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Things to do
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JEN RYNDA staff photographer
Maria Thomas Fisher
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Personal: 36 of Rochester, married.
Occupation: Municipal assistant with the City of Rochester.
Community activities: President of Rochester Young Professionals, Nominating and Development Board Chairwoman for Rochester Children’s Scholarship Fund, Advisory Board member NextGen Rochester, co-founder of City Young Professionals, United Way Young Leader, Board of Contributors member at the Democrat and Chronicle, delegate to RocCity Coalition.
My favorite thing to do in Rochester: I am a movie buff and love attending movies and film festivals at the city movie theaters: the Dryden, Little, and The Cinema.
Biggest challenge I’ve overcome and how I did it: For years, I carried an inferiority complex. My parents did not graduate high school and because of that did not have the tools to prepare me for high school or advanced education. I also have learning challenges especially with math and number sequencing. It always seemed to me that I had to work three times harder than other people to get up to their level. I was initially very intimidated by college and being surrounded by people with PhDs. Experience and my faith have taught me that the real value of a person has nothing to do with the letters after their names. Each of us has worth and an important purpose. Now, I have doctoral coursework under my belt and work with math and a budget on a daily basis. And if I have to work three times harder, that’s fine. Some people have to work 10 times harder that I do.
One thing I’ve always wanted to do but never have: I absolutely would love to travel and work in Africa, especially South Africa or Rwanda. During my master’s work, I helped coordinate human rights conferences in Parliament and through truth and reconciliation groups met amazing people who were able to forgive the horrors of apartheid and genocide. These countries and their people sound deeply beautiful and resilient.
If I could change one thing about myself it would be: I would like to be more patient with myself. I am patient with other people’s frailties but expect perfection from myself. This is something I am working to improve.
The talent I would most like to have: I wish I had some sort of musical talent. I love listening to all kinds of music. My mother plays piano beautifully. My husband sings for Eastman Rochester Chorus and plays guitar. I can’t even clap to a beat.
The one thing I can’t live without: Besides my husband, it would be my cat and dog. They are both rescue animals. I gave them a home. They give me joy and laughter on a daily basis.
My favorite movie: It’s a Wonderful Life. I love the line “Strange, isn’t it? Each man’s life touches so many other lives. When he isn’t around, he leaves an awful hole, doesn’t he?”
One of my favorite sayings is: “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” — Archbishop Desmond Tutu.
A person who has inspired me (and why): One woman’s story that has inspired my passion for education is Ann Cotton. Ann is not very well known, but she started the Campaign for Female Education. Because of her work, more than 400,000 girls from Ghana, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Zambia attend school each year. Due to limited resources in those countries, if a family can afford to send a child to school, it is most often the son who is chosen. This leaves girls without an education, opportunity or hope for their future. CAMFED provides funding for these girls to be able to afford tuition, school uniforms and school supplies. Ann started her work after her newborn daughter died suddenly. But she does not mention herself or her daughter on the CAMFED Web site. She wants the work to speak for itself. I remind myself that if Ann can humbly provide so much assistance in other countries, after the tragedy of losing a child, then I must help improve educational opportunities for local children in need.
