Young, vibrant, and talented LA activist Anne Marie Herwig is a driving force behind the Los Angeles YouthNoise scene, as well as the emerging JUST LIKE YOU, International Sports Exchange.  Want to know what's going inside Anne Marie's head?  Well, I sat down with her to get answers to the most imporant questions (and more) so you could get an idea...

Middle Name:

Marie (My first name was supposed to be Annemarie, and then I wouldn't have a middle name, but there was some confusion surrounding the certificate and I found out when I was 15 that I was actually Anne Marie. Confusion around my name has, unfortunately, existed ever since) 

Job title:  Regional Coordinator for YouthNoise, Executive Director for JUST LIKE YOU, International Sports Exchange (JLU)
Alma Mater:  Macalester College in St Paul, MN. The Fighting Scots!
Hometown:  Minnetonka, Minnesota
Most recently played song on your iTunes:  Paranoid Android, Radiohead

Favorite place to eat:  The pupuseria across the street from my apartment.

Favorite place to think:

At home. I like being at my apartment, even if there is a constant barrage of police sirens and helicopters passing by. In a county of more than 10 million, sometimes it is nice to just have your own space.

Favorite athlete of the moment:

 Jamie Fisher. Don't know him? He is a world champion log roller and boom runner from Minnesota. You have to admire an athlete that has that kind of stability. 

What is JUST LIKE YOU all about?
JUST LIKE YOU is all about introducing today's youth to the global community through sports and games. Studies have shown that kids learn best when they are having fun, so we take play and use it talk about countries all over the world. Many of the elementary school students we work with in LA come from these really international backgrounds, having parents from different countries, but they don't understand what an asset that is to their community.

The org mission statement?

Promoting international awareness among youth through sport, laying the necessary foundation to create tomorrow's global citizens.

Where are some the games are from?
Botswana, India, China, Colombia, Canada, Pakistan

What's on the agenda for JUST LIKE YOU?
We're taking the world by storm! Just kidding. But we are currently expanding programming to Austin, Texas and Boston, Massachusettes, as well as into Orange County, California. We are working hard to meet increasing demand for the program across Los Angeles and the country.

Why do you think JUST LIKE YOU is an org we should watch?

Kids love it- they love running around playing the games as well as learning about specific countries. International curriculums usually aren't introduced to students until they reach middle school or high school, but I think increased international understanding is essential at a young age, and these kids get it. After a year of JLU, most of the kids can say hello in 3 or 4 languages and can name, for example, 5 countries in Southern Africa. I feel like most adults can't even do that!

What do you think kids take away from an experience with JUST LIKE YOU?

Never underestimate the power of play.


    "Little Giants" or "The Mighty Ducks"? Mighty Ducks.

    You're on a blind date. Tom Brady or Johnny Damon? Tom Brady, obviously.

    You run out of gas on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. You are rescued by:

    a) Arnold Schwarzenegger in his hydrogen hummer.  Gotta get one of those!
    b) Rudy Van Prooyen on his bike, returning from a cross-country tour.

    c) A scary character from a horror film.  eek!

--> d) Shaquille O'Neal from "Kazaam" who grants your wish of better public transportation 

    in Socal

    Facebook or Myspace?  Facebook
    Solitaire or Minesweeper?  Solitaire
    icanhascheezburger.com or failblog.org? Failblog
    You're stranded on a desert island.  iPod or tetherball? iPod- too hot for tetherball
    Mountain bike or beach cruiser? mountain bike
    Metro or bus? metro!
    Glass half full or half empty? All the way full.

There you have it folks: a glimpse of the dark, twisted mind of Anne Marie Herwig, trying to take over the world, one well-educated, inspired, happy kid at a time.