4 Questions with Daniel Sass!

This interview comes to us from REALITY participant Daniel Sass. REALITY is a values-based leadership program that invests in young professionals, empowering them to enact positive social change in their communities. Daniel joined Teach For America in 2009 and has worked for the last four years as an English teacher, publications adviser, soccer coach and tennis coach at Digital Harbor High School in Baltimore, MD. In his spare time he volunteers with Soccer Without Borders, a non-profit that works with refugee youth in Baltimore City. 

What do you hope to impact through your work? Through my work, I hope to improve the access that international newcomer youth (e.g. refugee, asylum seeker, immigrant) have to public education in Baltimore City. The first step is building a coalition of people who are interested in making this happen. From there, I hope to open a high school in Baltimore City that caters exclusively to this population. If this venture proves to be successful, I would replicate it either on a larger scale in Baltimore or in other metropolitan areas with large international newcomer populations. 

Can you share a great moment from your work that exemplifies the change you're looking to make? The ultimate challenge for refugee students upon arriving in Baltimore is rather complex. How can they adjust culturally, socially and academically in enough time to meet graduation requirements? And where, if at all, does college fit into the picture? Heman is a refugee from Nepal, and next year he will be attending Loyola University on a full academic scholarship. Heman competed on both the varsity wrestling and soccer teams in high school and he took two Advanced Placement courses. Additionally, he works with both Soccer Without Borders and the Refugee Youth Project to mentor younger refugee students. He is living proof for many international students in Baltimore City that there is indeed a light at the end of the tunnel. Last week, another refugee student from Guinea, one who is also a member of both Soccer Without Borders and the Refugee Youth Project, was accepted to Loyola as well, so it is clear that this light is getting brighter. Who inspires your work? Jill Pardini is the program director of Soccer Without Borders (SWB). I am fascinated by her devotion to the students and families in SWB, and she inspires me on days when I feel especially tired. Evodie is an 11th grader at Digital Harbor High School. Through a non-profit called Wide Angle Youth Media, Evodie created a video highlighting the struggles that refugee students face upon arriving in Baltimore and recently won a Princeton Prize in Race Relations. I am inspired by her drive and her optimism. My parents are also a source of inspiration, as is my college writing professor, John Rubadeau. It was Professor Rubadeau who said, "If you have an itch to do something in life, scratch it and don't think twice about it." I've tried to live by those words.

How has REALITY supported your personal and professional growth? REALITY--both the network and the program--has been an amazing source of support both professionally and personally. The REALITY Check Fellowship has provided me with amazing colleagues, mentors and advisors who have helped me fine-tune my ideas, and I know that I can always pick up the phone or send an email to someone within the REALITY network if I have a question (or if I just need to talk.) I have met best friends through REALITY and I honestly feel that REALITY has gone out of its way to provide me with any and everything I could possibly need to succeed.

Interested in learning more about REALITY? Visit the site! The Schusterman Philanthropic Network is proud to empower emerging leaders to explore their values, identity and new ways to strengthen their communities. We believe that as we work together to repair the world, it is important to share our diverse experiences and perspectives along the way. We encourage the expression of personal thoughts and reflections here on the Schusterman blog. Each post reflects solely the opinion of its author and does not necessarily represent the views of the Foundation, its partner organizations or all program participants.