time here has impacted me profoundly,
awakening an awareness of my incred-
ible good fortune in this life. With my
friends here, I feel so at ease, so loved
and loving—like family. Much to my
surprise I can carry on conversations
now in French and I even find myself
recognizing Kinyarwanda words when
others speak. I know several words now.
How long would I have to stay to be able
to converse in Kinyarwanda? I look for-
ward to being here next time. The hospi-
tality and generosity is characteristic of
my experience of Rwanda as a country.
I have insisted that my friends visit me
too to share in the love and goodwill.
I came away inspired by Rwanda
for many reasons: the country ap-
pears to be at the forefront not just in
the African Union but in the world,
demonstrating youth leadership,
education and girls empowerment.
They have survived the worst imagin-
able crisis any society can face, and
have emerged united on the other
side. Their youth carry on the unity in
helping society evolve to embrace and
uplift all its people. The main inspira-
tion is that maybe there is hope for
American youth, youth all over the
world to be part of social justice and
evolution. It’s my greatest wish that
arts and theatre programs that help
youth share visions and stories may
continue to appear in communities all
over the world.
Joanna Horton McPherson is an educator
and writer. Originally from Maine, Joanna’s
path includes education, Buddhist media-
tion, social activism, and professional acting.
She founded several ventures including
an acting studio and non-profit theatre
program, and has taught through the U.S.
and abroad. Joanna’s approach blends
“emotional honesty” acting technique with
mindfulness to cultivate self-awareness,
openness and personal growth. Joanna
received her Master’s in Arts Education at
Harvard University. She and her husband live
in Arizona and Costa Rica.
IMAGINE l spring 2017 11