Espoir DelMain

BA Dickinson College Environmental Studies and Dance, Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship Certificate

Wilderness First Responder, NOLS

Espoir grew up in the twin cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul in so-called Minnesota, and has since had the privilege to discover homes in many other places. In a family of language educators she was taught from a young age the power of understanding those different from herself at language immersion summer camps in the northwoods. Espoir believes it is necessary to cultivate awareness as we move and travel in different spaces and places. She believes that change happens at the joints, the places where people and forces come together. It is in these places where Espoir feels most alive and engaged in directing energy and momentum towards positive lasting change and supporting those on the frontlines that are most affected and often least supported.

Since her gap semester spent with Dragons in Senegal as a student, she has done arts and development research in Rwanda, spent 100 days canoeing and studying the northern half of the Mississippi River watershed and as a community organizer in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. Energized by the intersections of place and space along with power and privilege, she seeks to better understand how to leverage systems to support those that are most left out of decision making processes.

She seeks to cultivate communities where cooperation and collaboration are most valued. Through experience gained teaching at Concordia Language Villages as well as teaching environmental justice through dance with kindergarteners and most recently working at the Dickinson College Farm she is honored and humbled to be applying her skills in new ways as a Dragons instructor. She enjoys canoeing, reading poetry and sharing music with friends as well as being outside in general, but particularly in snow and sunshine.