Kaselel! I'm Angela Edward!

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (click here to see my full resume.) I am an activist and a Micronesian American daughter with powerful experience serving persons from marginalized communities. I hold a Master of Social Work from Missouri State University. In the past decade, I have worked with families facing homelessness, young people, community elders, persons diagnosed with comorbidities, individuals impacted by mental illness, and with Asian American & Pacific Islander community members. I have served hundreds of women, youth, families and community members through direct services and advocacy in the state of Michigan over the past two years. I am dedicated to honoring my ancestors through community healing, civic engagement, youth advocacy and empowerment, and community organization with and for the Micronesian community. To learn more about my experience and passion in the community, see below.

For Micronesians by Micronesians Podcast

I am the creator and host of the For Micronesians by Micronesians podcast. The podcast interviews and talks with dynamic Micronesians from around the globe. You can listen here. 

AmeriCorps

One of the most rewarding experiences of my career has been my service with AmeriCorps developing programs for youth.  I was stationed in the Twin Cities building enrichment programming that was proven to statistically bridge the achievement gap within the community. 

Mentorship

I am passionate about mentorship. I have volunteered to be a mentor for several organizations and have been awarded Big Sister of the Year with Big Brothers Big Sisters. 

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One Young World

I served as a Micronesian Ambassador in South Africa for the  organization One Young World. I have been selected twice as the Ambassador of the Month and  provided insight as a presenter for the online informational platform. The international organization serves as a global forum with counsellors that include Meghan Markle, Bill Clinton, the late Kofi Annan and Winnie Mandela, Emma Watson and many others. 

Health Rising

I was a Fellow of the Health Rising Leadership Institute which concentrates on APIA Identity and Leadership Skills. I was provided the opportunity to learn leadership through storytelling, presenting as a storyteller at the VOICES Conference. 

Civic Engagement & Activism

Community Involvement, activism, and civic engagement is important to me!  I am passionate about the Pacific Islander community and have worked with APIA Vote Michigan, as well as gone to D.C. to meet with Representatives and advocate for legislation encouraging equity for the PI population.  

During my year with AmeriCorps, I worked with Independent School District 622 in North Saint Paul, MN. During this time, I advised a group of high school youth (shown in the video) and they piloted a program called Project SWAG (Students Working on the Achievement Gap.) This was a three-fold project where a training was developed to build mentoring skills with high schoolers. volunteering was completed in the schools to promote literacy (as studies show that youth who cannot read proficiently by 3rd grade are at risk of not graduating in four years), and video production was completed to raise awareness in the community.