It’s hard to believe, but only one week remains in my summer 2014 CAPS Fellows tenure here at Lutheran Services in America (LSA). The weeks have seemingly flown by, with new happenings popping up for me every day as the Public Policy and Advocacy Fellow. After wrapping up a benchmarking and research project regarding our advocacy social media outreach at the end of June, I revived our advocacy Twitter account and am currently managing our tweets from that platform. So if you are looking to follow the Federal advocacy and policy work of LSA, be sure to give @LSAAdvocacy a follow! In addition to my work with social media, one of the most exciting developments in my work with LSA is tracking a piece of legislation – which actually just passed the House on July 23^rd!

Leo Villareal’s “Multiverse”, a 40,000 LED light display at the National Gallery of Art

I began the summer following the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Improving Opportunities for Youth in Foster Care Act (H.R. 4058), which passed the House in late May and was then introduced in the Senate. But on June 26th, a new bill addressing this topic was introduced on the House floor, representing a reconciled package of House and Senate bills, including H.R. 4058. The new bill, entitled the Preventing Sex Trafficking and Strengthening Families Act (H.R. 4980), addresses several issues including the prevention of domestic child sex trafficking in relation to the child welfare system, the reauthorization and expansion of the adoption incentive program, and improvement to child support. In order to track the bill, I have done research on the legislation, as well as attending coalition meetings to gather information and gauge interest from child welfare organizations in the bill. Human trafficking is an issue of particular of interest to me, after first hearing about the massive scale of modern-day slavery at a gathering of college students in January 2013 called Passion. So needless to say, the opportunity to track a piece of legislation that could have an impact on populations vulnerable to trafficking has been an experience for which I am thankful.

A nighttime view of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, from the Georgetown Waterfront

Living in the District for the summer has also provided a variety of opportunities to explore for sightseeing and learning. I spent some time exploring some sites on my DC bucket list recently, including the National Gallery of Art and the National Portrait Gallery (yes, that’s two separate locales, but both are plenty worthy of exploration!). I also ventured off the beaten path to a lesser-known site in the Columbia Heights neighborhood called Meridian Hill Park. A structured urban park built in the mid 20^th century, Meridian Hill is a nice urban oasis, a great place to do some afternoon reading or do some people-watching – I recommend a trip! I also spent an afternoon enjoying the architecture at Union Station, while I grabbed a bite to eat for lunch. Exploring D.C. always provides for some new adventures.

In addition to my in-office work at LSA, I’ve had the opportunity to set up my own Hill visits with Congressional staff. Last week, I met with staff from Sen. Michael Bennet and Rep. Cory Gardner (both are Congressman from my home state of Colorado) to share information about the work and strength of the LSA network. I’ve also been fortunate to attend a variety of coalition gatherings, briefings and other meetings this summer with Bob Francis, LSA’s Director of Public Policy and Advocacy.

I tagged along with LSA’s Director of Policy and Advocacy, Bob Francis (pictured), to a meeting of the national board of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) at United Way Worldwide HQ in Alexandria.

In many ways, my portfolio has mirrored Bob’s portfolio this summer, because of LSA’s unique position of representing organizations that offer a variety of services and serve many different populations. Because of our members’ large footprint in senior and children, youth & family services, I’ve been able to tag along with Bob to a variety including the Leadership Council of Aging Organizations, Washington Policy Council, and even a national board meeting with the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP). It has been exciting and educational to sit at so many different tables and hear from different people this summer. Just a few weeks ago, I was able to listen to Sylvia Burwell, the new Secretary of Health and Human Services, speak at a briefing on the Affordable Care Act and Marketplace Updates at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Sadly, only a few days remain of my time at LSA, so I will be looking to make the most of every remaining moment.

The summer has been an educational experience for me every step of the way, and getting to know the staff at LSA, as well as at some of our member organizations around the nation, has been incredible. To see the hard work and dedication of these folks is inspiring. Whether they are doing regular office work, serving as a case manager, or anything in between, God is at work in these individuals. No matter what the job, they serve to see the words of the prophet Amos ring true – “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24). To see God’s work done in the world – that is something that can keep getting you up in the morning.

On July 15th, I attended a strategy meeting for charity tax reauthorization with other non-profit sector leaders. (H-107 is located in the office of the House Majority Whip – currently California’s Kevin McCarthy.)

New HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell addressed attendees of an ACA update meeting earlier this month.

