While Lutheran Summer Music, or LSM, has been around for 40 years, this was my first year. As a social work major with an art minor and no prior experience in music, joining the LSM community was intimidating. Luckily, with an art concentration in my background, I know that art comes in many different forms, and all forms of art are enjoyable for me. Although coming into LSM, I knew little about anything musical, nor had I ever listened to ‘nonpopular instrumentals’. So I was a bit out of my comfort zone, although the mindset I had due to my artistic background helped me navigate the unfamiliar territory of music at LSM because it was a completely new world to me. Luckily, the LMS community is very welcoming, which made learning about musical culture easier. As a social work major, my major instructs me to understand and appreciate different cultures; often, this means our norms, values, races, etc. Working with LSM helped me immerse myself in a new culture without feeling pressured to know everything about it; I didn’t feel the guilt of not knowing information about music like I would with the different cultures that we speak about in my major. I feel that this has been an important part of my journey here at LSM. To learn about culture, I have been able to learn how to ask questions about it, how to be respectful, and even how to enjoy it. LSM has not only allowed me to learn about their culture, but they have allowed me to join it too. As I now sing in the chapel choir! Although I do not know how to do things such as read music or necessarily sound good (although I am learning!), they have fostered an environment that is nourishing and encouraging enough for me to want to participate, even with such talented musicians around me.

The CAPS Program through Valparaiso University allows its fellows to find internships that enable us to find our sense of calling and purpose in the wider world. Recently, within the last year or so, I have felt a calling, unlike anything I have felt before. I have had this inner yearning to discover something bigger than myself, more prominent than academics, more significant than a career. As I get older, I ask questions that cannot necessarily be answered through books or scholars, but questions that I feel can only be explored through a spiritual perspective. Although, as I get older, I have also realized how challenging it is to learn about religion and spirituality without committing to a church or denomination. This is why I decided to do my fellowship at Lutheran Summer Music. I saw this as an invaluable opportunity to learn about religion and spirituality without fully embracing a specific religious institution. I felt LSM could introduce me to some spiritual aspects of faith that I have been craving in an accessible and understandable way, as the program is created for incoming high schoolers to college students.

Through the morning and evening prayer, Sunday worship, and chapel choir, I have delved deeper into immersing myself in honoring God by exposing myself to different religious practices and perspectives. Over this past month, I have immersed myself in this. It is essential to recognize that spirituality is intensely personal for every individual. The journey I have been taking on at Lutheran Summer Music may resonate with me more than others, but it has undeniably played a role at the beginning of my journey to finding my own beliefs to find my own spiritual path that aligns with my values and convictions.

– Erica Castillo, Lutheran Summer Music

I am currently a little over halfway through my time here at the Guild. That sentence conjures up both feelings of restlessness and anticipation.

Grappling with the reality that this is the last summer of my college career (and maybe life) has been an unexpected challenge that I have had to overcome this past month. A reality that, in the scheme of things, is wildly unimportant but nonetheless a challenge I have felt deeply. At the start of the summer, I was excited to explore the vastness of the nature surrounding me. My time was often consumed with various tasks that had to be completed before Summer Programming began, so I never really had the time to dwell on this revelation. As tasks died down and a once-foreign daily routine became my new normal, I started to have more time to miss the people that I would usually fill my downtime with. While being away from those that I love has been emotionally taxing, the supportive and uplifting community that dwells within the Guild has helped ease that discomfort.

A part of the week that I have come to look forward to is arrival day. Every Sunday afternoon a new group of participants arrive at the Guild. Welcoming them into the comforting spaces that we have prepared a day prior is always a rewarding experience. While preparing those spaces it is easy to feel as if the work I am doing is insignificant or that it leaves no real impact. However, seeing the smile on people’s faces when they are welcomed into a clean room with a blessing left on their pillow, either by the Guild staff or by the participant who stayed in that room the week before, helps make turning over rooms worth it. The constant flow of new people arriving bringing their excitement and anticipation for their upcoming retreat brings a rejuvenating feeling that I am grateful I get to experience every week.

A tradition that I also anticipate each week is closing ritual. At the end of every week, participants are invited to share a piece of their time at the Guild with the rest of the group. This can be done in various ways. Whether it be placing the project that they created that week onto the center table or verbally sharing an experience/feeling that they encountered. Hearing about the healing that people come across in this space as well as the overwhelming feeling of belonging they are left with has been such a blessing to witness. Something that I admire about the Guild is its ability to hold people and meet them where they are which often provides participants with a sense of comfort.

