In an increasingly fast-changing world shaped by technological advancements, the youth today stands on the threshold of great social change. As a Tibetan-American born and raised in the U.S, material comfort was a natural home for me. But that wasn't the case each time I visited my family in the highlands of Northern India. Yet, they offered a warmth to the soul and a deep sense of family, kinship, community and care — which was missing in my American life.
I've had the privilege to draw on the best of both worlds. One driven by material growth and another shaped by human connection. It dawned on me from a young age that I would want to draw on these two unique experiences by offering people life and a shared space to experience both the worlds.
"Despite the comforts and privileges that come along with living in the U.S, I've always faced immense peer pressure and mental health struggles. Not only were my needs fulfilled, but there seemed to be a meeting of all my wants as well."
But whenever I returned to my family in India and spent time with my cousins, I noticed their harsh living conditions and limited needs but seemed to be living a happier and more fulfilling life. During my most recent trip to Hanle and Samey, I realized that there was an entirely different world out there. One where there was close proximity with nature, sustainable living and a purpose driven life rooted in their ancient cultural heritage in a nomadic culture.
Finding Purpose Through Teaching
Over the years, I have developed a close relationship with the kids in the highlands where I was able to find my own joy by reading to them in English and teaching the dranyen to the kids there. As soon as I stepped into the classroom, I saw the faces of students light up when their teacher introduced me to the class as a Tibetan-American student from the U.S.
"Use this opportunity to improve your English" she said as the students closely huddled around me to listen to the story I was about to read. They enthusiastically asked every question they could and felt excited to learn from me.
After returning to my grandmother's place, my cousin handed me her small dranyen and asked me to teach her how to play. Each lesson would lead to more improvement as she quickly picked up the pace with her strumming making my smile grow. These moments were priceless and filled me with so much joy, one I had never known back in the U.S.
"I felt a strong sense of purpose and saw a framework for empowerment and there came the commitment to institutionalize this experience."
The Birth of Zampa
That's when it dawned on me that I needed to provide an infrastructure to the experience of empowerment and to be driven by purpose with the utmost goal of enabling more people into the fold. There began my journey with Zampa. ("Zampa" is the Tibetan word for bridge.)
We live in a world divided by inequities with climate change, mental health and social media as global challenges that everyone is facing. Zampa hopes to show that bridges can be formed across the globe to share models on purposeful living. By building this bridge, I hope to show that true change comes from real social connection and by engaging the youth in meaningful social action.
As someone embarking on a university journey, I am convinced by the idea and the need to build bridges that'll connect the people, ideas, stories and sense of resilience of both worlds. I am committed to drawing on my personal knowledge and lived experience where this pursuit will be a lifetime commitment of mine.