When I hopped on a plane departing from Reagan National Airport in December 2013, I knew I wasn’t leaving D.C. for the final time. After spending a semester studying and interning in the District through the Lutheran College Washington Semester, I was confident that I wanted to return to Washington at some point, but I knew figuring out my return would be a long row to hoe. It’s funny how things work out. By the grace of God, the opportunity to take part in the inaugural CAPS Fellows Program presented itself to me, and here I am – back in the District of Columbia.

Okay, enough with the nostalgic romanticizing. Let’s talk about how I am actually spending my summer. My CAPS Fellows placement has slotted me as the Public Policy and Advocacy Intern at a health and human services network organization called Lutheran Services in America. LSA is a network with over 300 service providers all across the United States and even in the Caribbean. My position supports Bob Francis, LSA’s director of public policy and advocacy.

Let me interject by saying my experience to the world of public policy was very limited prior to this summer. My fields of study at Valpo are primarily communication and theology, so I was nervous at the prospects of navigating uncharted waters this summer. Regardless, I recognized an amazing opportunity to “expand my portfolio” and get great experience in a new area – advocacy and policy, specifically relating to health and human service provision.

CAPS Fellow Caleb Rollins enjoys an apple for lunch near the Capitol, across the street from LSA’s offices.

Our daily commute involves a trip on the Metro.

Even with a lack of experience in the policy world, the opportunity to take part in the work of a social ministry organization liked LSA was something I jumped at. My experiences at Valpo have cultivated in me a passion for seeing God’s work done in the world – a passion for caring for the least of these (Matthew 25:40), speaking up for the voiceless (Proverbs 31:8-9), giving generously (Deuteronomy 15:10) and in everything, being involved in work which reflected the character of God (Psalm 68:4-5). LSA appeared, and has proven to be, an organization involved in such work.

In my first several weeks as the policy intern, I have been able to take advantage of LSA’s unique position by “sitting at multiple tables” in the D.C. world. In fact, on my very first day, I attended meetings at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) with LSA’s Disability Network (LSA-DN) members, where I quickly learned that learning to speak the language of acronyms would be helpful for this internship. My first week also included a quarterly LSA staff meeting and a visit to one of LSA’s local members, Lutheran Social Services of the National Capital Area (LSS-NCA), to learn more about their programs and services.

The main project I have worked on thus far involves an analysis of LSA’s social media advocacy efforts, evaluating the current presence and researching best practices from similar organizations in their use of social media for advocacy purposes. Another part of my internship responsibilities includes attending legislative briefings, Congressional hearings, and other meetings on behalf of LSA.

Sitting between the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial, the National World War II Memorial is one of D.C.’s newest monuments.

A few of these meetings from the first few weeks particularly stand out. This past Monday, fellow CAPS fellow Caleb Rollins (how about that phrasing?), and I attended a White House briefing on the Affordable Care Act (ACA) for Faith and Other-Community Based Organizations, where White House and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) officials thanked leaders for their work in educating and enrolling people in Health Insurance Marketplaces across the country. I recently attended a House Budget Committee (chaired by Rep. Paul Ryan) hearing on the “War on Poverty” several weeks ago. And just this past Wednesday, I attended a briefing hosted by a coalition called Advocates For Families First, who recently released their first public policy agenda with legislative recommendations for adoptive, kinship, and foster care policies.

Needless to say, the first part of the internship has been a whirlwind and each day is a learning experience in itself. I can also say that my internship experience the second time around has been quite different from the first. Making the switch from the government side to the non-profit world has given me a different perspective on the D.C. arena and the challenges that come with non-profit work. I am thankful to be working in support of Bob Francis, LSA’s policy director. Bob is a wellspring of knowledge in the policy arena and many other areas, and just getting to meet with him is a promise of boatload of information and thoughtful perspective for me to consider.

Nearly to the halfway point of the summer, looking back at all I have experienced thus far almost makes me giddy – D.C. is an incredible city to live in! Beyond all of the opportunities at work, summer adventures have included exploration of Georgetown, taking in the monuments at night, wandering through the United States Botanic Gardens, a trip to Nationals Park, watching the U.S. play Germany at a viewing party in Dupont Circle and of course, checking out a couple of museums.

Can’t wait to see what the rest of the summer holds – to God be the glory!

US Marine Corps War Memorial, better known as the Iwo Jima Memorial, at sundown.