An additional aspect of the Guild that I have enjoyed participating in is watching Richard Caemmerer’s recorded masterclass lecture series that focuses on the history of Christian Art. We have been holding a viewing of the first episode of the series in the middle of the week so participants can encounter some of Richards’s teaching, whether it be for the first or the hundredth time. I thoroughly enjoy Richard’s viewpoints as he always seems to open my eyes to a new perspective every time I have the privilege of hearing him speak. The discussions afterward have also given me insight both on the artwork that was shown as well as on Richard himself. I cherish the knowledge that I gain from these conversations.

Something that I have noticed during my time at the Guild, is that people talk of Richard and Liz with a mix of reminiscent joy and grief. Sentiments regarding them and their impact on the Guild remain constant throughout every group of participants. Recognizing this emotion in visitors has been an eye-opening experience that has revealed a great deal about the lasting impact that kindness and compassion can have. Richard and Liz are loved by the Guild community. The fact that this place – often referred to as their passion project – is still thriving, brings comfort to those who knew them. Watching people leave with a sense of peace that their friend’s and role models’ legacy is being well taken care of is an inexplicable feeling. I’m glad I am able to play a small role in uplifting the large and important mission of the Guild.

– Erin Murphy, Grunewald Guild

As I wrap up my fellowship at Shirley Heinze Land Trust, I’ve been reflecting on my experience and looking towards the future. I have enjoyed working with a group of smart, driven people this summer who have equipped me with invaluable information to advance my career. 

Through my research, I’ve written educational policy briefs on urban agriculture, water quality, conservation easements and more. I’m proud of how I’ve been able to create and execute this project from the ground up, and I’m excited to see what direction Shirley Heinze takes this work once I transition out of my role. Not enough people in Northwest Indiana know about land trusts and their vital roles in conservation and preservation, so I hope that my work helps with outreach and education in that regard.

I’ve appreciated how the rest of the Shirley Heinze interns and I have been engaged in professional development throughout the summer. We’ve had workshops and “Lunch and Learns” over topics such as grant writing, leading and facilitating community meetings, stewardship, strategic planning and more. Several of us want to continue working with nonprofits in the future, so these meetings have given us a deeper understanding of how this sector functions. The staff here have made a conscious effort to support us in our future endeavors by giving us career advice and connections. 

I’m excited to bring back what I’ve learned from Shirley Heinze to Valpo. I’ve been able to keep my writing and editing skills fresh for my roles at The Torch and the Writing Center, and the environmental policies I’ve researched will be helpful for my political science coursework. 

A non future career-related highlight of the summer was going on intern site visits. We most recently visited Lydick Bog, which just finished an expansive capital improvement project for constructing a pavilion, restrooms and a boardwalk. The boardwalk in particular seemed like a feat of engineering, as its poles rested on top of the bog in order to reduce environmental impact and evenly distribute weight. Before this project, the trail was inaccessible at times throughout the year and could only be reached by donning hip waders and hoping for the best!

The areas we serve contain a variety of conservation types such as dune and swale, coastal dunes, marsh, forest/flatwoods, lakes and more, so there’s always something new to explore. I tend to take the biodiversity in Northwest Indiana for granted, so I’ve appreciated how willing the staff has been to show us a few of the sites Shirley Heinze protects.

The last few weeks of my fellowship are poised to be plenty busy. The interns are having a “paddle day” down the east branch of the Little Calumet River. Shirley Heinze has a kayak/canoe launch at one of their sites, so we’ll follow the river into Lake Michigan! On the final day for all interns, we’ll each give a presentation about what we accomplished this summer. It will be a bittersweet day, but I’m excited to celebrate my friends’ work!

– Grace Aurand, Shirley Heinze Land Trust

I am about two months into my summer internship at By the Hand Club for Kids, which has been gratifying. Unfortunately, my time here is quickly reaching its ending point. I am enjoying my time so much that Interning here is flying by so fast and does not feel like work! 

During a normal day of Summer programming, I was able to sit in a music class for 1st graders. It was a beautiful moment to witness the students praising God by singing and dancing to Gospel music. I even discovered that a few of my students had a true gift of singing and should consider pursuing it. 

