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Desiree In Brazil

Desiree P. Jones who works on Member Relations and New Media has been honored as one of 25 Global Visionaries by the World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana (WAC).

The Global Visionaries award celebrates emerging leaders (ages 40 and under) throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana who have exhibited leadership, vision and interest in the area of international affairs. Twenty-five emerging leaders were selected in honor of the 25th Anniversary of the World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana (WAC). Each will all be recognized at the Global Visionaries Summit and Awards Luncheon on December 9, 2010.

Desiree’s professional work and volunteer activities, in the area of international affairs began early. During two summers as a sophomore and junior at Seneca High School, she studied Mayan culture in Belize. After college, she also studied Multiculturalism and Social Change in Cape Town, South Africa, with the School for International Training.

About that experience, Desiree wrote: "I learned a bit about the global conversation in 2005 when I studied with the School for International Training in Cape Town, South Africa. I lived in the formally segregated Langa Township, was hosted to Ramadan in the Bo-Kaap, and learned about Afrikaner folk music and history in Stellenbosh. I also spent a lot of time learning about social movements from the people who fought and are still fighting them. It was a life changing experience."

Following her graduation, Desiree brought her experiences back home working for a year as a VISTA Volunteer with the Every1Reads project, among other things.

In the summer of 2009, Desiree was selected by Rotary International to participate in a month-long Group Study Exchange in Sao Paulo State Brazil. She extended her experience in Brazil to CNPE's 350 members through workshops, newsletters and new media. As another indicator of her ability to build on her experiences, she was instrumental in bringing the VISTA project to the Center for Nonprofit Excellence, enabling the Center to extend its work to a number of nonprofits serving international populations and many who are at or below the federal poverty guidelines.

Perhaps her own words describe best the richness of her mind and depth of her passion for thinking globally. "The world is flat," she wrote in her Rotary application, "this is not only true when it comes to capital and competition, but also when it comes to societal afflictions and their solutions. Our interconnectedness is nothing new. Dr. King noted this fact when he said “We are tied together in a single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality.” The work of the Rotary Group Study Exchange team members is to build a bridge between countries that reflects this interconnected state of the world. In our interconnected century, even community based organizations that deal with community based issues, like neighborhood development, childhood enrichment, education or even civic organizations must not tear themselves from the global garment. They must remain not only a part of the global conversation, but also their own."

We are happy to see Desiree and the other 24 global visionaries honored. Click here for more information about the event and to register for tickets.


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