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SUMMER SERVICE INTERNSHIPS

Participants 2004

Ashleigh Collins (Comparative Studies) worked for Child Advocates collecting information, interviewing parties and attending court hearings. The agency recruits, trains and supervises community volunteers who speak on behalf of abused and neglected children to facilitate their placement in safe and permanent homes.

Esteban Galván (Chicana/o Studies) assisted the education and poverty consultants at the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund (MALDEF) by conducting research, analyzing proposals, doing outreach to communities and coordinating conferences. MALDEF is a non-profit organization serving the needs of its Latino constituency through advocacy, community education and outreach, leadership development, higher education and scholarships, and the legal system.

Joan (Umi) Jensen (Comparative Studies) helped with the development of a Hawaiian-based and culturally responsive curriculum for Hui Ku Opip O Ke Koolau (HKOK). HKOK hosts a secondary summer school program founded on the principle of teaching Hawaiian values, practices, protocols, and behaviors as part of the total curricular approach.

Dung Le (Comparative Studies) worked closely with the Summer Search staff to expand the academic and career-related services for students and alumni by researching: summer academic programs for high school students; internship programs at the local and national level; and trends in education, college admissions, and college retention pertaining to minority students. Summer Search is a non-profit organization fostering leadership in urban youth from disadvantaged backgrounds through mentoring and scholarships for summer experiences.

Diana Medina (Chicana/o Studies) worked with The East Palo Alto Charter School (EPACS) organizing teacher work areas, tutoring students’ grades 3-5 and setting up classroom libraries. The EPACS was designed by and for families of East Palo Alto to “equip students in an under served community with the skills necessary to read, write, speak, and calculate with clarity and confidence while fostering the desire to participate responsibly in the community.”

Leah Nelson (Comparative Studies) assisted with the planning of the annual California Adolescent Nutrition and Fitness Program (CANFit) conference, coordinated the development of a web site and quarterly newsletter and developed age-appropriate physical activity lessons for adolescents. CANFit is a non-profit organization working to improve the nutrition and physical activity status of California’s low-income African American, Asian American/Pacific Islanders, American Indian and Latino adolescents, ages 10-14 years old.

Robert Newman (Comparative Studies) screened and analyzed civil liberties complaints as part of a Prison Mail Project Internship with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The ACLU is a private non-profit organization defending the liberties established in the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

Christopher Vaughan (Comparative Studies) researched and wrote stories of interest to the civil rights community, monitored the media, and prepared for press and lobbying events and legislative hearings. The Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) is a coalition of nearly 180 national organizations promoting the enactment and enforcement of effective civil rights legislation policy.

Jenny Zhang (Comparative Studies) assisted in the development of policies to create low-income housing and helped settle landlord-tenant disputes through the Family Rights and Dignity (FRD) programs. The San Francisco Coalition on Homelessness is a non-profit advocacy organization working to integrate the needs and voices of the homeless in San Francisco with those of the social workers and service providers.

Participants 2003

Porsha Cropper (Comparative Studies) was responsible for carrying out the duties as a camp counselor for the College Bound program, SAT prep class, and summer day camp for children. Social Concerns of Southern California (SCSC) is a non-profit organization located in the city of Compton. This organization stresses the educational needs of youth, by implementing various after-school educational programs to ameliorate the reading and math skills of youth in all primary and secondary grades.

Crystal Garland (Comparative Studies) worked with educational consultants, mental health psychiatrists, and family service workers on all issues essential or important to the development of the children they work with. The Charles R. Drew Head Start and Early Head Start programs are comprehensive child development programs with the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children in low-income families and providing opportunities for their parents to complete their education.

Ronak Kapadia (Comparative Studies) worked in various capacities related to event booking, production, promotion, management and coordination at the Black Box Theater and Gallery in Oakland. The Theater is a unique, grassroots performance and exhibit space home to the Oakland Poetry Slam Team and The Oakland Playhouse Improv Troup, and host to numerous acclaimed theatrical productions such as Hanifah Walidah’s solo performance Straight Black Folks Guide to Gay Black Folks and the hip hop theater production Beatbox: A Raperetta.

Caitlin Kline (Comparative Studies) worked with Boulder Valley School District (BVSD) employees, students, parents, and community members to improve multicultural services and curriculum as well as contribute to a research study assessing the effects of current multicultural programs on minority students’ academic achievement. The Equity Department’s mission is to develop and implement programs, practices and policies that align to the District’s Strategic Initiative of Valuing Diversity and Promoting Understanding.

Kahdeidra Martin (African & African American Studies) worked as Academic Enhancement Specialist for the Youth Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) program, providing specialized tutoring and general homework help to over thirty youth ages 12 to 21. Kahdeidra administered summer academic follow up with high school students, served as an administrative assistant to one of the Beacon 269 directors, and implemented an “Urban Voices” summer book club for middle school youth ages12-14 years. Church Avenue Merchant’s Block Association (CAMBA) is a non-profit community-based organization located in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, NY.

