A Conversation With JIS Alumna Pramila Jayapal

You spent quite a long time at JIS, from Elementary School to graduation. Can you tell us a little bit about that experience? Did you develop an interest in politics at JIS, or did that happen after JIS?

We arrived at JIS at the end of 1969, and Cilandak wasn’t even really built at that time, so it was Pattimura that was our school. I remember we spent several years at JIS at that time — I think it was until 1972 or ‘73. We moved to Singapore for two years and then moved back to Indonesia in 1974, [where] I stayed until ‘82, so essentially, I had almost my entire education at JIS. I remember when we went to the Cilandak campus — it was so phenomenal — one of the things I still remember is all the Frangipani trees. I don’t know if they’re still there, but they were a big part of walking across the grassy places between those modules and picking up the Frangipanis. But I had an amazing experience there. 

I still remember and am still in touch with a few of my teachers; the Flicks, Harland Flick, who taught track for many years, and then Pam Flick [...] I took typing at JIS and got a typing award, which she told me to never tell anybody, but it has really stood me [in good stead]! But also all the fine arts; I’m still in touch with Lincoln Myerson, Latifah Myerson, Lynn Thomas, and many of the people who ran Joint Sound and Concert Choir. I was in several musicals at JIS, and I think it was an experience like no other. I always say JIS made me feel like the world was so small because there were people from all over the world there, and it definitely increased my interest in the rest of the world and my understanding of the rest of the world. 

As far as politics, I guess I must have [developed an interest] because I ran for some office in my senior year — I think it was vice president of the student class or something like that. I remember Scott Bolitor was the president, and he was like, “You need to run ‘cause I will not get anything done unless I have somebody like you there!” So yes, I didn’t think about it that much at the time, but I did a lot of activist work if I were to describe it that way now. We would go to the kampungs and help out there after big storms. We had a number of assistance days across the campus, and obviously, I’ve spent [...] most of my life dedicated to social justice, including in the rest of the world. So, I think a lot of that probably got started at JIS.

Do you think your intercultural experiences at JIS helped shape that direction you went in, or at least provided a certain kind of understanding of the world? 

Oh, there’s no question about that; I knew about places in the world that nobody else knew about that I still draw on. That experience at JIS cemented a deep interest in the rest of the world, and I think all of my work internationally before I became a congresswoman working on international health and development issues; [JIS cemented] my understanding of global coalitions; my understanding of poverty, as well, honestly — poverty and privilege. I think a lot of that came from JIS and was shaped by JIS and had a long, long-lasting impact on me.

[...] I’ve even been surprised that, along political lines, perhaps I thought we might be more divided. But I’ve been really pleasantly surprised to see the people who spent time in Indonesia at JIS with me, who may otherwise come from more politically conservative backgrounds, are still extremely supportive of immigration and are still extremely supportive of global development aid. I just think there are things that shaped us being there [at JIS] and shaped our understanding of what the rest of the world was like and what the United States’ role is in advancing policy that benefits the rest of the world. 

Senator Duckworth was also a JIS student. Have you two chatted about this? 

Just in passing, because I think there was some article that mentioned that we went [to JIS] and, of course, Barack Obama and his time in Indonesia, so I think we were mentioned here and there, but there was no deep conversation. She and I do work together on a number of issues, and she’s wonderful. Obviously, I’m a part of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and we’re very proud of the work that we do [and] the beginning that we had a JIS. 

You’ve mentioned a couple of teachers already, so what was it about those teachers that inspired you, or what was the connection like with your teachers? We know that with so many of our alumni and current students, one of the things they always talk about is that the teachers, faculty, and staff were so warm and welcoming. Can you tell us a bit about that connection? 

Yes, that’s exactly what it was. I felt like they really nurtured us; they nurtured our learning. And I built relationships [with teachers] that went beyond just going into a classroom. I remember having meals with some of these teachers, and I remember just being encouraged to go outside of my comfort zone sometimes when I needed that. [They were] people who would see something in me that I didn’t even think I saw in myself, [...] including people who were tough on me. I mean, I remember Ronu Dali — man, she was tough on me! She [taught] AP English, and she was fantastic, really fantastic. And the fact that I went on to get an English literature degree — I always say she’s partly to blame for that when my dad wanted me to get an economics degree! I learned my love of words with her. 

I was just talking about Madam Soussou, who was my French teacher, and I’m kind of amazed that I still remember a lot of French; I credit that to Madam Susu. She was such a great French teacher and really took a personal interest in me and in helping me to excel. But also Dorothy Barbour, who would give B-plus-plus-plus-plus on a grade — it was so infuriating! I would be like, “Mrs. Barbour, how do I move to an A?” And she’s like, “Oh, you’ll get there.” Then, we would see an A-minus-minus-minus-minus-minus-minus. I don’t think I’ve ever had another teacher who gave so many pluses and so many minuses! But they all did an amazing job of just opening a world to us that we didn’t know was there as young people. 

I was very young when I went to JIS. I graduated at the age of 16, and to have been able to come to the United States by myself, which is what happened, I really needed a foundation that was strong in terms of not just education but my own sense of self and security. I think that JIS gave me that. 

Do you have any words of advice for JIS students who might be interested in activism or entering politics at some point? We have many students who are involved in service-learning clubs and trying to help communities in need.

I think that JIS is such a privileged place. To be at JIS is a place of tremendous privilege, and I think it can be easy to rest in that place of privilege. But one of the great beauties of being in Indonesia and being at JIS is to examine the relationship between privilege, those who have privilege and those who do not, and what the causes of that are, because that is ultimately what we’re talking about when we talk about justice. It isn’t just that we are great and that’s why we have privilege; it’s that we are in particular situations and circumstances that allow us that privilege. I think anything that explores that, which is not comfortable by the way, [is a great beauty]. 

One of the things that used to be true, I think it’s less true now because we have so much poverty here in America as well, but one of the things that used to be true of living in countries such as India and Indonesia is that you could not walk outside and not question that sense of privilege unless you really block yourself off to it. That’s what I would say: Remember that your privilege isn’t just because you earned it, it is because you happen to be in a situation with a lot of access, and so use that access even in school to explore how you might share [and]  how you might make the adage that we’re all better off when we’re all better off really true.