22 Wednesday, September 2, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon LUKENS: Sisters woman will return to England this month Continued from page 3 do not just one, but two, inde- pendent study courses on top- ics of her interest that weren9t covered in depth in the regu- lar curriculum. As a senior in high school, Lukens did most of her coursework at Central Oregon Community College through the Expanded Options pro- gram, which she says not only prepared her more for her next steps, but enriched her educational experience. <COCC is a great school and I am so glad I had the opportunity to take classes there,= she said. When it came to deciding what school to attend after graduation from high school, Lukens initially considered staying in Oregon after being admitted to Oregon State University, but she had got- ten a taste of England at age 10 on a trip with her family, which got her thinking about other options. <I thought that getting fully immersed in another culture, rather than just going abroad for one term, would be fascinating,= she said. <And it turns out it was true.= Bachelor9s degrees in the U.K. are completed in three years, so Lukens will gradu- ate in May with a degree in social work, which will allow her to practice in the region. However, she is applying for Master9s programs with a focus on human rights law. Her intention is to attend a campus in a larger city after three years on the Warrenton campus, which is situated in a town not much larger than Sisters, where she can experi- ence more diversity. While she says her experi- ence of studying overseas has been positive, it has not come without some challenges. <One thing that surprised me is having strangers asking me rather blunt and intrusive questions about my origins,= said Lukens, who was adopted from India. <People were con- fused by my accent in relation to my skin tone, expecting me to sound like someone from India rather than sounding like an American.= Some of these encounters were based solely in curiosity, according to Lukens, while others <felt a bit hostile,= which she had never experi- enced before. <In Sisters I have always just been Alana,= she said. <And I have certainly expe- rienced and witnessed xenophobia.= Lukens is the president of the International Student Society at Chester, so she rubs elbows with students from a number of other coun- tries and has learned first- hand some legal restrictions, some of which she believes are unfair, that are placed on international students regard- ing being able to work in the U.K. As is her way, Lukens decided to take action. <I wanted to be able to earn some money while in school, but quickly learned that the law only allowed me to do very menial labor with very strict hour limits,= she said. <I found I couldn9t tutor, I couldn9t teach music lessons, freelance or do any- thing artistic for pay. About all I could do was work in low wage jobs, like at the little pharmacy down the street.= Her concern over this issue led her to initiate a peti- tion and ultimately to arrange a meeting with a mem- ber of Parliament from the Warrington District, which is set for September 1 via Zoom during which she hopes to relay her concerns and pro- mote change. The onset of the COVID- 19 pandemic spurred Lukens into action on other matters as well. She thought she would be coming home to Sisters in March, but her ticket got can- celed and she found herself stuck, isolated in her room. Ever active and always think- ing, Lukens found herself ask- ing, <What can I be doing dur- ing this time?= Her answer was to start an online blog and Instagram p l a t f o r m c a l l e d < T h e Empowerment Project,= with focus on well-being, men- tal health, cultural aware- ness, diversity/inclusion, and activism through promot- ing empowerment of ethnic minorities and vulnerable populations. Her launch of the project, which is multi-layered, has resulted in hundreds of fol- lowers and even a connec- tion with a women9s group in Uganda for which she is shar- ing curriculum that she has developed focused on wom- en9s empowerment. <I always feel like I should be making an impact some- how beyond just doing things for myself,= she said. <I like the feeling that I am moving forward.= Lukens says she is inspired by women like Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex; and Michelle Obama, former first lady. <These women started relatively 8normal9 lives and ultimately found themselves in positions where they can really make a difference,= she said. <I hope that I can meet one or both of them someday.= She continued her work on the project while back in Sisters this summer and will proceed to do so as she returns to Chester in early September. Ever-busy, Lukens has also continued pursuing her love of music through songwriting and recording. <I am glad I can keep music as part of my life, sort of on the side, where I can control it,= she said. Alana is the daughter of Miki McFadden and Peggy Lukens of Sisters. Those interested in learn- ing more can access Lukens9 work at www.instagram.com/ empowerment_p.r.o.j.e.c.t/. Red sky at night... PHOTO BY AL KRAUSE Spectacular sunsets have continued through fire season. Peaceful Setting In Sage Meadow 3-bedroom, 2-bath, 2,475 sq. ft . single-level home on 1.33 acres. Beautiful treed setting with fenced backyard, backs to National Forest. Includes hot tub and play structure. Well maintained and move-in ready. MLS# 202001266 PENDING 69991 W. Meadow Parkway, Sisters. $625,000 Call Jen McCrystal, Broker 541-420-4347 • jen@reedbros.com Reed Bros. Realty 291 W. Cascade Ave. Sisters, OR 541-549-6000 | www.reedbros.com Each office independently owned and operated. SUDOKU SOLUTION for puzzle on page 10 16707 Old Military Drive, Sisters | MLS#202003227 Elite equestrian facility on 33.23 acres with gorgeous mountain views. 5-bedroom, 3.5-bath, 5,485 sq. ft . home. Gourmet kitchen, 555+ bottle enclosed wine room, 26-ft . cathedral ceiling in great room, outdoor fireplace and kitchen. 2 barns, bunkhouse, 21 horse stalls, vet room, feed & tack rooms, pastures and pond. $3,185,000. www.SistersEquineEstate.com Suzanne Carvlin , Broker & Realtor Licensed in the State of Oregon Comments? Email editor@nuggetnews.com 818.216.8542 | Suzanne@HomeinSisters.com Each off ice is independently owned and operated. cascadesothebysrealty.com Congratulations on your fi rst home Derek & Emily… What a blessing to work with you! Sheila Reifschneider, Broker, 541-408-6355 Licensed Broker in Oregon | sheila@reedbros.com Coldwell Banker Reed Bros. Realty 291 W. Cascade Ave. | 541-549-6000