Corynne McCleary (Comparative Studies) worked directly under Representative Ron Miller of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. Corynne traveled throughout Miller’s district conducting research specifically pertaining to the educational needs within the region. She also researched evidence to support and enhance proposals on the Education committee’s drawing table.

Fred Ngo (Comparative Studies) worked for the Golden West Christian Church teaching English, educational planning, curriculum instruction, and preparation to youths in Cambodia. The second half of the internship Fred was in an inner city community in Los Angeles running summer youth programs primarily focused on education and youth development.

Rachel Romberg (Comparative Studies) functioned as a research assistant aiding the planning, running, and documenting of a Summer Institute. West Ed is a nonprofit research, development and service agency that seeks to improve learning at all stages of life. The Effects of a Culturally Based Math Curriculum on Alaska Native Students’ Academic Performance is a project focused on developing an elementary school math curriculum based on elders’ knowledge and examining the effects of this curriculum on Yup’ik and other Alaskan elementary school students. In order to prepare teachers to teach this supplemental math curriculum and to provide them with some insight and connection to the cultural context, a Summer Institute in math, pedagogy, and culture was run in Fairbanks.

Eric Shih (Comparative Studies) worked with the Chinese Progressive Association’s (CPA) Worker Center as well as with their tenant organizing campaigns. The CPA addresses the needs of the local Chinese American residents and workers in San Francisco’s Chinatown. They organize around affordable housing, fair labor practices, and other pressing community needs part of the Chinese immigrant experience.

Veronica Juarez (Comparative Studies) conducted research for Stanford’s School of Education Professor Linda Darling-Hammond on the State of Massachusetts Education Equity case. Veronica participated in policy discussions with Professor Darling-Hammond and a graduate student mentor, built a database and collected data crucial to case.

Participants 2002

Emunah Edinburgh (Comparative Studies) helped out at YUCA, a non-profit community organization based in East Palo Alto and run by young people of color. Working against environmental racism and social injustice, YUCA is dedicated to liberating their community through social action, political education, and youth empowerment. YUCA runs two programs: FIRE gives paid internships with community based organizations in the Bay Area to High Schools students and Higher Learning creates a safe space where high school youth can come together to critically examine and act on issues that impact the community. Emunah assisted with archiving, research, and logistics associated with meetings, retreats, workshops, and site visits. He also helped in developing and compiling materials for political education workshops for the Higher Learning youth.

Anthony Fontes (Comparative Studies) worked for the Refugee Legal Aid whose mission is to assist applicants for refugee status with building a legal case for their acceptance and protection under the United Nations Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) mandate to help legitimate refugees. The lawyers and interns in this organization help ensure that no refugee lose their right to protection life and death decisions made by the UNHCR. Anthony guided the clients through every step of the process of writing testimonies about why they should get refugee status in preparation for the presentation of their case to the UNHCR.

Adrianna Hernandez-Stewart (Comparative Studies) worked for Servicios del Pueblo Mixe (SER), an organization dedicated to protecting the rights of the Mixe people of Oaxaca, Mexico and other indigenous groups. SER has played an important role in the indigenous movement, both at the state and national level, by participating in a forum organized by the EZLN. The EZLN promotes unity and establishes programs and spaces that encourage health, culture, and technical support to improve the standard of living in these Mixe communities. As an NGO, this organization has various international foundations, many in the United States. Adrianna’s fluency in English proved to be extremely important with translating documents and writing grant and research proposals. At times she also worked on simple office related tasks, like helping the front desk.

Richard Kim (Asian American Studies) worked for The Asian Pacific American Legal Center, (APALC) the largest and most prominent legal services organization serving the Asian Pacific Islander community of Southern California. The Legal Center provides API and other communities with multi-lingual, culturally sensitive services and legal education as well as advocating for API civil rights. Richard worked on the Immigrant Welfare Project, which focuses on welfare and health issues affecting low-income immigrants at the local, state, and federal levels. He also did policy analysis and advocacy, research data and background materials on legislative issues, writing positions statements and fact sheets, assisting in organizing grassroots educational projects on current welfare policies, and attended community meetings.

Caroline Kuntz (Comparative Studies) worked for La Pena Cultural Center, a non-profit multi-cultural organization that promotes and supports local through to internationally recognized music, dance, theater, film, inter-disciplinary and visual artists whose works examine socially relevant themes and are deeply rooted in traditional cultures. La Pena also offers classes in music and dance principally from Latin America. Caroline participated in La Pena's Fundraising Committee, organized special events, updated the database, and did artist outreach. Caroline also interviewed artists and audience members to determine the needs that future programs should meet.

