We had the pleasure of speaking with Cate Woodward on our podcast in follow-up to the discussion we had in March, when we spoke to the Alternative Breaks Trip she led. Alternative Breaks is a student travel program that provides an immersive experience for students looking to use their spring breaks to promote social justice issues. While Cate was supposed to lead this group of college students to Rwanda, the service learning trip transitioned to a virtual setting due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We were honored to join in on the virtual learning journey earlier this month and to have the opportunity to reflect on it further with Cate on our podcast linked here. 

To back track, Cate Woodward is a senior studying psychology, legal studies, and literature. She has previously participated in alternative breaks in Rwanda and Uzbekistan, but was very much looking forward to leading a trip herself for the first time to Rwanda this semester. She reflected on her experiences participating in the Alternative Breaks program and said, “I think Alternative Breaks has encouraged me to be a more humble, active listener. I think a lot of problems stem from when somebody else is talking and you're thinking about what you're going to say next, instead of just listening to what they have to say."

Cate believes that it is important to travel in order to develop understanding about different cultures and backgrounds. She acknowledges that sometimes people are scared of what they don’t know, but through travel you are able to become more familiar and find points of connection—both to the people and the place. 

Cate also read our founder’s book, Embracing Survival, which caused her to reflect on the importance of sharing stories with others—no matter how painful or hard they are to share. We discussed how there’s always going to be someone who shares your heartbreak, which makes you realize that you are not alone. Here at Umuco Love, we totally resonate with this and see a similar value in sharing our stories!! 

Overall, we love Cate’s dedication to raising awareness about genocides in the effort to prevent them. Cate shared with us one final message when she shared, “my message to people around the world, especially young women, is to do what you want to do, and if someone questions your ability to do that, ask them why they had that thought about you.” Cate, keep doing what you are doing, and don’t let anyone stand in the way of your meaningful work! 

Written by Bella Harnick