Yo soy Mariama. I go to school at International Prep in Buffalo. I'm a senior (oh joy😀 ). I'm originally from Philadelphia, PA. I've been living in Buffalo for at least 5 years now.
I've been working at MAP since the summer of 2016. I'm working with MAP because, over time, I came to care about food justice for not just my community but also all of Buffalo. Some of the things I have learned while working with MAP are sustainable farming practices, and working for equitable food policy. I also learned that some jobs need different skill sets for the job to be performed correctly.
I think my favorite part about working at MAP maybe the Big Group Meetings (aka BGM) because all the employees get together to report on any new things that pertain to the topic or agenda. We talk about where we are so far for the week, do activities, snacks - it's pretty awesome. My least favorite things may have to be during the summer when we were moving the mulch around. It was just hot and the wheelbarrows were hot, but it was fun too.
There are some challenges I face having to work and still go to school. There is not a lot of time for a social life or homework. Over time, I have developed time set to do certain things - although with a minimum of sleep. After working with MAP and finishing high school I aspire to be either a art therapist or an art teacher because they are passions I hold close. I hope to still live in Buffalo to teach, but it not I would like to live in New York City. Some of my favorite things to do outside of work are create some new art or read. Some of the other groups I like to work with are National Federation for Just Communities (NFJC).
I'm pretty glad I got to work with MAP and have the opportunity to learn all the things I have.
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