Michelle Leung (Comparative Studies) worked for the Housing & Civil Enforcement Section of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division. The primary responsibility of the Section is enforcing the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination due to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status, or disability. The Act is enforced in cases of buying, lending, or selling of homes and/or apartments, the refusal of service in places of public accommodations, etc. The cases that the Section handles are quite varied and deal with racial and ethnic discrimination on many levels and in various settings. Michelle's role was that of a beginning paralegal and she assisted attorneys and paralegals with various cases. She worked on an ongoing case that tackles the issue of sexual harassment and assisted on a test case where renters were discriminated against on the basis of race. Overall, this internship gave her the opportunity to understand the work a civil rights attorney.

Gabriela Rico (Comparative Studies) worked for the California Rural Legal Assistance, a non-profit organization that provides legal services to California's rural poor. Their priority areas are labor, health, housing, education, public benefits, civil rights and economic development. The organization focuses on assisting indigenous Mixteco farm workers in the Santa Maria valley. The cases include issues such as farm worker health and safety, wage and hour law, fair housing rights, affordable housing, tenants' rights, education rights, and civil rights abuses. Gabriela assisted the attorneys and community workers with ongoing cases and projects, community outreach and education, client interviews, client meetings, and litigation preparation.

Deborah Splansky (Comparative Studies) worked for the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), which have the task of dealing with juvenile violence and victimization. The OJJDP works with Federal, State, and local government agencies, community groups and private citizens with the goal of reaching youth in a preventative approach or with those already involved in the justice system. The specific issues the office deals with include programs designed to divert youth from traditional juvenile justice and correctional systems; provide community-based alternatives to secure incarceration; strengthen and preserve families; create gang-free schools; and reduce the disproportionate representation of minority youth in secure confinement. As an intern she helped plan, develop, and manage new program initiatives as well as assist with grant award functions, including reviewing proposals and formulating grant award recommendations to the Administrator. Deborah also assisted in responses to grantee requests and information requests, including those under the Freedom of Information Act.

Participants 2001

Ernest Bustamante (Comparative Studies) worked as an intern at the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement in Washington, D.C. The Labor Council is a national advocacy organization for Hispanic union members in the United States and Puerto Rico. LCLAA's primary goal is to advance the social and economic needs of Hispanic working families through education and organizing. Ernest's major responsibility was writing a position paper on NAFTA and its effect on women working in maquiladoras. His responsibilities included conducting historical research and interviews, doing data analysis from interviews with maquiladora workers, organizing and implementing a press conference on Capitol Hill about Fast Track, and writing articles for LCLAA's quarterly newsletter.

Lavanya Chekuru (Comparative Studies) worked as an intern for Radical Women traveling throughout major cities in the United States. Radical Women is an international socialist feminist organization dedicated to building women's leadership; its members have been an active part of the women's, people of color, lesbian and gay, disabled, labor, immigrant, and other progressive movements since their founding in 1967. Lavanya's responsibilities included visiting organizations and bookstores throughout the country to promote the sale of a recent publication of The Radical Women Manifesto. She also conducted a survey of social justice organizations by interviewing community organizers, visiting community organizations, and photographing different modes of resistance in urban areas.

Cheryl Gladstone (Urban Studies) was an intern in the Office of Private Ferry Operations for the Department of Transportation in New York City. The mission of the Department of Transportation is to provide for the safe, efficient and environmentally responsible movement of people and goods in the City of New York and to maintain and enhance the transportation infrastructure crucial to the economic vitality and quality of life of their primary customers, City residents. Cheryl's responsibilities included evaluating the feasibility of creating a pier near John F. Kennedy International Airport, studying overall ferry rider-ship patterns, analyzing and reinventing the passenger database file, creating a new ferry schedule, and assessing current architectural and passenger flow issues in the newly completed pier.

Sena Hare (Native American Studies) worked as part of a legal representative team for Southern Minnesota Regional Legal Services in St. Paul, Minnesota. The law offices of the Legal Services handle Indian Child Welfare Act cases in Juvenile and Family Court. These cases are handled on behalf of Native American children who are being removed from their homes. Sena's duties included attending and taking notes during court cases, meeting and maintaining contact with clients, preparing affidavits or statements from the clients, contacting different services for clients, and gathering case histories. She also served as an assistant to the attorney during trial.

Brook Hooper (Comparative Studies) was an intern for the Belaku Trust in Bangalore, India. The Belaku Trust is a non-governmental agency working in rural Karnataka outside of Bangalore to provide health education, health-related interventions, and empowerment to rural women and girls. The agency carries out research studies to learn how to better serve local populations, provide health education, start income generating programs and encourage community problem solving and cooperation in addressing local health needs. Brook's responsibilities included creating a curriculum for sexual and reproductive health education in the rural villages, organizing the health library, generating questions for a health survey, compiling a training guide for field workers doing health presentations, and leading four workshops on reproductive and sexual health for field workers. She was also responsible for following and supervising the cases of two clients in the hospital.

