Darian Shaw
Age 46

Non-matriculated student, on slow path to BA
Area of study is Cultural Anthropology, Social Work, and Education

I spent my childhood and adolescence in California, young years in San Jose and Marin County, near San Francisco. Attended high school in northern California at a private-hippie-farm school. Graduated from Berkeley High School in 1974.

My interests and hobbies include hiking, swimming, long walks with my dog Fergus, baking pies, cooking and entertaining friends in my home. I love to travel, especially internationally.

My future career goals are to teach children in foreign countries, combining social work and teaching. As an older adult I would like to live in a rural community, perhaps in British Columbia. There I would like to have some land and have a practice working with children in a therapeutic horse-riding program.

My father grew up in Tacoma, WA in a very liberal family of Quaker activists. He was at Whitman College when he decided to declare status as a Conscientious Objector during WWII. This had considerable impact on his life but he was able to get himself through college with a Teaching Degree years later, in the early 1960’s. He later became a very respected educator and innovative school principal before he died in 1971. I believe it is my father who instilled in me my passion for social justice and non-violence as a solution to most everything.

My mother was a strong fighter during my childhood. She was terminally ill and fought to live every day to spend time with my father and me. When I was almost 12 her body succumbed to a second brain tumor in 1969. The funny story I like to tell about my mother is that she was the first woman meter-maid (now referred to as parking enforcement) in Milpitas, California.

I don’t remember any specific childhood dreams, but do remember that I idolized Helen Keller, Jackie Kennedy, Joan of Arc and Harriet Tubman. I would read any book I could find about them. From this I surmise that I strongly related to being a strong, independent and influential woman someday.

I perceive myself as useful in society by remaining open to new experiences and people, listening to and observing others, and focusing on the brief or longevity of emotionally connecting with others.