On Friday, June 30th, we were able to treat students that made A’s, B’s, and C’s to Great America. Many of the students that went on the trip had never been, so it was great to see their faces light up as we were getting off the expressway and began to see the rollercoasters. All of the children and staff were able to attend for free which was truly a blessing. I chaperoned two students which was both fun and nerve-racking. Thankfully all three of us had a blast and no one, including the rest of the students got injured. It was a long day, but definitely worth the lifelong memories.

Yesterday, for our second personal development field trip with the other interns, we went on a Bronzeville Walking tour in Bronzeville, Illinois. Our supervisor, Peter set this trip up in order to explore the rich legacy of African American life in Chicago within the neighborhood. It is vital to learn about the contributions of different communities to Chicago’s history. There, we visited the Victory Monument, erected in 1927. The monument was built to honor the Eighth Regiment of the Illinois National Guard. It was refreshing to see the beautifully built homes in Bronzeville and view them in a positive light. 

By the Hand feels that it is important to have the students visit surrounding neighborhoods outside of their normal environment and participate in fun activities. So the students attended and I chaperoned at the Insect Fest in River Forest. The students were able to go on a bug hunt, explore bugs through dance and music, and create their own clay insects. It was a fun and unique experience for them. It is important to expose the students to different types of activities to help them better discover new interests and passions!

During my time at the internship, I have been given various projects to work on. My supervisor has tasked me with ensuring the staff has completed their Mandated Reporter Renewal training. The purpose of the training is for staff to understand the role they play in protecting children by recognizing and reporting child abuse. This project has strengthened my data entry skills and polished my time management skills. It is my responsibility that the staff has received my email to remind them to complete it and to make sure they complete it before the deadline. 

Another project other interns and I were given was to pack backpacks filled with new school supplies for the upcoming school year. The backpacks are for students that do not have the means of getting their own school supplies, so thankfully we were able to provide the students in need through a kind donation. We were able to pack well over 200 backpacks which was both fulfilling and amazing.

– Camille Jefferson, By the Hand Club for Kids

I’ve been lucky enough to have had plenty of great experiences these past few weeks working with the Care Coordination Team of Heartland Alliance Health! For some highlights, I’ve assisted in organizing outings to Lincoln Park Zoo and the Chicago Botanic Gardens, which were successful and offered fun, community-building activities to participants and staff. I’ve worked closely with one particular case manager in dividing up some of her weekly tasks involving participants, and have formed connections with participants while supporting them with attaining resources such as entrance into our program, public benefits, bus cards, medical care, and disability parking permits. I’m refining my administrative skills, especially by practicing case-noting, and am noticing an increase in my comfortability levels with directing my own tasks.

I can honestly say that I’ve enjoyed this work experience, and have felt a sense of empowerment from it in ways that I did not expect. While I did not have clear expectations going into this, other than expecting to put myself in a position to learn something, I feel as though I will be walking away from this experience more capable of taking on and being excited about new challenges that may have otherwise seemed too intimidating. I feel more comfortable than I thought I could be with new tasks such as navigating programs that are unfamiliar to me; participants showing up unannounced with a concern for me about something like their mail, or how to obtain X,Y,Z; and with conducting my own IM-CANS meetings to discuss participants’ goals for their life and their use of our program.

A huge part of that confidence has been due to the support I am privileged to receive from my team at Heartland Alliance, as well as the uplifting nature of the CAPS program and those working to uphold its design of empowering fellows through reflection on purpose and calling. With the seemingly small actions done through this program, I am working on my larger goal of showing up for people who need someone to show up for them, creating a space that provides relief and empowerment for others. I am learning this by looking to the people, places, and experiences that have allowed me to feel comfortable and confident.

I feel as though it would be doing a disservice to myself, as well as to the staff and participants I have worked with, if I were to walk away from this without the motivation to go and try something new that is working towards creating that space of comfortability and confidence for others. Not everyone has the opportunity and privilege to have a space to reflect on purpose and calling as well as to have programs in place to further support their learning, and so I don’t want to take that for granted. The refugee and immigrants participants have shown me so much about what it means to be resilient and to navigate one day at a time despite an unkind world filled with struggles that may seem unending; and the staff displays great love in their work of giving back to their community because they feel as though they have a duty to do so, despite the stress, and being underpaid for their invaluable work. I have developed a greater appreciation for the space I have to say “yes” to learning opportunities, and in my future professional and personal life alike, I will do what I can with the privileges I have to collaborate and create spaces for others to grow, and to feel comfortable and confident.

