Shikiko Washington

After losing their house to a fire, Shikiko, her mother, and brother were left homeless for a period of time; later, her mother fell ill and was unable to support the family. Though these obstacles created difficulties in Shikiko’s life, she pressed on and became the first generation in her family to go to college and served on the executive board of Voices of Women, which was created to uplift women in her community.
She pursed an exchange program in Chile, spending eight weeks in a rural community and participating in a 10-day service project. Seeing others’ dire circumstances permanently altered her perspective, creating a renewed motivation and positivity for Shikiko.