Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/141342
"My family came to the U.S. for better opportunities, better education and better standards of living." Linda Vakunta Hometown: Bamuka, Cameroon Age: 25 Occupations: Project assistant at UW-Madison, co-host of PanAfrica Radio Show on WORT, Ph.D. candidate in environment and resources at UWMadison, presenter, outreach specialist I am the oldest of five. My father was an academic and worked for Cameroon's presidential administration. So we moved around— from the village of Bamunka (the size of a small town in the U.S.) with its dusty red, unpaved roads to the busy capital, Yaoundé. Then when I was about to enter high school, my dad was accepted into UW-Oshkosh. In Cameroon it's always the ultimate goal to move to the West, so it was exciting. Back home we believe America has the best quality of living and education and to a certain extent that's true. There are more resources here, there are clean bathrooms everywhere, the roads are good. That's what my parents wanted—a better future for their kids. The only time the reality of moving hit me was at the airport. I realized how much I would miss my family—I was just bawling. After we got to Appleton, I went into a Catholic high school. It was really small and I was the only black girl there. It was a cultural shock, but people were super helpful. Although some were also really ignorant about Africa. I remember one guy telling me we have elephants in Cameroon because he saw it on the Discovery Channel. (I've never seen an elephant in my life.) People also asked me if we had houses in Cameroon. At first I was shocked, then I was sarcastic, then I became informative. I would laugh and say, 'No we sleep on trees,' and then I would try to help them understand my country. I've continued this cross-exchange of knowledge since coming to Madison. My dad got accepted into a graduate program here when I was 17 so I came to West High School as a senior. It was really exciting to suddenly have friends from all walks of life— Indian, Russian, Polish. Madison is a melting pot. Some may not notice it but I have been able to do things I really enjoy here, which has helped me keep my identity and not have to conform. Staying true to my roots helps me move toward what I want to do in the future. And I have found support networks with everything from my radio show to African dancing. In my professional work I'm also guided by where I come from. Academically, I'm working to build bridges between the U.S. and Africa around education for sustainable development. I want to improve the quality of life in Africa—which could involve waste management, education, psychological services and more. I think no matter where I go next, I hope to keep my connection with UW-Madison. People are really open-minded here and are willing to learn. I always feel that whatever skills I gain I should use for the good of humanity everywhere. America has given me much, but Africa is my mother so I always have to give back to her as well. July 2013 bravamagazine.com 37