– Cylia Srmek, Heartland Alliance Health

For the past few weeks I have been working with Heartland Alliance’s Vocational English Language Training Team. So far this position has been very eye opening for me and has helped me reflect on my future. In my first week it was all about observation. I was tasked with watching various classes ranging from Level 1, the lowest level taught, all the way up to their higher level courses. Each teacher had their own way of teaching with some using similar resources and others making their own curriculum. I tutored in high school so I had a small experience doing that but I had never experienced teaching at this scale before. At this point I wasn’t sure what my job here would look like or how this position would affect my future goals but I was willing to go along for the ride! As the weeks began to progress, I went from observing to actually assisting the teachers and tutoring a few students myself! I was participating in classes everyday of the week and tutoring three days a week up until our break. I didn’t know that similar to other types of schools and classes, ESL programs give their students a break for a few weeks before starting classes again for the new year. While this was a well deserved break for the students, it took place at a difficult time for me because I was just starting to get the hang of teaching. I was really getting used to my routine and getting to know each student in the classes I was working with but now this would be put on pause. I still needed to fill my time with something so I have been tasked with handling administrative work, continuing my tutoring with students who still want additional help, and participating in registering new students. I have also been completing my tutoring training in the meantime as well so I should be able to get a certificate for it by the end of this month. I think all of these current experiences have allowed me to seriously consider the different career paths I have thought of and things that I would like to have in a work environment.

The one thing that I have realized is that teaching is extremely hard work. I was raised in a family of teachers but to see a small portion of the work they may have had to do is eye-opening. This job allows you to make such a big impact on a big and small scale but to do that you may have late nights, early mornings, and even weekends given away to finish a task. Due to the break I am currently in, I have realized that no matter what field of work I am in I need a work life balance that takes into account the value of time. I am still working the same amount of hours during this break but I have had a little bit of flexibility in my schedule. This allowed me to be able to attend my little sister’s college orientation and spend time with my family before we all leave again for college. Without a flexible schedule I may not have had the time to do that. I know that my views on these things may change as I grow in this position and have the chance to take on more projects and responsibilities. So I am hopeful to see how this experience will grow me and my expectations.

– Allison Howard, Heartland Alliance

HealthLinc continues to impress me with their unique ways of serving their patients and the communities they are in. Coming soon is National Health Center week, and HealthLinc will be celebrating by hosting Community Health Fairs at various sites in Northwest Indiana. These fairs provide wellness check-ups, sports physicals, and COVID-19 vaccines all free of charge. And, of course, there are plenty of games and food! Part of the preparation for this event was organizing school supplies that could be given away to kids in need of basic supplies. Many volunteers including myself spent several days packing backpacks full of supplies that could be sent to the site fairs. These fairs are one of HealthLinc’s biggest yearly events and contribute to the goal of creating healthy communities.

In addition to these fairs, HealthLinc’s outreach has also expanded to virtual services. Thanks to TeleHealth, we have been able to perform annual wellness check-ups and other doctor’s appointments online if needed. Now, HealthLinc is planning on launching their app which will include an array of services. One of these services will be reminding patients of their appointments, and even further, reminding them to check their vitals with their given Remote Patient Monitoring device. The app will also include health educational videos recorded by HealthLinc personnel. Some of the video topics include stress management, nutrition/cooking demonstrations, yoga/flexibility, and low impact workouts. I was given the opportunity to lead the low impact workouts, and I enjoyed every minute of it. The workouts ranged from cardiovascular training to strength training as well as flexibility and recovery. In the videos, I also informed people about the importance of exercise and how it can improve chronic conditions by strengthening the heart and training the muscles. I also touched on the need for proper recovery and nutrition after these workouts.

On top of learning skills to improve community health, I have also been able to develop my skills as a future healthcare provider. I participated in a random situational CPR training. This training simulated a medical emergency that could happen at any time in the workplace or any public area. Trainings like these equip people with tools that will give them confidence to act if someone were to collapse from cardiac or respiratory arrest.

