Welcome to Friday Feature! Every Friday we will feature someone involved with ARC, including Board members, Junior Board members, field partner staff on the ground in Tanzania, and our volunteers and interns. We hope that this new feature will help you to get to know the many faces behind ARC and connect with our mission on a deeper level. To kick things off, this week we are featuring Gabrielle Francesco – ARC’s fabulous social media intern who is the creative mind behind many of the posts here on this blog and helps to connect our community on Facebook and Twitter.

Gabrielle is in her last semester at Rutgers University New Brunswick, where she studies art history, psychology, and cultural heritage and historic preservation. While she’d love to travel the world upon graduation, she is considering careers in the fields of marketing and communications. Eventually, she’d like to get her Masters degree in sustainable development or tourism administration, as a way to help protect international sites of cultural heritage that have been damaged as a result of unsustainable tourism practices. In her spare time, Gabrielle enjoys practicing yoga, perusing the latest art exhibit, bellydancing with her Rutgers dance troupe, and learning how to cook Greek food.

Getting to Know You…

How did you first get involved with ARC and when?
I first became involved with ARC last fall when I was looking for an internship to complete my certificate in Cultural Heritage and Historic Preservation. ARC’s mission was something new for me, but something I felt very drawn to.

How have you been involved with ARC most recently?
Since November 2010, I’ve held the position of social media intern for ARC. My favorite project so far has been researching and spreading the word about the imminent highway through the Serengeti and its environmental impact.

Of all the places you have traveled, which resonates most with you?
I will never forget the archeological sites of Crete . The ones that were relatively untouched I found very peaceful but also very exciting at the same time. I was often conflicted at these sites –  between wanting to completely understand the ancient civilizations and being satisfied with my sense of wonderment about the sites.

What do feel is the biggest challenge facing Africa today?
I think it is important to think about the African countries as unique separate entities, rather than one massive continent with a list of unsolvable problems. I think that this often creates a disconnect for people who want to make a difference. The list of challenges is extensive; however, one that I feel strongly about is the empowerment of women, especially in developing countries. Many women do not have access to birth control and women’s healthcare or sustainable ways to make a living to support their children. This is a population, that if given the right tools, can empower themselves.

It often feels like one person can’t make a difference supporting the many environmental causes there are today. What small steps can people make to help conservation/preservation efforts in Africa or globally? 
Stay informed. View things from multiple sides but always have an opinion. I think that committing to one cause and sticking to it, weaving that effort into your lifestyle, is a meaningful way to help. If everyone took the time to support a cause, one that they felt motivated and passionate about, the challenges of our world may not seem as daunting. For me, this has meant making small lifestyle changes, as well as preparing myself for a career that will have an impact on the issues I care about.

What inspires you and how do you live it? 
I am inspired by the possibility that I can create change, regardless of how small that change might be. I am also inspired by a good challenge!

What is your most commonly spoken phrase, word, or saying?
Don’t sweat the small stuff.

What do you do in your free time?
Yoga helps me unwind as does cooking. I also love to choreograph dances to middle eastern music with my Rutgers bellydance troupe.

What websites and blogs to you frequently visit?
Saving Antiquities for Everyone is a favorite of mine as a way to stay informed about the issues of cultural heritage protection. I also like to read the blogs of my friends who are abroad as a way to stay in touch.

What was the last book you read?
For light reading, Vanessa Farquharson’s Sleeping Naked is Green – a comical blog-turned-book about doing one new green thing everyday.

What is playing on your iPod lately?
A mix of Florence + the Machine for the vocals, numerous techno DJs for the energy, and lots of middle eastern music make for a great playlist!

How has your work with ARC inspired you or changed your life? 
Working with ARC has only increased my interest in sustainable development and desire to help developing communities with the everyday challenges they face, the challenges that we as Westerners often take for granted – like clean water, medical treatment, and education. I am planning on going to Tanzania to volunteer or work at some point. I am also more committed to protecting rainforests as a way to mitigate climate change, as well as making other changes in my life that are environmentally-conscious.