I have had the opportunity to immerse myself in many different facets of the non-profit world during my internship at EMPOWER Porter County. I’ve done research, developed an initiative with co-workers, and presented ideas to possible collaborators. The majority of my time spent at EMPOWER was in the office, scrolling through existing youth development programs and filling my mind with case studies and facts. This was an extremely valuable task, as it taught me how much time it takes to really understand and become knowledgeable on a subject. It also taught me that research and Google searches alone are not enough for me to be inspired or to get my brain (0r heart) moving. I learned that communication and meetings are absolutely essential in the non-profit world to generate ideas, share experiences, and provide incredible insight that will ultimately make the project you’re working on a success. The meetings didn’t begin until the last third of my internship but it was certainly the most encouraging and exciting time. I, along with my supervisor and co-worker Mychal, met with numerous community leaders and professionals, all giving us extremely valuable feedback that helped shape our youth initiative. A meeting that sticks out in my mind was with Garner Tullis, the founder of Our Greater Good and former pastor of Bethel Church. After our meeting with him, I felt a renewed excitement for our project and a refresher reminding me why this project is so important to our community. His passion and heart for people was infectious and uplifting. He shared with us about his mentoring program with Our Greater Good and gave us some insight into how the mentoring process develops. While I learned a lot about how to proceed with our project and where we might have hurdles, I was overwhelmingly encouraged by the meeting. I think that’s how non-profit work is so rewarding. Yes, it is hard work and sometimes the payback is few and far between. But working collectively with other like-minded people towards the benefit of others is the most fulfilling position to me. I most definitely want to continue work in service when I graduate.

Here are a just a few realizations that I’ve come to over the past few months at EMPOWER:

• It is sometimes hard to stay motivated in an office environment when it’s YOUR responsibility to get work done. Put your phone away, make some tea, and stay focused.
• When presenting an idea to an individual or group, it usually takes several “tries” to refine your presentation so that people understand and respond well to it. Sometimes you have to have a few rough “pitches” to learn how to read people and tweak the communication style appropriately.
• Both using research and conducting research are both persuasive elements in the non-profit field.
• It takes a lot of different brains and experiences working together to formulate a proposal. It’s all really confusing and fuzzy for a while until you begin talking to people and putting more organized elements into the project.
• Ask for help and direction (sooner rather than later).
• Lastly, I realized that the non-profit world is full of extremely kind and passionate people are have a heart for others and I truly am blessed to have met so many of them.

• You will be the one connecting people one day – that day is closer than you think
• A good manager should be training their team to take his/her job
• The difference between humility and humbleness / ignorance and stupidity
• Be confident in your abilities, but do not be arrogant
• Constantly balance between your wants and your needs
• Dream big but be realistic
• One organization cannot do it all

These nuggets of wisdom were casually, but carefully, stitched into the fabric of conversations with the CPO, CSO, CFO, CEO, Directors, consultants, and other members of the NLCS family. The ‘life lessons’ listed above come from a very long list of things I learned during my 8 week CAPS Fellowship at National Lutheran Communities and Services. (I would love to share the stories that accompany the bulleted list above, however I do not have space in this forum. Please ask if you are curious!)

Behind the scenes of our video shoot. I was able to help interview the Chief Philanthropy Officer, Kathryn Baerwald.

 I developed many skills because of my work with NLCS; some of which  include – producing a video, researching end-of-life care, creating donor profiles, communicating with grantee sites, etc. It was through these tasks and wonderful conversations that the purpose of the CAPS Fellows Program became wonderfully clear – we are ALL called to a life of service. This fellowship program calls students to  action and provides a pathway to discern that call.

“You are not here merely to make a living. You are here in order to enable the world to live more amply, with greater vision, with a finer spirit of hope and achievement. You are here to enrich the world, and you impoverish yourself if you forget the errand.”  ~Woodrow Wilson

Throughout my time at Valparaiso University I have had a myriad of opportunities that have called me to action – alternative spring break trips to Washington D.C. and Selma, AL, studying abroad in Costa Rica, SALT projects in Fall and Spring semesters, a variety of classes, and this fellowship program. Each of these opportunities, and countless others, have identified a need and challenged myself and others to get involved in that cause.

