (LET) program. She closely engaged with the LET team to learn about mental health initiatives in America. In this blog, she explores the invaluable lessons she learned about mental health, diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB), and how these insights inspired her to design an Anti-Bullying program she plans to implement in Indonesia.