It has been awesome to see the progress both grant funded programs (Food as Medicine and Remote Patient Monitoring) have made so far. The data we have gathered show tremendous promise for the future. Evaluating this data on a large scale is necessary, but what’s most important is how the lives of patients are being transformed. When we enroll patients in these programs, they commit to pursuing a healthier lifestyle, and we are there to provide them with the resources to do so. People find hope in knowing they ar  e part of a team. Patients and providers are all a part of one team whose goal is to achieve a higher quality of life. Patients enrolled in our programs tell us how much our care means to them and how it is changing their life for the better.

– Tytus Ragle, HealthLinc

Hello, my name is Chris Gatlin. I am a rising senior at Valparaiso University. I am interning at the Kheprw Institute and my internship title is democratizing data intern over the summer. My internship has been a new experience for me since I’m staying in Indianapolis. I am originally from Chicago, Illinois. I really love the city and I am happy to have built a relationship with the people inside of my workplace. Though I have been homesick, staying in Indianapolis has allowed me to build the relationships and connections that I would have been unable to build if I would have done my internship remotely. And has allowed me to have a more enriching internship experience.

Throughout my internship, I have completed several tasks and learned a lot about a multitude of areas. I have helped create efficient data collecting tools for various Kheprw community events. I have been trained in a program called Salesforce. I have been able to work outside to help rejuvenate some farmland that Kheprw has purchased. Also, being able to manage IT ticket requests.

My internship has taught me a lot about the value of community. Kherpw helps take care of those in its community. They host summer camps for kids in the community over the summer, a community garden that residents can use, and also have a food share every Sunday where community members can come pick up free food. Kheprw is also a very different organization than typical non profit organizations. It is a grassroots organization. There is no typical office space, the organization is pretty much run out of houses inside of the community that Kheprw supports. They have a multitude of different people who are helping work at the organization. There is a great group of younger and older ages, some people with and without college degrees, multiple cultures, people with various interests, and those with various backgrounds. But despite that, the organization still feels like a close-knit community. This is an organization that I think you will be unable to find in any other place. I came into this internship with no preconceived beliefs or expectations but when I started to work at Kheprw my mind was still blown.

I feel throughout my experience it’s not only been about the work that I have done, but also the people I have met. I really enjoy being around the people that I work with. And I have been able to meet a multitude of interesting people. Being a part of this internship has helped me find my sense of purpose in life. I want to be a person that is able to build community for themselves and others, no matter the place that I go to. I want to be able to help build community in places that have a diverse population. A population where that is a multitude of culture, income levels, gender, age, etc. Kheprw is a place that I would like to continue to be involved in and support past my internship end date. I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to have interned at Kheprw. It has been a life changing and eye opening experience.

– Chris Gatlin, Kheprw

Outside of Community Hero Spotlight in Chicago.

This is my first blog post, and I have been contemplating how to describe my experience with The Chicago Reporter. This summer has been filled out with new opportunities. Over the past month, I have come to recognize how this experience will enable me to pursue my purpose and sense of calling by exposing me to novel insights and perspectives. The Chicago Reporter’s mission resonates with my passion for giving a voice to marginalized communities and promoting justice. Through this fellowship, I have enhanced my personal development by engaging with a wide range of topics, deepening my understanding of local issues that have far-reaching effects. An important objective of mine is to emphasize unjust matters and advocate for equality, even in small areas such as Chicago.

This fellowship has played a pivotal role in my personal growth through its diverse coverage, which has expanded my awareness of a multitude of issues. Last week, I finally had the chance to meet my supervisor in person as she asked me to attend one of the events in Chicago, which is the Community Hero Spotlight. Most of my work is remote, so I only sometimes have the chance to be in action. However, attending this event provided me with a valuable chance to engage with collaborative reporters and develop new ideas for my own piece. One of my current focuses is actively assisting in investigating the issue of wealth disparity in the Chicago area and reaching out to community members, mainly from the Black and Latino populations. Engaging with community members, learning about their experiences, and listening to their insights has been an enriching and fulfilling pursuit. Moreover, my investigation assistance on the wealth inequality report has helped me gain a better understanding of the challenges that community members from Black and Latin populations are encountering. I am eager to continue shedding light on crucial issues such as poverty, social inequality, racial discrimination, and gun violence. My hope is, through the guidance of my supervisor, I can develop my own piece that allows me to amplify equality so that I can contribute to the mission of the Chicago Reporter while proposing solutions to the community. I believe that this experience is helping me understand my calling better and will be a bridge for my future career. The Chicago Reporter experience has been extremely special because not only is it allowing me to gain professional growth, but also, personally, it is connected with my sense of calling and my goals of highlighting injustice, spreading awareness, and cultivating empathy.