The CAPS Fellows Program is unique. It enhanced an internship into a discernment process, simultaneously connecting me with distinguished alum and building my resume characteristics. I learned the power of listening and how to ask difficult questions, during ‘Reflect-ins’ with other fellows. I gained confidence in my abilities but was humbly reminded of my reliance on others’ expertise. And I gained a deeper appreciation for the opportunities and experiences I have had and how those have shaped my Calling And Purpose in Society.

One of NLCS grantee sites quoted the hymn We Are All In One Mission in their grant application and I have been continually impacted by the following verse:

We all are called for service
   To witness in God’s name;
   Our ministries are different,
   Our purpose is the same:
   To touch the lives of others
   By God’s surprising grace
   So every folk and nation
   May feel God’s warm embrace.

This theme has extended through every aspect of my summer. It holds true in my work, in the mission of NLCS, the work of all the CAPS fellows, my conversations, and what I hope for in the future. We are all called to some form of service – those forms are unique and different but we all hope to affect change and do it with grace, love and compassion.

Hiking in the Appalachian mountains with other CAPS Fellows and wonderful friends!

The delicious cake from our send-off party on the last day at National Lutheran Communities and Services.

My last full day at EMPOWER Porter County was a beautiful summer day. The sun was shining, there was a cool breeze, and beautiful cotton candy clouds littered the blue sky. My supervisors, Heather and Kaye, decided to take me and my coworker, Faith, to lunch in order to celebrate our last day together as a staff. Panera in hand, we sat outside to enjoy our meal. It was at this time that Heather asked us the question:

“So what do you two think you learned most from your time with us?”

I mulled the question over in my mind as I chewed my flat-bread. I looked out at the businesses across the street from us. Parking lots filled with nice cars and people with full wallets, ready to spend their paychecks on haircuts, electronics, mac n’ cheese, or some craft supplies. If my time at EMPOWER had taught me anything, it’s that not everyone has those opportunities, and as I finished my lunch and felt my stomach filling, I remembered the stories I had heard of kids going to school hungry, or being made fun of for only having one T-shirt. EMPOWER made me aware of my own privilege and blessings in my life. I had a great education, great parents, and great mentors. But not everyone has those gifts. Some people have to work hard everyday in order to learn, care, and survive. And some of them have to start learning these difficult lessons when they’re no older than six. When I was six, I worried about which episode of “Rugrats” would be on when I got home from school.

My point is, it’s easy to forget that people struggling to succeed actually exist. In the Valpo campus bubble we get caught up in getting a good grade on a paper, or getting that one really cute girl to notice us, when down the street there is a seven year old kid who has to take care of his/her younger siblings because mom is at work. My time at EMPOWER made those struggles tangible for me. I learned not every character is the same. Not every story has the same starting chapter.

I also learned that people can be more interesting than any character I could ever come up with. In the many meetings we had as a staff, we met with CEOs, program directors, professors, doctors, pastors, and parents. It was easy to assume what each meeting would be like, how everyone would behave, the pleasantries, the facades. But what made the meetings exciting to me was how every person was such a character. They told jokes and stories that made me understand why they do the work they do. They made funny facial expressions and asked questions. They were real people. It’s always so easy from the outside looking in to identify somebody from their title. “I’m the CEO of the local YMCA.” But his name is Bob, he likes to wear polos, and tell a lot of jokes and talk about sports. He’s not just a CEO, he’s a person with feelings and motivations just like anyone else. The superintendent isn’t just in charge of the school district. She cares about each and every kid. She is a Green Bay Packers fan and when she couldn’t find her flyswatter, she chased a fly around the office with a toy baseball bat. It’s these unique stories and quirks that made my experience at EMPOWER so rewarding. I think it’s so easy for us to forget that people are people, and not just the positions they hold or the profession they follow.

So as I swallowed my last bite of flat-bread and cleared my throat, I looked at Heather and Kaye and said:

“Ooof…where do I begin?”

It’s now been a week since my internship at Concordia Place ended and now that I’ve spent a few days sleeping in and watching Netflix instead of working, I’m starting to prepare for my senior year at Valpo and also the years ahead.

