Meet the Members: Ayla

Name: Ayla Karamustafa

Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri

College attended: Washington University in St. Louis, Class of 2011. Major: Women, Gender, & Sexuality Studies and Minor: Creative Writing. I also spent a semester abroad at Bogazici University in Istanbul, Turkey.

Fun fact: I consume tomatoes at an alarming rate...

Favorite quote: "The erotic is a measure between the beginnings of our sense of self and the chaos of our strongest feelings."
-Audre Lorde

What you did before AmeriCorps? 
Prior to CHC, I was finishing college, where I worked all 4 years as office assistant in the WGSS department. I've also interned at several local advocacy orgs in St. Louis like NARAL and Promo. Back in high school, I worked at Subway for several years, making me a certified sandwich artist.

Did your past work experience apply to your year of service?
Not directly. I've always been more involved in the activism/advocacy side of things- and this year has been a lot more direct service; I hope I can eventually find a job that combines all of these things!

Why did you choose to do AmeriCorps?
I wanted to do direct service, teach sex education, and also dabble in public health. CHC was a perfect fit!

What are you doing as an AmeriCorps member?
My host site is Erie Lake View, where I work in a school-based health center in a high school. My responsibilities include teaching sex ed classes, conducting 1 on 1 nutrition counseling with students, coordinating the monthly dental van, overseeing the "Get Yourself Tested" adolescent health campaign, and other organizational tasks around the clinic!

What are your plans after AmeriCorps, and how does your year of service apply to your future plans?
 To find a job related to LGBT advocacy or more sex education/outreach and potentially start applying to grad school.

Favorite part of CHC so far?
Rattlin' bog. (Editor's Note: Do you feel out of the loop? Confused? Like everyone is laughing without you? Click here and scroll to the bit just below the s'more photo to catch the reference.)

Deep Thoughts by the Chicago Health Corps: If you were to perform in the circus, what would you do?
 I would never make it as a circus performer... I'd be the backstage tech person doing lighting or sound, who at night would sneak back into the arena and unlock all the animals' cages so they could escape circus life!