Impact across borders
As she prepares to become a lawyer for women in Liberia, Peaches Dargbeh ’27 is on a path to empower others.
Photograph by Adam Atkinson
When she embarked on her cross-continental journey from Liberia to Lafayette, Peaches Dargbeh ’27 had a dream in tow: to one day return home as a human rights lawyer and advocate for victims of gender-based violence.
Dargbeh, who grew up in a low-income family with a single mother, has earned a full scholarship from SHE-CAN, an organization that provides access to U.S. college educations for high-achieving young women from Liberia, Cambodia, and Guatemala.
Only in her second year, the international affairs and history double major is already using her talents for the greater good. As a Dyer Fellow, she’s partnering with the Dyer Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to kick-start a nonprofit aimed at helping single mothers in Liberia attain financial independence. She also helps Lafayette’s minority students feel at home as a member of both the International Students Association and Association of Black Collegians.
Dargbeh even runs her own hair styling business called Peaches’ Braids and Twist. “It’s another way to give back to the Black and African student community,” Dargbeh says, explaining that she offers her services at an affordable price. “If they have someone to take care of their hair, they have one less thing to worry about.”
In her work with the Landis Center for Community Engagement, Dargbeh assists Easton-area high school students with college applications. And last summer, she conducted research with the Office of Sustainability and LaFarm on food insecurity in Easton as a Sustainability Fellow, helping distribute food to local families in need.
“I came to America with the mindset that only people in Liberia need my help,” Dargbeh says. “But I realized no matter where you are, there’s always some way you can make a difference.”
Dargbeh plans to delve into women’s, gender, and sexuality studies to learn how she can advocate for the rights of not only women, but also members of the LGBTQIA+ community, who continue to face persecution in countries like Liberia.
“The most important thing I learned at Lafayette is to be my authentic self,” Dargbeh says. “You can be and do anything here. Whatever drives you, follow it.”