Throughout the whole summer, I was asked the typical “What do you plan on doing with your degree?” or “What are you doing when you graduate?” You know, the questions that people ask you from the moment you start looking at schools. For years, I have felt like I’ve needed to tailor my responses more to what people want to hear like “I’m thinking about becoming a teacher” or “I’m thinking about law school.” Because with a History and Latin double major, those are the job options that people expect from me. And I convinced myself that those were my future career options. But I realized that I really didn’t want to be a lawyer or a teacher. I don’t want to settle for what people expected of me. I want to do what I want to do.

Some members of the wonderful Advancement team and myself.

This past year I spent a lot of time learning about social injustices in our country. I participated in events and discussions and tried to figure out what my part in the fight is. During this searching, I started to think more seriously about working in a non-profit that serves the community, but I wasn’t quite sure how that would work.

The reason I’m so grateful for this fellowship is that it gave me the opportunity to figure out how I could follow what I was being called to do. I watched some of my friends struggle this summer with figuring out what they were called to do while I found myself reaching a clearer and clearer picture just by going into work every day.

Working at Concordia Place I learned more about what it means to run an organization. Not just becoming educated about the issues, but what it really means to work in the non-profit sector. I found myself doing a little bit of everything during my internship- things like researching foundations, writing grant proposals, designing signs, entering donor information, helping with volunteer events, social media- anything and everything that did something to help the organization grow. I worked on a lot of projects that had more to do with the day to day running of an organization and I really enjoyed doing all of that work.

A sign I created that more importantly has some statistics about Concordia Place’s year.

One of the conversations I have had with a few of my peers is “What if we don’t feel like we’re changing anything?” And this summer, I was lucky to live out these questions. Concordia Place, as an organization, does wonderful work, and while I wasn’t directly working with the kids or teens or seniors, I was contributing to the overall mission. Some days, it didn’t always feel like I was doing anything. But I was. I had the unique experience of entering the CEO/president’s donor interactions which was a bit tedious and boring, but I got to see what a CEO/president does on a weekly basis, and this information was also important for advancing Concordia Place as an organization.

I’ve always been a firm believer in the fact that every bit counts, and this summer, I got to live that out. Large change isn’t going to happen without all the people on the ground- in the offices, on the streets, wherever and anywhere there is some work to be done. We’ve got to start there and then work our way up, and I feel called to be one of those people.

One of my last days, my alumni mentor and I visited the Chicago Botanic Gardens. She took me to the Japanese Gardens and walked me over a bridge that was a zig zag because according to some Japanese folklore, evil spirits have to walk in a straight line so they can’t follow you over this bridge. She took me there so I could start my senior year fresh and ready to go without any evil spirits behind me, and I am. I’m ready to go and do what I feel called to do and what I want to do. I’m ready and the CAPS fellowship is to thank for that.

The bridge at the Botanic Gardens.

Yesterday was the last day of my fellowship with Water to Thrive (W2T) and tomorrow, I’ll be boarding my ninth plane of the summer headed back to my family. Did you get that? Nine planes. Now, I wish I had recorded the exact airtime that amounts to, but a rough estimation comes out to just short of two full days above the clouds. For anyone who hasn’t seen what I’ve been up to this summer, I’ve been in the wonderful heat of Austin, Texas. Before settling here for the summer, however, I went on a two-week trip to Ethiopia with W2T where we toured the country and experienced the results of enabling and empowering rural communities through the gift of clean and accessible water. It’s fascinating for me to think of the amount of time I’ve spent in planes this summer, because it wasn’t so long ago that I had little interest in traveling. I was comfortable with the environment in which I grew up, and I guess that explains why it’s less than a three-hour drive home from school. I am beyond joyful that I ended up at such a fantastic university that made me aware of and prompted me to go to places I hadn’t considered before.

The cover sheet for the BPD.

In my last post, I reflected on the idea that being partially immersed into another culture, especially in another country, can influence your perspective and how you understand and share that perspective with others. I have continued to grapple with that idea this summer through discussions with other CAPS fellows and conversations with those in the office. I have been especially fortunate to consider this through my work on a Best Practices Document for W2T’s implementing partners. The BPD, as it has been conveniently named, will serve as a guideline for implementing partners of W2T. Its purpose is, in part, to “ensure efficient and effective service delivery while maintaining desired quality standards.” Thus, it is a resource that will be available to NGO partners as well as a way for Water to Thrive to evaluate the quality of services that their partners provide to rural communities.

