When Joshan Ramdam first joined the call for his highlight interview, he had just finished taking an exam for baccalaureate classes for his senior year of high school. One can typically find Ramdam performing in his band, volunteering at a cultural event, or leading a school-based organization. This week, though, he is resting at home because of a torn ACL, which means that the grant he received, from the United States Tennis Association, for tennis training will have to wait.
“This summer has been down for me because normally I'm involved with community events here and there, [and] HAPI Fresh,” said Ramdam. “I’ve done drama in the past, helped out organization like [Greater] Akron Women’s Group...because there’s not a lot of people who are willing to do a lot for volunteering.”
Ramdam is a rising senior at Akron Early College with his eyes set on studying pharmacy at the University of Akron and eventually Northeast Ohio Medical School (NEOMED). He loves to get involved in volunteering and leadership opportunities. He is the vice president of Civic Youth Innovation and Engagement (CYI Engage), media manager of his school’s Cultural Awareness Club, and was the chair of fundraising for National Honors Society.
On top of all that, he also started his own band.
He is the drummer of a band in which all the members are part of the refugee community. They call themselves Samjhana Reminiscence, as a tribute to their past generations as the word ‘samjhana’ can be translated to ‘memory.’
“We had to leave Bhutan and were forced into refugee camps, and now we finally found a home,” said Ramdam. “And our ancestors, grandparents, all them sacrificed so much to get us here and give us the life and peace that we have right now.”
Ramdam himself was born in a refugee camp and lived there until he and his family were resettled in the United States when he was five years old. He grew up deeply connected with his Nepali culture as well as actively curious about the cultures of others. Some of his proudest achievements are introducing Nepali music to the greater Akron community through his bands and helping to organize a school cultural fair in which over sixteen countries were represented and celebrated. His dream is to one day organize a music festival that brings bands from many different cultures into one place to share their unique sounds.
In the meantime, before he gets to his long list of upcoming excitement and activities, he is taking things slower for the rest of the summer to prioritize his recovery. “My health is most important,” he said, once again showing wisdom beyond his years.
This piece is a part of a series of highlighting community members in Northeast Ohio whose connection with their refugee backgrounds propel them into passion, hard work, and community work.
