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Volunteer Application <br />Orange County Advisory Boards and Commissions <br />Stephanie Harrell Page 1 of 2 <br />Home Address:1812 Orange Grove Road Unit 110 <br />Township of Residence: Hillsborough <br />Zone of Residence: <br />Ethnic Background:Asian American <br />Sex:Female <br />Phone (Day):9199624741 <br />Phone (Evening):9198862736 <br />Phone (Cell):9198862736 <br />Email:ssharrell@gmail.com <br />Name:Ms Stephanie Harrell <br />Boards/Commissions applied for: <br />Hillsborough NC 27278 <br />Place of Employment: UNC Highway Safety Research Center <br />Job Title:Research Assistant <br />Name Called: <br />Year of OC Residence:2010 <br />Community Activities/Organizational Memberships: <br />None <br />Past Service on Orange County Advisory Boards: <br />None <br />Human Relations Commission <br />Background, education and experience relevant to this board: <br />As an adopted Asian-American I have worked to connect to people and places. While at <br />University I served as a conversation partner and became friends with people of many different <br />backgrounds. I have earned two BA’s, one at UNC Chapel Hill and one at Columbia and I <br />have a MA in Russian Regional Studies. I very adept at research and looking at community <br />issues. And being a research at UNC Chapel Hill my job involves program development and <br />evaluation. However, I think it is my personal experiences of prejudice that is most relevant to <br />the board. Having been the target of racial slurs and even threatened with physical violence, I <br />know what it is like to feel isolated from the community. I believe I can bring a perspective to the <br />Commission as an Asian-American and as a researcher. <br />Reasons for wanting to serve on this board: <br />As I stated above, I am an adopted Asian-American. I grew up in Maine in a nearly all white <br />community but I have lived in Russia, during a study abroad program, and I have lived in New <br />York City for school and work. I now call Orange County and, more specifically, Hillsborough <br />home. Sadly, I have experienced prejudice in all of these places. From being physically <br />assaulted and threated with violence in my high school in Maine to having nasty remarks <br />directed towards me and a friend at an upscale restaurant in Hillsborough. But I have also <br />experienced the generosity and curiosity of people in these places as well. I am applying for a <br />position on the Human Relations Commission not because of the negative things that have <br />happened to me, but because of those positive human connections. I believe that reaching out <br />and creating an atmosphere of acceptance is the way forward. Having made Hillsborough, North <br />7