Thomas and I on the last day.

The idea of the document might sound really great, and in our research this summer, Thomas (another W2T intern) and myself have seen that there is a whole network of great resources out there for non-profits and NGOs that aim to accomplish something similar to ours. However, we have come to realize that those who work in international development must be very mindful of the role that we can play. Thomas has a saying that goes: “Never do for somebody else what they can do for themselves.” It has become something that we keep constantly on our minds as we write the document because in the area of rural water supply, failure to work by that saying has caused many water projects to fail far sooner than they should. Many good-intentioned and qualified people have worked, individually and through organizations, toward providing clean water to those who need it, and have failed to fully grasp that it is community initiative, not just expert outsider influence, that allows for sustainable projects.

As we’ve proceeded with the BPD, we’ve wrestled with identifying areas where we are at liberty to require, or should rather just recommend. We’ve also come across areas where we ought not try to offer anything because either we don’t know, can’t understand as Americans, or need to leave it completely open for the community to decide. To try to account for this, the above mentioned idea of community initiative has formed the basis for the BPD. From the selection of the location to the long-term maintenance of the project, the community is to be fully involved. The communities to be served are chosen by Water to Thrive partners based on their need, but also on their willingness and ability to manage and maintain the water point. All beneficiaries of the water are required to pay, if they are able, a small monthly amount of money that is saved toward a maintenance fund, as well as used to pay a guard who ensures that the water point is not abused. All W2T projects are required to have Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) committees. These committees start to form before construction even begins and members take on different roles to manage the water point, as well as prompt community members to make decisions that are in the best interest of all. The community is expected to contribute to the construction of the project in different ways. That may include providing laborers or even paving a road for construction vehicles. In the experience of Water to Thrive, these initiatives along with many others have led to successful and sustainable projects.  My hope is that Thomas and I were able to communicate humbly, accurately, and clearly and that the BPD may become a useful resource for W2T’s partners.

Working for W2T this summer has been invaluable to me in many ways and taught me countless lessons. I’ll just write about a few. I’ve learned how to be a better team member, as Thomas and I have needed to come to mutual decisions about the best, yet realistic, procedures. I’ve learned to struggle with a tough task, to make a plan and make deadlines, to improvise when information is lacking or an email response won’t come. I’ve learned about the constant need to put aside initial perceptions or ideas that I feel like should be used, and rather place focus on what may really be best for communities. I’ve learned that success is sometimes found in the process more than at the end. I think this last one has been the most encouraging, since we didn’t write all we wanted to into the document. It’s been an incredible journey this summer, though, as I’ve worked with great people in the office and in Ethiopia. I’m sad to leave so early, but excited to see how the experience and lessons learned this summer guide me forward.

What do you want to be when you grow up? This question rings through the days of childhood and is littered with the hopeful responses of “doctor”, “fireman”, “teacher”, “astronaut” – all things big, bold, and exciting, with the promise of a new adventure around every turn. I personally aspired to sing and act on Broadway…a dream that was somehow transformed into the world of health care. I suppose that dancing on stage and “dancing” into a patient’s room are one in the same, right?

What are your plans after graduation? Similar to the question presented in childhood, this question is also saturated with curiosity, hope, promise, and adventure. It can be daunting when faced with the prospect of formulating a response that meets the expectations of the asker. One may feel as if their path of study is a step towards life changing work, or at least the fulfillment of a personal passion that will also pay the bills, until met with the response of “oh…that’s nice…and what do you plan to do with that?”

Having embarked on a path towards nursing, I cannot say that I have ever received the aforementioned response when sharing my career choice. Instead, I am often greeted with comments of approval, head nods, and smiles. It is invigorating to have found a profession that I am passionate about and proud of, one that seeks to serve in a multitude of ways.

But the question still remains, is this my calling? Is this my purpose?

During my fellowship at National Lutheran Communities and Services I was surrounded by an array of intelligent and impressive people who each possessed a contagious passion for the mission and ministry of the organization. Each staff member was equipped with a unique set of gifts and traits that enabled them to contribute to the service of our communities and beyond. It was here that I observed the beauty that is found in the convergence of differences, of the powerful things that can happen when individuals learn to share their talents and rely upon those of others as well, acknowledging that no one person has all that is needed to complete the mission – be of an organization, or in life.