Katrina Logan (African and African American Studies) worked with a team of interns at the Liberation Summer Project in Selma, Alabama. The Project brings interns from around the country to spend eight weeks of their summer living and working in a communal atmosphere in Selma, the heart of the black belt south. LSP was born out of the spirit of the Freedom Summer of 1964 when the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) mobilized student activists from across the country and sent them into the south to battle for freedom and equality. Katrina's responsibilities included organizing daily schedules, planning events and group meetings, putting together presentations, and participating in political education. She made presentations to increase awareness about HIV/AIDS, participated in a teach-in about fair housing issues in Selma, and canvassed the housing complexes in Selma with information about loan eligibility, tenants' rights and fair housing practices.

Ximena Martinez (Comparative Studies) served as an Air Resources Board representative in Wilmington, California. The California Air Resources Board’s (ARB) mission is to promote and protect public health, welfare and ecological resources through the effective and efficient reduction of air pollutants while recognizing and considering the effects on the economy of the state. Ximena's responsibilities included community outreach, conducting surveys, attending community meetings and networking with different organizations, compiling lists of contact information, and communicating with the ARB representatives in Sacramento. Ximena also conducted Internet research and two field studies in the Wilmington area.

Willow Miller-Young (Comparative Studies) worked as an intern with the Skykomish Valley Title IX Indian Education program in Monroe, Washington. The program provides cultural enrichment programs, academic support through tutoring, a resource center, and cultural outreach programs for the at-home native communities of the two school districts. Willow's responsibilities included serving as the coordinator of the program for the duration of her internship, organizing meetings with members, working on special projects, and planning workshops. Willow wrote a brief history of tipis, requested donation work from local businesses, wrote newsletters, organized the first Title IX powwow committee meeting, and applied for grants.

Jasmin Minaya (African and African American Studies - Minor) worked as an intern for the Latino Commission on AIDS in New York City. The Commission is a non-profit membership organization dedicated to improving and expanding AIDS prevention, research, treatment and other services in the Latino community through organizing, education, program support and training. Jasmin's main responsibility was working on a project to educate Latinos of diverse faiths about HIV/AIDS prevention in their communities. She attended community meetings, gathered contact information, prepared information packets in English and Spanish, hosted health fairs, and made presentations on how to prevent infection.

Rita Rico (Comparative Studies) worked as an intern in the Office of Research, Advocacy, and Legislation for the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) in Washington, D.C. The Council is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization established in 1968 to reduce poverty and discrimination, and improve life opportunities, for Hispanic Americans. Rita's responsibilities included responding to data requests from NCLR staff and people outside the organization, completing two articles for the NCLR Agenda newsletter, assisting policy analysts in advocacy campaigns, attending coalition meetings, conducting research on ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) and the Equal Protection of Voting Rights Act, and preparing and disseminating action alerts to affiliates and letters to Congress on legislation. She also helped organize the Annual Conference.

Mario Trigueros (Comparative Studies) worked as an intern for Coleman Advocates in San Francisco, CA. It is the mission of Coleman Advocates for Children and Youth to voice the concerns of children, youth and families and to enable them to become effective leaders and advocates in their communities. The goal of Coleman Advocates is to expand the participation of children, youth and families in the political process and to make San Francisco a city where issues facing children and youth are made a high priority, where adequate resources are made available, and where families thrive. Mario's main responsibility was to support and advise Youth Making a Change, a youth-led action group committed to ameliorating the lives of young people in the Bay Area. He assisted the youth in their campaigns, provided suggestions for political strategies and structuring ideas and goals, provided training for the youth, and ensured that the environment was conducive to youth empowerment.

Participants 2000

Dayna Cobarrubias (Chicana/o Studies) worked as Deputy Director for Latino Committee 2000 (LC 2000) in Los Angeles, a non-profit, civic organization that sought to optimize visibility and maximize participation and opportunities for Latinos during the 2000 Democratic National Convention. Dayna’s responsibilities included coordinating the LC 2000 Youth Component, a program for 75 Latino high school youth, and the LC 2000 Media component, a resource meant to provide the media with accurate information regarding Latinos during the DNC.

Theresa Downy (Comparative Studies) worked as a Juvenile Probation Officer and researcher at the Tesuque Pueblo Tribal Court in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Members of the Tesuque Pueblo Tribal Court are working on developing the Juvenile Justice System, focusing on traditional forms of dispute resolution, alternative traditional sentencing and traditional restorative justice systems.

