Savi,
It was a pleasure getting to know you. Your comments always revealed such
thoughtfulness and care, bringing a distinct perspective to so many of our
discussions. I think I've always had some global consciousness because my dad is
Nigerian and I have family there, so from my first visit as a young child I think I
recognized that I was in a different environment with different practices from the
spaces and communities I was used to in the U.S.

Dear Savi,
It has been an honor—to work with and learn from you, first at the OHCHR and then here at the Institute. I’ve grown a great deal through our collaboration, and I’m deeply grateful for the thoughtfulness, clarity, and integrity you bring to everything you do.


Your insights have shaped not only our global portfolio, but also my own thinking. You’ve helped me personally, and the Institute more broadly, develop a much needed perspective around global political economics. Your keen ability to see patterns — linking what is happening in the US domestic context to the lives and livelihoods of those around the world added richness and depth to our work. I am forever shaped, inspired and grateful to have learned from you.


I will always cherish our time together in Africa. Working on papers with you was always such a pleasure. Your keen intellect and remarkable ability to get at the root of structures and systems was a joy to witness!

Dear Savi,
I'm so sorry that our time together at the Institute will be cut short. It's been such a pleasure working with you. I understand the uncertainty these times bring, and I hope your next chapter is just as exciting and fulfilling as this chapter has been. I wanted to share a photo of the ocean because growing up on an island (certainly not as beautiful as your home country!), I always took the water for granted. We'd swim each summer, and I'd play around in the sand––like it was routine. I remember travelling to Ireland with my family a few years ago, and I looked out at the water––the same water I'd swim in at home––and it felt so different; it was vast and unpredictable yet still so beautiful. This was when I realized how big the world is but also how connected we all are. I know you don't take this decision lightly, but I hope we always stay connected, and each time I look across the water, I'll think of you!

Savi! We barely knew ye! So bummed you're leaving, largely because we didn't really get a chance on executing your vision and bringing your ideas to the world through the Institute's platform. But even more, I'm bummed because I loved talking with you and learning from you. But I'm confident we'll get a chance to get back to the business of our revolutionary work in the future. Peace, and wishing you the best, always.

I grew up in a really small town in western Pennsylvania. When I was 10 years old, early in one of those endless summers, half of our town converged at a bridge in the center of town that spanned tiny Toby Creek ('the crick'). Back in the day, the crick was used to float trees lumbered from area forests 100 miles south to the hungry factories of Pittsburgh. On this day, younger me watched in awe as four young men put well-stocked canoes and kayaks into the crick and floated away. They kept going. Down the crick to where it poured into the Clarion River on to the Allegheny River, then the Ohio, the Mississippi and all the way to the Gulf of Mexico. 2000 miles. They shared reports of their astonishing adventure in our weekly newspaper. Young David couldn't believe this was possible, but was stunned and inspired to realize there was a world beyond the crick. Watching these guys paddle out of sight broadened my view of the world in ways that changed my life and led to some pretty incredible adventures of my own.

Savi!
It has been such a pleasure and an honor to get to know you and to work with you. Thank you for always reminding us how the things we do at a local level have impact and are connected at a global level. Thank you for the amazing global policy work you've done for the Institute. You are a compassionate leader and a true expert in your field. I hope our paths cross again and that you enjoy the next chapter of your life. Stay in touch and I wish you the best

Dear Savi,
It’s been a true privilege to work with and learn from you over the past several months. Your sharp analysis, deep understanding of key historical and political moments, principled leadership, and significant experience building relationships and partnerships have shaped our collective understanding of this work and the Institute's role in it. I’ve especially admired the way you artfully connect your strong principles, economic frameworks, and applied strategy so seamlessly into the way you move through the work - it's a beautiful thing to watch! Your talents are seriously remarkable.


In a difficult time, your fierce commitment to advancing economic rights as human rights is a beacon of light. You’ve played such a vital role in helping grow this movement, and I am sure that your impact will continue to ripple far beyond your time here. Please do stay in touch.

Dear Savi,
I'm so grateful our paths crossed at the Institute - your insights, inquisitiveness, and warmth have made each of our conversations richer. Your ability to find the connections between local economic concerns in the U.S. and global human rights perspectives is a critical reminder of how interconnected our fights for justice are across people and places.


The prompt was to reflect on coming into global consciousness and I'm surprised to find myself thinking of my first trip to Ireland as a kid with my Grandpa Tony who had immigrated to Chicago alone as a teenager. Almost as soon as we got out of the airport I noticed every sign was in both English and another language I couldn't read, and spent the rest of the trip trying to make my family read as many Irish phrases as I could (I can only imagine how annoyed they were looking back!). I know at the time I didn't quite grasp why everyone spoke English instead of Irish even though there was Irish writing everywhere, but I now recognize how that curiosity opened up a conversation on history, occupation, and immigration with my Grandpa that became central to our relationship and my learning about the world.


Thank you for continuing to push us to think about these moments and the larger meanings they hold, and wishing you all the best in your next chapter!

I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from you, albeit briefly. I hope that we are able to find opportunities to work together in the future and I look forward to the great work you will continue to do. Your presence at the Institute has been so thoughtful and impactful. I will miss your voice.

Dear Savi,
Though our time together was brief, each interaction left a meaningful impression. Your constant — and important — reminders of the global context will remain part of your legacy at the Institute.Sunrises and sunsets always remind me of how vast and interconnected our world truly is. This particular one, with the UN at the center, felt especially symbolic — a quiet nod to your work and presence at the heart of it all. Thank you for keeping us grounded.As you embark on a new chapter, remember the words of Rumi: “What you seek is seeking you.”

Savi,
My journey to recognizing the world past my own existance happened in waves of sorts: Going to church in a different city and seeing how resources differ. Visiting family in another state and discovering different ways of living. Traveling globally and learning of the rich, deep, and impactful history of other cultures.


Your voice will forever ring in my mind as a constant reminder that every action and policy has global affects. That we cannot exist in a bubble. And that each of us constantly existing in a global context. Thank you for that, and so much more.

Dear Savi,
I want to selfishly say a whole bunch of things but my thoughts and understanding are with you and your family and I wish you well on your journey. I hope that we will work together soon.


My global consciousness opened and expanded when I took my decolonizing international affairs class and I am thankful for that class and my experience everyday. It is also the first time I started to connect with you over this experience and I want to thank you for our conversation. I am looking forward to having more with you.

Wishing you the best and hope that our paths cross again.

Dear Savi,
Growing up in Nigeria, there's always been a sense of the world outside of Nigeria from the music my uncles listened to and the clothes we wore that were branded with New York and Atlanta. As I grew older and learned more about history, I realized that those connections went much deeper than I realized, and I committed myself to being a part of that change. However, that process can be very demoralizing. The many barriers can seem unsurmountable. Savi, meeting you at the Institute reignited that passion to change the world, and I hope to have an impact even a fraction of yours. Thank you so much for your kindness and your service.

Savi, if asked to pick a spirit animal for you, I'd go with the owl. You are wise. And you see everything - your ability to take in your surroundings, awareness of people, and connect ideas big and small - all next level. And I don't know if owls are kind, but you're also that. Glad our paths have crossed, and look forward to when they do again. 'Over' (for now).