– Nour Alhajjeh, The Chicago Reporter

Through my time in REI development meetings and team member engagement meetings, I have appreciated Lutheran Services in America’s ability to utilize the strengths and weaknesses not only of those within their organization, but of their membership network. The LSA network consists of over 300 members all over the United States, and yet with such a big network, the goal is to make sure that each member gains and connects with LSA in a meaningful way, so as to emphasize the importance of intentional connection with the LSA network. In order to ensure members are getting enough out of the network, we have been working on the “Health and Housing” initiative. This has consisted of many one on one meetings with members of our housing collaborative to identify major projects in the pipeline, but also major stumbling blocks that people seem to be facing when it comes to implementing affordable housing. Through these meetings and conversations, LSA’s goal is to build a collaborative network that organizations and members can pull from for guidance and expertise, as well as pour into with their own shared experiences and knowledge. Several issues we identified through these one on ones were that there is limited public and private funding for members to pull from, and intense competition for LIHTC credits (Low Income Housing Tax Credit). Navigating funding limitations as well as the complexity of different local and state regulations and financing options has proved to be a common struggle of many of our members. With the knowledge of what their membership network is struggling with, LSA can thus facilitate nonprofit housing development expertise and technical guidance, as well as create a powerful national network through partners like LCEF or United Healthcare. LSA’s vicinity to capitol hill makes it a great place to advocate for change, and part of LSA’s mission is to be keenly aware of the issues their membership faces in order to assist with advocating for policies that support and drive the missions of their members.

In terms of challenges I have faced thus far, I faced a terminology barrier when interviewing for the Health and Housing initiative. There is so much to learn in terms of the different types of housing, funding, and what policies have been in place thus far and what are currently in the works, and I found myself uneducated on much of the terminology that pertains to this specific area. I found a solution through taking copious amounts of notes to go back to and look over, so that even if I didn’t fully grasp some concepts at the moment, I could figure out what they meant through detailed google searches.

I had a unique experience early on at LSA where I sat in on a meeting regarding LSA’s mission statement. Through this experience and with many others within LSA, something I have come to appreciate is their intentionality. In order to avoid diminishing the human dignity and respect of every individual, LSA strives to assure their diction serves this purpose. They explain their mission is to stand in the gap, rather than “save” individuals from their circumstances. LSA seeks to be a catalyst for change in creating a more equitable future for communities across the United States. Seeing and hearing them talk through their mission statement was extremely inspiring, especially early on in my internship, as I saw every member’s passion for their mission.

Two weeks ago, as I stopped to take a cool picture of Union Station, a young guy stopped to ask me what kind of work I did in DC. I (very briefly) explained the mission of LSA and explained that I had the opportunity to work there through a program at my school. He seemed impressed and said that my work sounded really fulfilling, with what seemed like wistfulness in his voice. I couldn’t help but reflect on how fulfillment in work was vital to me, but also how LSA is unique in that it doesn’t function like your typical non-profit. Rather than doing the hands-on work that might be considered more “fulfilling,” LSA seeks to empower, support, and connect the organizations that do the more hands-on work in order to create more positive outcomes for underserved communities and populations.

It’s really exciting to commute into DC, where people are buzzing with the latest news and “change is in the air,” but it’s also exciting because.. coffee 🙂 Ebenezers, a local coffee shop about a 10 minute walk from where I work, donates 100% of its profits to humanitarian local non-profits. The building was abandoned for 25 years before being bought by National Community Church that began its mission “Coffee with a Cause.” Being able to support businesses like this while being in DC is simply, awesome.

– Kylie Bowlds, Lutheran Services of America

What do I do?

For my CAPS Fellowship placement this summer I am working with City Service Mission as one of their City Hosts. As a City Host, my job is to welcome youth groups from across the country to Washington D.C., and serve as a guide and liaison for them during their time with us. On the first full day of their trip, I lead them on a prayer tour all throughout the city, where we discuss the impacts of phenomena such as gentrification, white flight, food insecurity/food deserts, and the intersectionality between each of those factors. As we go throughout the tour, we pray for the people of the city and for ourselves as we prepare our hearts for a week of service. Throughout the rest of the week, I take the groups to serve at several different non-profits in the city. At the end of each day, I lead them in a time of debriefing where we talk about what they’ve learned so far and how their outlooks on the city or on their own lives may have shifted.

