Education Outreach Intern

Hi all!

My name is Janna Charles and I recently became the Education Outreach Intern at the Washington State Holocaust Education Resource Center. I am currently working towards a double Major in English and Law, Societies and Justice at the University of Washington and have a cultivated interest in both education and human rights. In fact, it was my recent acceptance into the UW's Human Rights Minor that prompted my discovery of the internship position at WSHERC.

I've taken a number of classes on various human rights topics at the University of Washington and am very passionate about the topic! This quarter, I'm exploring conditions of prisoners in Guantanamo Bay in a class at the UW taught by Professor Jamie Mayerfeld. Other classes include: International Human Rights, Philosophy of Human Rights, Disability in Society, Women in Law. Many of the classes that constitute my Major and Minor coursework feature segments on the Holocaust: an extremely significant event on historical trajectory, specifically in regards to human rights.

Though I've only been at the Center a couple of weeks, I've already been engaged in a number of projects and have had a chance to peruse the wealth of resources that greet me every Monday and Wednesday at WSHERC. This includes teaching trunks full of books and other resources, many of which I recognized from my own experiences learning about the Holocaust in elementary, middle and high school. In spite of the short time I've spent with the Center so far, I feel as though I am already on the path toward developing a more holistic view of the Holocaust and getting a feel for the work that the organization is involved in. I'm excited to be part of such an important endeavor!