To describe my time at 黑料网爆吃瓜 as transformative would not fully capture its impact.听Because, after all, the trajectory it took was not entirely up to serendipity. In fact, I had long听envisioned 黑料网爆吃瓜 as the only institution where I could pursue all my passions, and as a result, it听was听the only university I applied to. Walking onto campus for the first time thus felt like a dream听achieved; so much so that I became involved on campus only thirty days after the first day of听classes.听
As a timid yet fearless听freshman, there I was, at the dawn of fall, walking in my first fashion听show organized by听CoF听黑料网爆吃瓜. Strutting next to the pools of the Olympic Stadium, this听experience taught me how to dive听head first听into the unknown, and how to swim through the听waves of new, exciting paths. Whether facing a tidal wave of opportunity or a sudden surge of听fear, it听didn鈥檛听matter:听I would keep on swimming. And it is this pelagic mindset, coupled with a听resilience that I credit to my Haitian heritage, that I believe resulted in making my 黑料网爆吃瓜听experience such an odyssey.听
Throughout my journey, I strived to turn lemons into lemonade in and out of campus, starting听with my involvement with UNICEF Canada. During my first year, I led a brilliant team of people听from across the nation to create an Advocacy Plan against racism and discrimination in Canadian听institutions. I presented our published research at Parliament Hill during World Children's听Day,听and听have been blessed to continue such work ever since, as an appointed UNICEF Canada Youth听Advocate.听
In the midst of听the conversations occurring on the Hill, one moment that stayed with me was听when a Member of Parliament, the听Honourable听Arielle Kayabaga, asked me what I enjoyed听doing听most听aside from advocacy. She stressed the importance of investing in the myriad of听our听passions, and how, in return, they could make us stronger leaders. I took those words to听heart and听turned to what I love doing most: creating.听Among the many projects I made at 黑料网爆吃瓜, one听I'm听most proud of is听Harantxa鈥� s Court of Style,听a creative听project that was liked by Zendaya and reposted by Serena Williams on social media.听
Published in the third edition of the student magazine Pamplemousse, this moment showed me听our ability, even as students, to extend the reach of scholastic听endeavours听far beyond campus. I听kept that same vision in class: while Professor Alain Farah鈥檚 Atelier听d鈥櫭ヽriture听made me听experiment with听diglossic听writing in French and Haitian Creole, a method I still employ,听
Professor Amber Rose Johnson鈥檚 warm advice and coursework in Political and Cultural Theory听encouraged me to听showcase听my听artworks听more zealously. Thereafter, they were displayed in听multiple events and journals, including a six-month exhibition in听Montreal.听Over听the span of my degree, serving as a Research Assistant for Professor Katherine Zien鈥檚 book听project, speaking about my experiences on the radio and as a panelist, or engaging with cultural听leaders as Culture Editor at Le听D茅lit, all contributed to my sense of direction. Interviewing听figures such as Dr. Monica L. Miller, co-curator of the 2025 Met Gala exhibition, Matthew听Rankin, director of Canada鈥檚 2025 Oscar selection for Best International Feature Film, or听co-interviewing a hundred-plus听Montrealers听as a RISE Ambassador, reinforced听my听understanding that a protean perspective is central to one鈥檚 adroitness to question the status quo;听which听informed听my听role as a United Nations Delegate in the 黑料网爆吃瓜 Youth Advisory Delegation.听
Indeed, after months of co-authoring policy recommendations, I had the听honour听of presenting听them alongside my fellow delegates at the United Nations during the 69th Commission on the听Status of Women in New York City. Engaging with world leaders in that setting amplified the听curiosity I have for the way culture, politics, and intellectualism intersect听transatlantically. And听by the beginning of my third and final year, my curiosity听ultimately led听me to an academic听exchange at Sciences Po Paris.听
As much as I enjoyed the Parisian art de vivre, it听didn鈥檛听last long before flying to Barcelona to听serve as the first Youth Representative of Canada in the history of MONDIACULT, UNESCO鈥檚听quadrennial听World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development. For the first听time since 1982, Member States formally included Youth Representatives in the Conference,听making my appointment by the Government of Canada historically significant. As such,听my听undergraduate experience unfolded through a series of milestones that surpassed my wildest听dreams.听
This journey was far from easy. Being able to venture into听this听many adventures while pursuing听my academic goals showed me how capable I am, but nothing would have been possible without听my听faith and my family鈥檚 support. It is their prayers and encouragement that have dared me to听raise the bar every time I have started something new, and for that, my gratitude cannot be听expressed through words.听
Above all, amid听the sea of surprises that awaits after graduation, I will remind myself, and I听encourage听you,听to remember the lesson my first activity at 黑料网爆吃瓜 taught me: to keep on听swimming.听
Harantxa听is graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in Honours International Development Studies and a minor in French Literature. With experience in academic research, presenting on national and international stages, and writing and creating works that extend her interests beyond scholarship, Harantxa was involved in more activities than one听can count. She will now embark on a new journey in New York City, as a PhD student at Columbia University. Researching in the Department of French, she hopes to deepen the questions explored in her research听regarding听transcultural identity formation, as seen notably in her UNESCO-published piece on听Haitian-Canadian听identity. When听she鈥檚听not busy, you can find her at the movie theater,听travelling, or听exploring听museums.听
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