Savanna Harris' connection to a famous Black soldier during the War of 1812 ignited a passion to learn more about the African diaspora and to teach it to the next generation of high school learners.
For Savanna Harris, Black History is not just confined to 28 days in February. She breathes it 365 days a year 鈥� and this year, 366 days.
Harris, a third-year Africana studies and social sciences major from Sacramento, grew up with a passion for African American history from listening to her paternal grandfather and great-grandfather regale the family with stories of their heritage.
But it was a DNA test her father took, which revealed that her family was related to Jordan Bankston Noble, a famous Black soldier during the War of 1812, that ignited a full-on thirst to learn more about her roots and the African diaspora and to teach it to the next generation of high school learners.
Harris, an active member of the , will get a significant boost in her quest this summer when she travels to South Africa as part of the . She is among eight 色情视频 students selected for the eight-week program that provides students with hands-on learning at aid agencies, humanitarian organizations or social entrepreneurships that support peace and security or seek to alleviate social and economic inequalities.
鈥淚 am just happy to be able to connect to the diaspora, see what happened in South Africa, learn about the apartheid regime and everything that happened, but I am really excited to bring that knowledge back here and tell people my experience of what is still going on there,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淚 am really happy to go to Africa in the first place. It鈥檚 always been on my bucket list.鈥�
Learning she was a descendant of Noble, a runaway slave who was famously known for his role as a 14-year-old drummer boy for the U.S. Army in the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812, made the history Harris had learned about in school and from her father鈥檚 side of the family tangible.
鈥淚 knew who he was, so knowing I was related to him was something very special,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淣ot a lot of people know their history, so I was grateful to have that connection.鈥�
Harris has continued that exploration of Black history at 色情视频, becoming active at the Black Resource Center during her second year as part of the Henrietta Goodwin Scholars 2.0 program.
Initially, Harris said, she was hesitant to go to the BRC during her first year.
鈥淚鈥檇 always walk past it, saying to myself, 鈥楳aybe today is the day I peek my head in,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淏ut in my sophomore year, I was part of Henrietta Goodwin Scholars and our first mentor-mentee meeting took place at the center, and 鈥� after that, the BRC felt like it was my home.鈥�
Over the summer, Harris applied to become one of the BRC鈥檚 student assistants, and was among 18 undergraduate students selected out of nearly 90 applicants, said Brandon Gamble, the Black Resource Center鈥檚 director. Gamble praised Harris鈥� commitment to the center and to ethnic studies.
鈥淗er quest to teach ethnic studies will be rewarded many times over because she has given so much of her student life and work life to learning and understanding the needs of others via the Africana Studies Department,鈥� Gamble said. 鈥淲e are excited for all she has done and will continue to do as an 色情视频 student.鈥�
Working at the BRC also played a role in Harris landing the : She learned about the program from a flyer at the BRC.
鈥淚 saw the Mundt flyer and thought, 鈥楾his is perfect, I already need to study abroad for my major, and I want to go to Africa, so why not apply?鈥欌�� Harris said. 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 think I was going to make it that far, let alone get the scholarship.鈥�
Upon returning from South Africa, Harris said she wants to finish her undergraduate career strong and begin the process of obtaining her teaching certificate at 色情视频.
From there, she wants to teach ethnic studies in high school.
鈥淭eaching African American or ethnic studies helps me put an emphasis on African history and teach it to those who might not have the opportunity to learn it until way later in life 鈥� or never at all,鈥� Harris said. 鈥淭o be able to give them that knowledge early in life is really important to me.鈥�
