As a participant of the Kutler Center Junior Summer Fellowships, Anaya Olivas ’25 traveled to South Africa to study the cultural contrasts between post-Apartheid South Africa and the U.S. post-segregation.   

Olivas toured three different girls’ schools in South Africa  where she  observed  students and attended classes.  She also interviewed teenagers in Cape Town and Johannesburg to ask questions about their respective cultures.

“My main goal was to do a sort of cultural comparison,” Olivas said. “I was able to talk with them about America’s shared history and answer any questions they might have, but also give them the opportunity to share their stories with people in America.”

Olivas also visited a number of historical sites and museums. She said one of her most impactful experiences was her visit to Soweto, a historical township in Johannesburg where  Black people were segregated under Apartheid. The city is famous for the 1976 Soweto uprisings, a series of protests started by Black children in opposition to the use of Afrikaans in school.

“The most powerful memory I had was seeing Soweto, which are  the Southwest townships in Johannesburg,” Olivas said. “[I saw] houses that would be considered luxury homes even in  Los Angeles, and  on the next block, there were houses  that were  made of tin, or houses that had six generations living in them.”

Olivas said  she is excited to share what she learned with the  student body.

“I look forward to bringing that back to our school community and talking more about how Apartheid continues to affect people in South Africa, but also how similar it is to how segregation continues to affect people here in the States,” Olivas said.

Olivas said she was thankful for the experience and the opportunity to learn independently.

“It definitely put me out of my comfort zone,” Olivas said.  “The teachers helping out did provide lots of support throughout, and the budget was definitely generous. I was able to do everything that I wanted to do, so I am very grateful for that.”