Better Future Project

Senior Fellow, Climate Summer Organizing Program

May - August 2017 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

The work environment is always busy, but the staff is fun, kind, and caring, and puts a lot of thought into everything they do, always with a justice-oriented focus. As a small nonprofit, Better Future Project is incredibly advantageous to work at because you get an inside look into the workings and decision-making processes of the environmental non-profit world, as well as the ability to build close friendships and relationships with the staff, including the director. Better Future Project will both empower you and invest in you as an organizer, and has given me a network of relationships to draw from as I go forward with my career path.

What I wish was different

The work space gets hot in the summer-- it is a former Harvard frat house with no air conditioning-- but it is functional and also provides the ability to mingle with the staff and volunteers at other small non-profits which have their offices there. The location is also a hub for organizing and activist activity in Boston and holds community events such as concerts, farm shares, and art festivals, which makes it a great and exciting place to be! The summer heat definitely pays off!

Advice

Use all of your relationships to the max! The staff at BFP is a wealth of information, and are so welcoming of any type of question you might have related to your future career path!

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Divest Ed Summer Fellow

June - August 2019 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

I really enjoyed the environment of Divest Ed, and the emphasis on interns/ fellows to work on projects they were passionate about. It really allowed me to be independent and accomplish a lot in a short amount of time.

What I wish was different

Advice

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Campus Organizing Intern

May - August 2018 • Cambridge, MA

What I liked

I liked working full-time and being able to dive deeply into projects. From the first day I was on board, I was given a seat at the table and my supervisor was always transparent in why and how she was bringing me onto the work. I am now working permanently in a similar position with this organization, and am excited to continue building off of the work I completed in the internship!

What I wish was different

I wish I had a bigger team to work with (I was working with basically just my supervisor), but the team was undergoing major growth! So it was a major learning curve at first, but now I feel up to speed and able to contribute effectively. The office is full of people working on the statewide organizing side, which I really enjoyed being around and could engage in exciting conversation on a daily basis.

Advice

For most of the summer, I was unsure of how I could contribute effectively to my team since I was new to this side of organizing. I challenged myself (and continue) to ask questions and find times to get to know my coworkers in person. I'm seeing now how this is a continual process but that I can also put a lot of my learnings to work now, and can be brave in that and ask for feedback.

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