Intern Spotlight: Mia Murakami Cho

My name is Mia Murakami Cho and I am a rising junior at Mira Costa High School in Manhattan Beach, California.

Growing up in this community, I have indulged in this comfort of knowing my education, home, and family were never going to be taken away from me. Unfortunately, many children around the world cannot say the same, and I hope to help bring this opportunity to children through my work this summer. I am passionate about issues surrounding human rights with an emphasis on child rights, and I hope to further educate myself on these matters.

Because of my interest in these fields, I am involved in Mira Costa’s Model United Nations program, where I have participated in debates on topics such as mental health of refugees, child refugees, refugees with disabilities, maternal health of refugees, and more. This program has helped me understand the multifaceted nature of these issues, and the impacts of culture, politics, and international relations on conflicts. This program has widened my worldview and has taught me to think outside the issues facing the United States.

I am also the Managing editor for Mira Costa’s student-run publication, La Vista. I have written for La Vista since my freshman year, with emphasis on the Opinion section. My involvement in La Vista has helped me improve my abilities in communication, leadership, research, and writing. I hope to continue to build these skills this summer during my time with iACT.

In my time with iACT, I hope to learn more about refugees and gain more insight on their lifestyle. I hope to understand issues that refugees face that are often overlooked by the media, or research on the topics. This summer, I hope to use my knowledge and abilities to help make an impACT.

iACT because...growing up, I have had every opportunity for success at my disposal, and I believe every child should have this same opportunity.