Lindsay Gervacio (Asian American Studies) worked as a legislative intern to California Assembly Member Gilbert Cedillo, who represents the 46th Assembly District. The primary task of the Capitol office is to design and implement statewide policy through both the legislative and budgetary processes. Lindsay’s duties included developing a substantiated proposal for a legislative idea, drafting talking points for speaking engagements, conducting extensive research, writing memos regarding certain policies, and responding to constituent letters.

Brook Hooper (Comparative Studies) worked as an intern case manager at Shelter Network, the Haven Family House in Menlo Park. Shelter Network is a non-profit agency providing housing and support services to homeless families and single adults throughout San Mateo County. The Haven Family House is a family homeless shelter that offers a continuum of support and intervention services designed to break the cycle of homelessness. Brook’s duties included helping prepare the shelter for opening, supervising a client, and helping to enforce the rules of the program. She also helped set up the Children’s Program.

Irene Hsu (Comparative Studies) worked as an intern at Community Homeless Alliance Ministry (CHAM). CHAM has been one of the most visible organizations dedicated to advocating for San Jose’s poor and oppressed. CHAM is an advocacy group and an urban ministry based in First Christian Church in the heart of downtown San Jose. Irene’s duties included performing outreach to nearby shelters and public parks, compiling contact information of clients and resources in a database, creating a new brochure, writing press releases, and performing research on affordable housing tactics. Irene also put together a presentation for the San Jose Human Rights Commission arguing that San Jose is enacting a human rights violation by not providing affordable housing for all of its citizens.

Joy Hsu (Asian American Studies Minor) was an intern at the Asian Pacific American Legal Center of Southern California (APALC), the leading Southern California organization advocating for Asian Pacific American civil rights and providing legal services and education to growing Asian Pacific American communities. APALC provides multilingual and culturally sensitive legal counseling, education and representation in the areas of family law and domestic violence, housing, consumer issues, employment, immigration and government benefits. Joy’s research duties included monitoring media coverage of immigrant issues, investigating a recent change in the Medi-Cal application process, isolating the most effective entry points for Food Stamp outreach, and reviewing innovative interpreter services. In addition to working on research projects, Joy also did policy advocacy work and organized a press conference.

Keaton Hubbert (Comparative Studies) was an intern at the Northwest Labor and Employment Law Office (LELO) based in Seattle. LELO is a non-profit, community-based organization seeking to support workers rights, both of women and people of color, locally and internationally. They lead community organizing campaigns, popular education projects and an international worker-to-worker network. Keaton’s duties included working on a history/archive project for LELO, working on a booklet of speeches given at a post-WTO conference on women, immigration and the global economy, and creating dialogue between the International Worker-to-Worker committee at LELO and “Voix d’Elles-Rebelles,” an immigrant association in Paris.

Jerri Kay (African and African American Studies) was an intern in the Press Office of Mayor Willie Brown in San Francisco. The Mayor’s Press Office organizes press events, sets up press conferences, staffs the mayor’s public events and prepares news clippings. Jerri’s primary duties included doing research and preparing notes for the Mayor before public appearances and public statements. She did intensive research and prepared all the notes before the Mayor’s appearance on the ABC show Politically Incorrect and for the Mayor’s participation on a panel at the International Conference on Mayors in Rome.

Steven Lopez (Chicana/o Studies) participated in an internship program in Washington, D.C. sponsored by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute is a non-profit, non-partisan educational organization established to develop the next generation of Latino leaders. Steven was placed in the Office of Representative Ilena Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican Congresswoman from the 18th District of Florida. Steven’s duties included representing Ileana at legislative hearings and committee meetings, working on certain pieces of legislation, and responding to constituent mail. He also worked to secure funding for an immigrant education program located in Miami.

Jennifer Marshall (Comparative Studies) was an intern in the Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)-Office for Civil Rights (ICR). The OCR works to resolve complaints of discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, age and disability by programs such as nursing homes, public assistance, and social service agencies or any agency that receives funding from the DHHS. Jennifer’s responsibilities included the preparation of pre-grant materials for distribution to applicants for Medicaid or Medicare funding, archiving of closed cases, entering case information into the regional/national database, conducting online research, reviewing pre-grant applications to determine compliance, distributing materials and working with a team of investigators to open a case.

José Saldívar (Chicana/o Studies) was an intern at the Llano Grande Center for Research and Development, an organization he helped found, in Edcouch, Texas. This non-profit, community-based organization has an ongoing research program which focuses on education reform and community and economic development. Jose’s duties included mentoring high school students to help them develop video and publishing projects; planning a staff retreat, policy workshop, and press conference; developing policy issues for the Center and local school district; and developing a grant proposal for the National Endowment for the Arts.

