IN BRIEF: Thanksgivings from Noelle

Former Staffer, Noelle Boyd, offered updates on her latest achievements since completing her role as JPB's Communications Coordinator. Below are excerpts from a letter we recently received describing her good news:

"Hi everyone!

Wishing you all a blessed and restful start to the fall season. I can’t believe it’s been a year now since I’ve had the pleasure of working with you and serving the mission of JPB, it continues to be one of the experiences in my journey that stands out the most and I have seen God use time and again!

I wanted to express my gratitude a year later for how all of your supportive words, each of our transformative conversations, and even your prayers for and with me have helped to change my life. A few updates I’d love to share:

I started my first week of classes last month at Johns Hopkins SAIS and I am enjoying every single second! I’m taking International Law, Economics, Evolution of the International System and Contemporary African Politics. I’m sure you can see each of my interests reflected in this first semester’s course load.

I also recently applied for and was accepted to a two-year leadership opportunity on my campus called “iTrek” to Israel-Palestine – where SAIS recruits two first-year MA students to help lead two January trips to Israel-Palestine, one in 2023 and the other in 2024, around policy conversations that will stress the importance/consideration of diverse local perspectives on the ground (particularly from a US vantage point). Between my JPB journey and my time in the Holy Lands at NYU three years ago, I am excited to be a part of this amazing opportunity to help impact the culture at my school through the ways I’ve been powerfully impacted by other leaders in this space through the years.

Finally, I had the pleasure of leading a black history walking tour during welcome week for a cohort of about 20 students! I was charged with designing the tour myself for the student government association, as well as incorporating a blend of locally-centered social justice issue areas (e.g. DC’s reality of gentrification), while also reconciling it with the larger scope of international relations issue areas that many of us are chasing after. It was such an honor and a blast!

I share all of these updates with you to tell you that – from staff to the students JPB was created to serve, shape and empower – what you do touches countless lives. How all of you, a blend of leadership styles, convictions and capacities continually choose to come together (even in times of GREAT difficulty, on a global and local scale) for a common purpose, is just what us young leaders need to thrive and have clear vision.

Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for choosing me to join the JPB family two years ago. I continue to be ever so grateful!

Warmest regards and blessings always,

Noelle