What I liked
Most of my internships and jobs leading up to this point have primarily required me to interact with other adults. Through my internship at RAWK, where I was interacting with youth five days a week, I discovered a new side to a passion I already had. I already knew I was invested in advocating for and providing access to education for all; in the past, I have designed curriculum and worked to plan education programming/events, all of which positioned me at a distance from the actual implementation of those programs with the youth they involved. However, this summer made it clear how impactful direct one-on-one interactions with youth can be and how important it is for adults to guide, affirm, and support youth -- even by simply remembering their names and what story they were working on or by pointing out a book that aligns with their interests.