This weekend I had the privilege of talking to Tara Corbett. Tara was a member of the Class of 2013, who partnered with Chiapas, Mexico. Their class also partnered with an organization in the local community to create sustainable change.
Tara felt that her Periclean class had the most impact in the local community. They were able to implement a community health project in Burlington, based on the Positive Deviance Model. The model centered aro
und “positive deviants.” A positive deviant is a member of a community who has knowledge and experience regarding raising a healthy family. The goal of this project was to locate positive deviants and help facilitate the spread of knowledge.
Their class worked with the Latino population, specifically with mothers, to promote the exchange of healthy practices. Their class held sessions once a week over an 8-week period on a variety of health topics. The class helped to share practical knowledge and facts about the corresponding topic and then developed realistic courses of action with participants based on their experiences living in Burlington. The ultimate goal of the sessions was to promote an exchange of knowledge that would have a tangible and positive impact on the health of families in the greater Burlington community.
Their Positive Deviance Coordinator, Courtney Latta, class of 09’ helped to implement the model in our local community in the 2013 class’ partnership with Hogares Sanos. This partnership with Hogares Sanos was passed down to the class of 2016 and has developed into a partnership with LUPE!
Members of their class traveled to, Mexico during their senior year. They went to the isolated Chiapan village of Piedra Parada. The members of their class came back with a greater understanding of immigration from Mexico to North Carolina-and back. Tara appreciates this experience and found that the time spent in Chiapas was significant because it was educationally based travel and helped in understanding the indigenous culture and their struggles.
After graduating in 2013, Tara moved to Los Angeles and began volunteering with the homeless community. She connected with the homeless population, predominantly low-income Hispanic neighborhoods, and eventually helped individuals find permanent housing. She also extended a welcome in her own home to kids in her neighborhood, she provided them with a safe place to stay after school.
After volunteering in Los Angeles, Tara was diagnosed with cancer. Tara has a very positive and inspiring view of her experience with cancer, saying that it challenged her in so many ways, and also “beautifully redirected her life.” She was originally on track to attend school in Greensboro for a graduate degree in social work. She had to withdraw from the school and undergo treatment. After her treatment she moved to DC and interned with a human rights organization. She then reapplied to graduate schools and is now attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for a Masters in Social Work. UNC has been a great challenge and fit for her and she is very happy with where she is!
She has found that there are many parallels between her program and the Periclean program. Specifically, the importance of being aware of local issues and understanding how individuals, as global citizens, play a part in the issues around the world. Tara said that, “Periclean gave her a good framework for being in school for social work.” She finds that she can often directly apply what she learned in the classroom, working with partners, and traveling to Chiapas during her time in Periclean to her graduate coursework. Her experiences in Periclean have also impacted how she interacts with her peers and loved ones. Her knowledge about immigration has led her to engage in conversations about the harsh rhetoric of the topic, and help spread knowledge to those that may not fully understand the complexity of immigration.
Tara with mentor Brian Neinhaus and his wife Blanca.
It was great to learn about Tara’s experiences in Periclean and how they have helped shape the person she is today!
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