Building Empathy Through Cultural Identity

In this episode we interview Aaron Friedman, Co-Founder & Executive Director at OLASTEO. OLASTEO’s mission is to create experiences that empower students to serve as catalysts for social impact.

OLASTEO = our lives as seen through each other.

We encourage diversity, promote empathy, and build community by providing enriching cultural and educational experiences to high school students in underserved communities. OLASTEO is a belief that new experiences enrich our lives and empower us to make change happen. When we open new doors, we also open ourselves up to new possibilities and to a new way to think, live, and dream.

OLASTEO was founded on the premise that travel can help open and expand student perspectives and mindsets. In traveling to new cities (and countries), we encourage our students to experience and learn about life beyond their respective communities. The adventure of travel and being away from home is a small portion of the immersive cultural excursions we provide. OLASTEO strives, above all else, to educate our students about the lived experiences and challenges others have faced, both those before them and those from other cultures and communities. We curate unique, immersive, and transformational local, national, and international excursions.