UConn Senior, vocal all star and current and future humanitarian, Shaelle Etienne shares a little about herself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fS9mcUh-0YU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cELqQKaHsc&list=UUl6YV-SzkpPNvFGIYcfjZaQ
Shaelle is a part of Big Brothers Big Sisters, Uconn Model United Nations, Love146 Task Force, and Notes over Storrs A Capella Group.Upon graduation Shaelle hopes to continue her work with Love146 to end child trafficking for commercial exploitation. As well as still perform on nights and on the weekends.Â
What was your experience like interning with Love146? How do you feel about the organization? Hopes you may have for it to grow?
I have always had a love for kids. I never really thought much of it until I started a fundraising competition between the four grades in my high school for a children’s orphanage in Haiti. I thought of perhaps going to law school to become an advocate for children but after I joined the UNICEF committee in Model UN sophomore year of college, I realized I was really interested in eradicating child trafficking. Interning for Love146 only confirmed that.Â
Love146 is truly special in the way they conduct their work. Walking into their New Haven office you automatically get a sense of welcome and comfortability. Yet at the same time, it is evident that hard work is being done…uniquely. For instance, it took me a week to realize that the spiky haired guy who often did his work on the couch and cracked jokes with me was Rob Morris, President and Co-founder of the organization. What’s even cooler is that every day, everyone in the office, from every department, eats lunch together. Seeing their office dynamic sets a standard for what type of work environment I want to be a part of after graduation. Â
I have always found there to be a lack there of resources for young boys who are trafficked, and even expressed this concern in my interview with Love146. That is why I am extremely thrilled they recently announced that they have opened a boy’s shelter. Love146 has always provided amazing aftercare for trafficked girls and to know that they are currently doing the same for boys makes me ecstatic. Their continued motivation to produce innovative programs and ideas is what got them to grow so quickly in the past 11 years and I am 100% certain that they will continue to grow the involvement in this movement.Â
What is your favorite performance you ever did?
My favorite performance would have to be performing at the Bushnell as Anita in West Side Story. It was the largest stage I had ever performed on and the most performances I had ever done in a row. Though, challenging but showed me what my body is capable of.
Have you ever made a big mistake on stage?
Yes. Unfortunately I have cracked on stage during a show…and it was not a “purposeful Adele” crack. It was an “I’m holding out a long note and screwing up the entire thing” crack.
When is your next performance?
I honestly don’t know – but my guitar needs some fixing!
Best advice ever received?
“Follow your dreams”