My name is Sophia Bahati. I am a senior at Lafayette High School. I was born in DRC Congo. At the age of ten my family and I moved to Kenya because my homeland was in the midst of war. We lived in Kenya for five years and then moved to Buffalo.
I started working at MAP last summer and now through the school year. I stayed at MAP because to me, it's more than a job. I find it interesting how MAP opens up different opportunities for me. I get to meet and connect with people, not just in Buffalo, but other parts of the country as well. MAP gives me a change to express my opinion and an exposure to policy, advocacy and representing other teens whose voices might be in the shadows. This is something I would not give up for the world.
The challenges I face with working and going to school at the same time are having different activities in school overlap with my work schedule, so I have to give one up. However, this quarter at work I was able to plan ahead. I had to tell my supervisors the days I will be available in a week. Outside of MAP I tutor ninth graders in my school. I also do translation to new Americans since I speak four languages. This is something that is going to allow me to get my seal of bi-literacy in high school.
After high school I am planning to attend college and hopefully be an international lawyer. I might also be a grant writer so I can start a girl's school and a place for single mom's who have no support in Africa.
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