by Liza Davitaia
Kristie Moore (’27, Global Studies) has been selected to receive a 2026 Strauss Scholarship, which provides a $15,000 award consisting of a $7,000 scholarship and an $8,000 project grant. Kristie will use this funding to lead Central Asia Peace Scholars, a year-long program empowering 150 youth from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan through leadership training, peace education, and community projects. Kristie has studied Russian and Tajiki through the Critical Language Scholarship Program (CLS) and the Boren Scholarship and conducted field research across Central Asia. She plans to pursue a PhD in conflict resolution and a career in mass atrocity prevention.
What are you planning to do with your Strauss Scholarship?
I will use my Strauss Scholarship funding to plan and implement a project titled, “Central Asia Peace Scholars.” Central Asia Peace Scholars is a year-long leadership and peace education program for 150 young people aged 16–24 from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The program will consist of virtual workshops, an in-person training camp, and collaborative final projects that encourage participants to identify issues in their community and organize impactful projects. The main goal of this program is to empower youth in Central Asia to become agents of change in their own communities. It also aims to foster connections between countries in the region and mitigate future conflict.
Please share your experiences with the Critical Language (CLS) and Boren Scholarships, and how they eventually led to your Strauss Scholarship project?
My time studying Russian in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on the CLS Program and Tajiki in Dushanbe, Tajikistan on a Boren Scholarship played a large role in my decision to apply for the Strauss Scholarship. But my interest in the region started much earlier! As a 16-year-old in high school, I received a National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) scholarship to begin my studies of Russian in Moscow, Russia. It was there that I fell in love with the region and studying foreign languages. It was also in Russia that I was first introduced to Central Asia, which served as a motivating factor for me to continue studying Russian and the region during my time at Berkeley. Since that moment, I have strived to take advantage of every opportunity to expand my knowledge and understanding of Central Asia. On CLS, I quickly improved my Russian language skills, gained a deeper understanding of Kyrgyz culture, and conducted research on language policy in Kyrgyzstan as it pertains to the legacy of Soviet language policies and border delineations. More recently, as a Boren scholar, I began my studies of Tajiki Persian, going from having no knowledge of the language to attaining advanced level proficiency over the course of just nine months. Beyond my time on CLS and Boren, a number of other experiences have played a role in my decision to apply for the Strauss Scholarship. Through the SURF L&S program, I completed a research project titled, “Fraternity of the Peoples: Understandings of and Perspectives on Multiculturalism, Interethnic relations, and Diversity in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan.” This research included three months of intensive field work in Bishkek and Osh during which I talked to locals about their perspectives on multiculturalism and diversity in light of historical and contemporary interethnic violence and border conflict. The following year, I spent nine months in Almaty, Kazakhstan on a Foreign Language and Area Studies (FLAS) Fellowship and Fulbright-Hays Scholarship, further elevating my Russian language skills and conducting research on Tajik migration to Kazakhstan in the aftermath of the 2024 Crocus City Hall attack. The time I spent in the region intensively studying foreign languages and conducting research allowed me to fall in love with Central Asia and become aware of the various issues impacting the region and the people living there. It is my hope that by working in collaboration with these communities I can help contribute to change.
How has learning languages through CLS and Boren shaped your academic and career goals?
Learning languages through these programs has had a major impact on my academic and career goals. I have always been interested in an international career thanks to my multicultural upbringing as a Mexican-Slovak American from Southern California. However, it is the time I spent abroad that really solidified my interest in foreign languages and a career that allows me to use my language knowledge to contribute to peace. Thanks to funding opportunities like CLS, Boren, FLAS, and a number of independent scholarships, I have received over $110,000 to support my studies of Russian, Tajiki, Ukrainian, Kyrgyz, Azerbaijani, and Armenian. In the process, I have gained the local knowledge and language skills that are so relevant in a globalized world that requires deep connections to the community in which one works.
As I close out my time at Berkeley, I am excited to put my knowledge into action implementing my Strauss Scholarship project Central Asia Peace Scholars and completing a senior thesis that connects to my interests and experiences in the region. Following my graduation in May 2027, I hope to pursue a PhD in conflict resolution with the long term goal of working in the field of mass atrocity and genocide prevention. It is my hope that I can help contribute to prevention efforts throughout the post-Soviet space, assisting conflict-affected communities to build resilience and address the core causes of violence.
This goal is directly tied to my background as the daughter of Mexican immigrants and the great granddaughter of Jewish Holocaust survivors from Czechoslovakia. Growing up, I heard stories of hardship and struggle, but also of resilience. My mother shared stories of her family’s immigration to the United States from Mexico, detailing why they ultimately left in search of safety and opportunity. My father shared stories of how his grandparents survived the Holocaust, ensuring we grew up knowing the scale of atrocities that have been committed not only against Jews, but others around the world. These stories have stuck with me, shaping who I am today and who I hope to become in the future. They have motivated me to pursue a career in which I can help others by addressing the root causes of conflict throughout the world and have instilled a strong belief within me that everyone deserves to live a life free of pain, suffering, and loss.
What was the most meaningful part of these experiences for you?
The most meaningful aspect of these experiences has been the connections and friends I have made while abroad! Whether it be local friends, language partners, or my host families, I have learned so much about the world from those I have met. This isn’t just limited to cultural practices, traditions, and other information about my host countries. They have provided a deeper look into the perspectives and world views of individuals from these respective cultures. This has been so eye-opening and has challenged how I see the world, encouraging me to think deeper and approach everything with an open mind. On a more personal note, my friends abroad served as a meaningful support system, allowing me to combat feelings of loneliness and homesickness while so far away from my home. These connections would have never been possible had I not had the opportunity to develop proficiency in foreign languages. My ability to communicate and connect with others abroad serves as a constant reminder of the power of language in connecting people and bridging divides in the world.