Akua Searcy (African and African American Studies) worked as an intern at the Alliance Property Group in Los Angeles, CA. The Alliance Property Group works on the development of affordable housing for low-income individuals and families. Akua’s duties included organizing newsletters and magazines, organizing files for her supervisor, attending meetings, teaching member of the company to use Microsoft Project, and scanning pictures of development projects. She also helped in the process of applying for state funds for a housing project.

Caitlin Sislin (Urban Studies Minor) was an intern as Chrysalis in Los Angeles, CA. Chrysalis is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping economically disadvantaged and un-housed individuals become self-sufficient through employment opportunities. Caitlin’s responsibilities included assisting clients with the use of computers to search for jobs and creating web pages and doing assessments of new clients. Caitlin also worked as a case manger, keeping files updated and giving out resources.

Andrene Smith (African and African American Studies) worked as an intern at the Central Brooklyn Partnership, a non-profit organization that builds financial cooperatives and organizes local people around economic justice issues. Andrene’s duties included organizing financial literacy workshops, researching foundations and other charitable organizations, and searching for new ways to provide funding for the community within the community itself. She also worked on the web site, set up email distribution lists, installed software programs, and did database research and entry.

Jennifer Yador (African and African American Studies Minor) was an intern at the Central Brooklyn Partnership in New York. The partnership is a non-profit organization that builds financial cooperatives and organizes local people around economic justice issues. Jennifer’s duties included assessing the needs of the Central Brooklyn Partnership and the economic needs of the Central Brooklyn community, designing the current web site for the organization, organizing meetings, and doing research. She also helped coordinate two concerts for the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement.

Participants 1999

Yolanda Anyon
The East Bay Community Law Center is a non-profit clinical program founded by Boalt Law School students to provide needed services to lower income residents in the East Bay. The Center provides high quality legal services for free while helping law interns develop their skills. Under the supervision of staff attorneys, Yolanda provided direct legal services to local low-income residents in areas of public benefits law, housing law, community economic development and legal problems of people with HIV/AIDS. She also took courses on community law, provided direct legal services to the center’s clients, and performed tasks relating to the case work and the functioning of the center.

Sterling Boyd
The African Immigrant and Refugee Resource Center is dedicated to helping African refugees and immigrants with: tutoring to improve language skills; finding job placement or job training; cultural orientation and a culturally sensitive environment in which to make a new start possible in the United States. Being one of the only agencies for African immigrants in the Bay Area, the AIRRC seeks to embrace as many African refugees and immigrants as possible, from many differing regions, in order to help them adapt to a new life. Sterling developed and implemented a new Cultural Awareness Program, helped teach ESL classes, worked directly with students to teach them basic English for jobs and orientation, and served as an assistant to the executive director.

Jennifer Chi
Interns in the United States Department of Education’s Office of the Secretary assist the Senior Advisor to the Secretary, whose duties include the development of communication and outreach strategies designed to involve constituency groups and the public in reform activities. Jennifer assisted the Secretary and the Counselor to the Secretary, performing duties related to the development of communication outreach strategies designed to involve educators and the public in reform activities. She worked in implementation procedures, helped staff members working on policy issues and management procedures respond to inquiries regarding the Department’s programs and initiatives, and conducted research and analysis as necessary to carrying out various projects.

Lorie Gumbs-Tyler
The Cross-Cultural Affairs Office for the City of New York is responsible for the translation of the Agency’s health educational messages into up to 23 different languages. A major function of the office is assuring that the messages are both culturally and linguistically appropriate. Lorie worked on the Immigrant Health Project, which provides information related to public health to the many ethnic communities in New York in a manner that is understandable for each community. She did research and field work in order to create the guide for the Dominican population.

Martha Hagemeister
Catholic Charities offers many services such as adoption, immigration, and adolescent pregnancy program, crisis intervention, individual and family counseling, and refugee resettlement. Martha assisted clients in completing paperwork, addressing legal concerns, and working in-depth on specific immigration cases.

Stephanie Kehrer
The mission of the Echoing Green Foundation is to find, attract and invest in emerging public service leaders who plan to start up and lead innovative, replicable, and sustainable projects and organizations that will effect positive social change. Echoing Green also seeks to add value to the work of those leaders by providing and making available support and resources and by building a community of public service leaders committed to sharing their experience, knowledge and energy with each other. Stephanie established an official internship program and assessed the need for other new programs.

Marini Lee
Margaret Collins Elementary School has a large population of African American students from the neighboring city of Richmond. The principal of the school is interested in developing new teaching techniques to help African American students learn. Marini conducted research on educational models that help/hinder African American students. She assessed the major concerns of the principal: the effect of White teachers on African American students, Attention Deficit Disorder, Oppositional Defiance Disorder, and programs that appear to succeed in getting the best out of African American students. Marini helped the principal develop and present the research findings and new teaching techniques to the teaching staff.

