Amelia De Gagne
About
Hello! My name is Amelia De Gagne.
I begin by acknowledging the lands of the lək̓ wəŋən speaking people’s traditional territory on which the University of Victoria occupies, and I recognize the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with these lands and waters of this place continue to this day. As an uninvited settler, I recognize my role to ‘give back’ to the land and, more importantly, engage in meaningful relationships with Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island.
As an undergraduate Anthropology student, I am committed to applying this exchange experience towards my studies and my future career working in the public history field. Through my lived experiences as a second generation Japanese Canadian, I am interested in the Japanese diaspora and how public institutions, like museums and archives, may serve as key community learning tools for decolonization and anti-racist action.
At the University of Washington, I look forward to engaging in Anthropology related courses. Not to mention, this opportunity opens doors to connect with faculty members and other likeminded students. Overall, I am most intrigued by this opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of cross-cultural relationships by engaging in new experiences.
Thanks to the generous support of the Corbett Exchange Program, I am honoured to participate in this cross-cultural conversation and I look forward to diversifying my connections at the University of Washington next year.
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The Corbett British Columbia-Washington International Exchange Program Fund provides an opportunity for undergraduate students at the University of Washington to spend two semesters at the University of British Columbia or University of Victoria; and for students from the University of British Columbia and University of Victoria to spend three quarters at the University of Washington.