Jouhannes Faidban

No one ever guesses Jouhannes Faidban’s country of origin correctly, as people often carry an assumption that a certain color comes from a certain place. Technically defined as Asian, his ethnicity is Pacific Islander and Melanesian. Home is Manokwari, Indonesia on the island of Papua, where he learned his mother tongue, Bahasa Indonesia. Jouhannes moved to the Philippines to pursue his undergraduate degree. During this time, when a man normally defines himself, he refined his Tagalog and English skills. In the second semester at MIIS, he intends to receive his MA in International Policy and Development. The reason for his participation in Allies at MIIS lies in his passion about discussing racial privilege, power, and diversity. Allies advocates for issues that Jouhannes thinks are important and he would like to carry these ideas into his professional life. To him, an ally is sensitive, courageous, and bold. Anyone who recognizes and works to dismantle inequity between different communities can be an ally. The diversity in such a small community like MIIS is something to appreciate, especially when surrounded by numerous intellectuals. While deadlines are the best at motivating him, Jouhannes is driven to be a part of the change. In Indonesia, witnessing the poverty, underdevelopment, and people dying from preventable diseases forge his desire to enact change.