Shaw San Liu
The Center for Third World Organizing (CTWO) is a racial justice organization dedicated to building a social justice movement led by people of color. CTWO is a 20-year-old training and resource center that promotes and sustains direct action organizing in communities of color in the United States. Shaw worked with the Women’s Empowerment Project, which includes programs in literacy, domestic violence, and micro-lending. Shaw worked extensively with community members by organizing and planning meetings and monitoring program implementation. Shaw also helped host delegations visiting from North America for the 10th Anniversary of the Martyrs of the University.

Jennie Park
The Asian Pacific American Legal Center is a non-profit, nonpartisan legal aid and civil rights advocacy organization. They provide linguistically and culturally sensitive legal aid and advocacy for primarily the Asian and Pacific Islander populations. Jennie directed interaction with the Asian and Pacific Islander community in Los Angeles through community education programs and research of demographics, networking with surrounding community based organizations, policy advocacy in communication with APALC’s D.C. office and publicity through media awareness.

Celina Ramirez
Chicanos Por La Causa (CPLC) is a non-profit Community Development Corporation dedicated to providing quality bilingual services to the southeastern Arizona. CPLC’s programs are designed to address the causes of poverty within the neighborhood it serves and offer an array of social services, fundraising and special events. Celina worked on various education related projects including a summer youth conference, an after school program, and plans for a charter school.

Damien Schnyder
College Bound is a grassroots, non-profit, college-counseling program devoted to serving minority students. It is a group of concerned parents working together to supplement the day to day educational programs offered to children in both public and private schools within the greater Los Angeles area. Damien served as a tutor, mentor, and administrative liaison between the students and faculty.

Akua Searcy
The W. Montague Cobb Biological Anthropology Laboratory at Howard University is the center of research on the ancestral skeletal remains excavated from the eighteenth-century African Burial Ground in lower Manhattan. The project concentrates research efforts on the population origins, physical quality of life and the bio-cultural evolution of this first generation of African in colonial America to shed light on a neglected chapter of United States history.

Jill Shenker
The Structural Adjustment Participatory Review Initiative (SAPRI) is a non-governmental organization that works on research and policy analysis to reduce poverty in Zimbabwe.
Jill helped organize the logistics of the opening forum, which involved a wide array of community groups. She also conducted some initial interviews and assisted in the organizational aspects of SAPRI.

Courtney Snelling
The Liberation Summer Project (LSP) brings interns from around the country to spend eight weeks of their summer living and working in a communal atmosphere in Selma, Alabama, the heart of the black belt south. LSP was born out of the spirit of the Freedom Summer of 1964 when the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) mobilized student activists from across the country and sent them into the south to battle for freedom and equality. Courtney initiated community based programs as well as received skill-building-training geared to make her more productive as an activist and organizer in the Black community.

Participants 1998

Genevieve Aguilar
The National Council of La Raza’s Office of Research, Advocacy and Legislation provides a Hispanic perspective on issues such as education, immigration, housing, health, employment and training, and civil rights enforcement to increase the understanding of policy makers and the general public of Hispanic needs and to encourage the adoption of programs and policies which equitably serve Hispanics.
Genevieve’s duties at the National Council included: conducting research, producing issues briefs and position papers, analyzing legislative actions, translating information to Spanish, and attending coalition meetings.

Josh Chao
Josh worked at the District Office of Congressman Esteban E. Torres. His responsibilities were assisting the casework division in processing relevant constituent cases involving a need for Congressional intervention on behalf of our constituent regarding problems they may have with a federal agency. Josh also attended public relations event on behalf of the Congressman.

Brenda Chavez
Lift Every Voice Inc. (LEVI) is a national organization that works to create peaceful resolution of human rights issues related to women, children, and minority rights. Brenda helped prepare and plan for the two-week internship program in Geneva. She created a manual for the fifteen interns and wrote letters to various United Nations (UN) agencies and non-UN agencies in Geneva to arrange briefings with the interns.

Vanessa Delgado
The Career Preparation and Opportunities Program prepare Pico Rivera residents for college. The program emphasizes retention in college and job training skills through internship placement in a city department.

Natasha Dwamena
The Department of Health in the Bureau of Environmental and Occupational Disease Prevention responds to the health concerns of New York City residents and launches outreach programs. Natasha developed brochures about metallic mercury use mostly in, but not restricted to, the Latino community. One brochure was in both English and Spanish targeted at the general population and the other for health care providers serving patients from Latino communities.

N’Kenge Haines
Alternative Avenues is a non-profit organization dedicated to family outreach through the arts, focusing on the African, African American, and Latino communities in Newport County. N’Kenge wrote letters asking for support, designed flyers and programs for concerts, wrote press releases and grants, conducted research, promoted events on the radio and helped plan outdoor activities such as family festivals.

