My name is Saron Admasu, and I was born in Boston, Massachusetts. As the daughter of two immigrant parents from Ethiopia, I grew up hearing of the turmoil and governmental issues in their native country. At every holiday, family gathering, and celebration, the adults of my Ethiopian family, as well as family friends, held heated debates about the corruption of the Ethiopian government, potential methods of solving the nations major issues, and how they believe the Ethiopian people should be led. As I grew older and attended more public Ethiopian events, I saw this fiery passion in countless conversations. Ethiopian political debates and forums were a common occurrence, and soon enough, I saw the tension transfer into the conversations between my friends and me. I loved listening to the political discussions; it fascinated me to see how people from the same country, seeing the same terrible poverty, tyranny, and violence within Ethiopia, could still hold such wildly different political views. It was incredible witnessing how enthusiastic these Ethiopians in America were to fix the problems of their country. Regardless of the varying political views, there was a beautiful sense of unity between all those people, which was the strong feeling of nationalism, and the desire to see their country in the best possible condition.
Being constantly exposed to the power of the government, I became curious about the system. I wondered, how does the government take into account the wants and needs of its citizens? Who exactly is part of the government? How does it function? I got small pieces of the answers to these questions through not only the endless controversy within the Ethiopian community, but also through watching the news. I was absorbed by the news. I loved seeing how efficiently the U.S. government seemed to tackle any problem. I was intrigued by all the different agencies, roles, and responsibilities of the government. Continuously watching the news led to even more arising questions, so in my junior year, I took A.P. Government and Politics.
A.P. Government and Politics was my favorite class that year. It was incredible learning of how complex, yet effective the government is. All of my questions related to U.S. government were answered, and I walked out of junior year knowing more than ever. This fellowship, however, has taken that knowledge to a new level. I was already thrilled with my newly gained insight as to how the government works, but knowing that I could be working as a part of it was thrilling. I signed up for the fellowship as soon as I heard about it; the unique opportunity to work with an important government official, get a deep understanding of how different sectors of public service function, while also actively serving the community was the perfect combination.
Working with Chief U.S. District Judge Patti Saris, I get a one-of-a-kind look into the judicial branch. I love being able to read about different cases, her opinions, and how each case is solved. It is also exciting to be able to sit in on trials, hearings and sentencings in court. In my few weeks here, I have already learned a lot more than I previously knew about court procedures and different law terms. I go to work enthusiastically every day, ready to learn more about the judicial service, and even a little bit about myself along the way.