Experience of my team

The information listed above is often really hard to swallow in a short amount of time, and is often overwhelming; however, having been a participant on trips with CSM before, and growing up in the surrounding area of Maryland, much of the information we cover is information I have been aware of for much of my life. This being said I did not experience too much of a shock this summer while we were learning everything we have to teach as staff. One of my co-workers had also been a participant at the DC location of CSM and lives nearby in Maryland as well so, he too was not too surprised by the information we trained over. Finally, our other co-worker had never been a CSM participant and grew up in Dallas, Texas so, all the information we had learned in training was brand new and a bit overwhelming for him. This led to very raw, insightful, and inspiring conversations with him as it relates to the racial, economic, and intersecting factors present in the district. Through this experience with my co-worker this summer, I have been able to, somewhat, re-live what it was like to first learn about the state of the district and rekindle the passion I have for this work.

Experience of our community partners

As summer has gone on, I have built personal relationships with the people who work for the organizations the CSM has as community partners. Some of these organizations include Martha’s Table, Seabury Age in Place, and the Garden Guild at the Franciscan Monastery of the Holy Land in America, to name a few. As I take groups to serve at these organizations, I introduce the groups to the organizations and vice versa before we begin working with them. This has become a very enjoyable part of my job as the groups are then able to see the relationship between CSM and our community partners, which makes for a much more enjoyable experience for everyone. The relationships I’ve built with the people at the non-profits are of great value to me. Many of them have helped me in personal ways during my stay in DC. Most importantly, my relationships with our community partners give me a great sense of pride for CSM because I often hear them say that they know they will have a good group of volunteers when they see one of us City Hosts walk in the door.

Experience of the youth

The most fulfilling aspect of my internship this summer has, without a doubt, been working with the youth that come in. So far, I’ve worked with ages 11 – 18, from New Jersey to Texas, and it has been an amazing experience to see all the different backgrounds they come from and the takeaways they go home with. A unique aspect of this work is that I not only get to experience a new youth group each week, but I also get to know and observe a new set of youth leaders each week as well. Given that youth ministry is the career field I plan on going into post-graduation, this is a very beneficial experience for me. From this experience so far, I have gained a new appreciation for youth ministry as well as new ways to engage the youth of today. All in all, this has been an amazing experience so far and I am greatly looking forward to the weeks I have left to come!

– Fox Wilmot, City Service Mission

This summer, I am privileged to have the opportunity of serving as a Communications and Development Intern with Community Renewal Society. CRS is a non-profit organization based in downtown Chicago that focuses on bringing together persons of faith and congregations to address the intersection of race and poverty. As a rising senior social work major, I took an interest in the mission of CRS through my previous internship at Porter County Prisoners and Community Together (PACT) and the courses provided by the Criminology department. In addition to my passion for criminal justice and prison reform, my background as a fifth-generation Japanese American compels me to speak up against acts of hate, help others heal from racial injustice, and fight for reparations for other communities marginalized by the United States government.

In addition to spending time editing the new website and sharing social media posts from CRS’s member congregations, I also have written original content for CRS in the form of blog articles and promos for the biweekly newsletter sent out to our subscribers. My first time demonstrating this skill came as a reflection for the Chicago Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability monthly public meeting. Also known as CCPSA, this commission was developed after the federal consent decree placed on the city of Chicago in 2019 after increasing reports of police brutality and the need to establish a community forum for ensuring police officers are held accountable for their crimes against civilians. The process of writing a reflection on this meeting was really insightful and impactful as it allowed me to learn more about the dynamics of police and community relations within Chicago and discover which policies and procedures would be most effective in establishing a path toward police accountability.

Overall, this experience and fellowship has helped me see social work in a new light. It’s a field that is dynamic, collaborative, and adaptable, which has given me the power to explore new approaches and challenge my previous misconceptions. I am eager to apply what I’ve learned and make a meaningful difference in the lives of those I help as I continue my journey as a social worker and CAPS Fellow this summer.

– Katie Hill, Community Renewal Society