Meet Arria Lakha

The Aga Khan Academy Mombasa welcomed 22 new staff members from around the world to its community for the 2018 – 2019 academic year. Throughout the next few weeks, profiles of the new staff will be shown, introducing who they are and how they want to bring change to the Academy.

Arria Lakha, Academy Fellow

Arria LakhaArria Lakha was born and raised in the USA, specifically from the state of Nebraska “where there is a lot of maize,” and is one of the new academy fellows focusing on Service Learning. Arria recently graduated from Brown University and has worked as a debate coach for a community-centered, educational non-profit called the Rhode Island Urban Debate League. She has also worked as a consultant at the Brown Center for Students of Color, where she co-created and co-facilitated workshops for student organizations struggling with issues of diversity and privilege.

Through her position, Arria said she wants to “think about community agency, engagement and voice and how [the Academy] can uphold these important aspects of service and partnerships.”

Arria said the value of pluralism is something she wants to focus on during her time at the Academy.

“I want to strive to uphold the mission and vision of pluralism,” Arria said. “I also believe that it is important to remember the reasons for ethnic and religious divides. His Highness the Aga Khan believes that these divisions are consequences of colonialism and have hindered the development of pluralistic societies. Keeping these dynamics in mind, the best way for me to uphold the vision and mission of the Academy is to encourage others to challenge existing social structures.”

Although the academic term recently started, Arria said she enjoys her interactions with the teaching and non-teaching staff, along with the students.

“My favourite part about the Academy is interacting with staff inside and outside the classroom,” Arria said. “I also love Thursday snack time because my block one girls share their popcorn with me – my favorite snack!”