Lindsey Imai
Making Waves is a program that aims to prepare elementary and middle school students, from low-income neighborhoods with limited educational opportunities, for college preparatory classes at their local high school. Making Waves also recruits local talented high school and college students to the teaching profession. Lindsey worked as a seventh grade Language Arts and Social Studies teacher. She informally played the role of administrator, role model, mentor and friend.

Stephanie Kehrer
Foundation for a College Education is a non-profit organization devoted to increasing the number of high school students of color who go on to four-year colleges. They provide academic support and cultural enrichment to the students and their parents through monthly meetings, activities, and excursions. Stephanie created and ran a program that offered preparation for the SAT as well as college essay writing, general college preparation and a reading club.

Gloria Lee and Esther Ro
The Korean American Coalition is non-profit, non-partisan community advocacy organization. Its mission is to facilitate the Korean American community’s participation in civic, legislative and community affairs by encouraging the community to contribute to and become an integral part of the broader society. Gloria and Esther worked on a grant proposal for a youth program targeted at disadvantaged (economically, linguistically, or otherwise) Korean American youth in greater Los Angeles. They also researched and read materials about the existing social service agencies that work with Korean American youth in the area.

Willow Lung
Volunteers in Asia is a non-profit educational exchange organization. Participants teach English at universities and secondary schools, and in return receive a service-learning, cross-cultural immersion experience that includes Chinese language training and hands-on cultural learning opportunities. Willow taught second and third year English classes for 10-day sessions and meet regularly with Chinese English teachers to get feedback about teaching styles and skills.

Rachel Natarajan
The National Voting Rights Institute is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to challenging the constitutionality of the current campaign finance system at the federal and state levels and to defend meaningful campaign finance reform legislation and ballot initiatives. Through litigation and education, the National Voting Rights Institute seeks to redefine the issue of private money in public elections as the newest voting rights barrier, and to emphasize the civil rights issues posed by the overwhelming dominance of wealth in elections. Rachel did research on various topics, worked on a case being appealed to the Supreme Court and analyzed attorney fee petitions.

Deborah Orosz
The Labor/Community Strategy Center is a multiracial “think tank /act-tank” committed to building democratic internationalist social movements. The Strategy Center, an anti-racist, pro-feminist organization, helps to train a new generation of organizers to be part of a broad alliance fighting for: the expansion of public schools, hospitals, health care, and cultural programs; the development of ecologically sustainable manufacturing processes and products; a reduction in the U.S. military budget; and a democratic labor movement. Deborah was responsible for the direct organizing and base-building work of the Bus Riders’ Union, she provided leadership in the No Seat? No Fare! Campaign and participated in classes instructed by Strategy Center staff on various publications.

Jane Park
Youth Against Racism in Europe is an anti-racist voluntary organization with sections across Europe. Jane’s responsibilities included research, editing, letter writing, fundraising, and recruiting.

Jieun Park
Campus Crusade for Christ is a non-profit Christian group. The Los Angeles Asian American Research and Prayer Project seeks to assess the needs of Asian American communities in order to plan ministry and community services targeted to the specific needs of these communities.

Sara Scott
Project LISTO (in the Mayor of Denver’s office) is a summer school program intended to provide an academic bridge for eighth grade students entering the ninth grade. The program focuses on Latino students who currently have the highest drop out rate in the Denver Public Schools. Sara worked on letters of support for pieces of legislation such as bilingual education, immigration and the Korean American Museum bill (Assembly 1021).

Hyun Jee Son
The West Wing Counsel’s Office provides legal assistance to the President of the United States. Hyun did some research, helped with projects and with the Counsel’s computer security system.

Participants 1997

Genevieve Aguilar
The mission of Paso del Norte Public Policy Institute, a non-profit community research center, is to encourage and promote positive change for a more informed and assertive community by researching, analyzing, storing, and disseminating information affecting the Paso del Norte Region. The primary objective of the organization is to research and analyze public policy issues.

Yolanda Anyon
The National Conference is a non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of bias, bigotry and racism in our communities. Through education, dialogue, advocacy and conflict resolution, the National Conference actively builds understanding and mutual respect among religious, racial and ethnic groups in San Diego County.

Jane Kim
Committee Against Anti-Asian Violence (CAAAV) organizes New York City Asian immigrant and working class communities to fight for systematic changes in the police department, the criminal justice system, and racist labor practices which rely on Asian immigrant workers. CAAAV builds bridges between different communities through work which consists of: combating racial violence and violence in the hands of law-enforcement agencies; empowerment of workers who are victims of racial labor practices as well as of police violence; and organizing youth to build leadership so that they can resist violence.

Jennie Kim
Justice Matters seeks to promote social justice and multiracial unity in California by addressing critical areas of societal need and by developing a new generation of leaders.