It was here too, that I was reminded of the multifaceted layers of all people. Our Chief Philanthropy Officer is an avid angler, and a great sports fan. Our Chief Financial Officer has a passion for 80s music and singing through the halls. Our Chief Strategy Officer is most at home at sea, and can often be found sporting a colorful bow tie that relates to his love of the water. At first, some were surprised to learn of these characteristics, amazed that a lawyer would be found knee deep in waders, or that an accountant could possibly have an upbeat personality. And yet these enjoyed pastimes are only glimpses into the entirety of the people who became my family for the summer, mere glances at the intricacies that compose the ones who invested in my life and taught me more than I could have ever imagined.

Just as we have a tendency to silo off the abilities of the people we meet, I believe that we have the tendency to isolate the definition of one’s calling or purpose. It can be so easy to categorize – he is a researcher, she is a sales clerk, he is an artist – all the while failing to realize that who the person is, and the way in which they influence others, extends beyond far more than the title of one’s profession.

Yes, it is true that I hope to gain the title of a nurse. I also hope to invest deeper into health and human rights policy and work in population health. But these ambitions are specific directives. They themselves are not the overarching calling or purpose of my life.

Discovering the joys of sailing with my summer family.

This summer has helped me to see that calling and purpose are not static concepts. Rather, they are fluid, and will change and grow as does my life and understanding of it.

While I hesitate to assert a specific calling over my life, such as a calling to a career, I do believe that there are core aspects of my calling and purpose that will always remain, even if the expression of them changes. Three of theses characteristics were made evident this summer as I was enveloped in an atmosphere of stewardship, community, and life-long learning.

Regardless of where I may be or what I may be doing, I will always be called to be a steward of the time, talent, resources, and relationships that I have been given by God. All of life is a gift, and as such, the calling follows to make good of what I have been given, to be responsible in all that is placed before me and around me. The circumstances will change but the responsibility will remain that all of my life may bring glory and praise to God.

Following in this is the call to community – to live in community, to create community, to recognize the community around me. The summer has been filled with reminders that who I am is a compilation of the countless individuals who have had an influence in my life, both positively and negatively. It is impossible to claim sole responsibility for any aspect of my life. Rather, each step that I take is one linked to community, the communities I am a part of, and the communities I will help to create. Our calling is embedded within the network of human relationships, and the community that I found at National Lutheran Communities and Services helped to reiterate the incredible things that can be done in a supportive, empowering, and loving community.

Breathtaking views of the Appalachians

Finally, I believe there is a call to life-long learning. To claim complete knowledge is an impeding arrogance that will prove destructive in any endeavor. NLCS taught me the value of admitting ignorance, of pursuing curiosity, of recognizing that there are endless opportunities to learn, and individuals to learn from. A life of constant learning creates a forward momentum that is contagious and dangerous – dangerous in the endless possibilities that await.

The questions of life will always continue. After graduation the queries will shift into that of what do you do? What is your vocation? While I will never have a concrete answer as to what my calling and purpose in life is, my fellowship this summer helped to reveal that such an answer is not required. My calling and purpose will always be fluid, carried forward by dynamic and overarching traits for which I am responsible. The questions will change, but so too will the answers. And for this, I could not be more grateful.

In times of uncertainly and confusion, a person desires nothing more than the calming kindness of a stranger or a neighbor, who generously offers assistance, support, and understanding. This is the ministry of hospitality. I experience this ministry every Friday when I spend my day at ICDI’s House of Hospitality, where I help the men living there with school assignments and learning English. The house, located in Cicero, IL, is for men who have been released from detention and have no other place to go upon their release. Upon hearing this process for the first time, I was awestruck by the unpredictability of it all. Dropped off on the corner of 101 West Congress, these men, uncertain of their surroundings but certainly confused on what to do next, are approached by a stranger who knows their name and nothing else. The stranger ask them to get in the car so they can take them to this mysterious house that their legal counsel has told them about. The men agree and the ministry of hospitality begins. Once they arrive, the new residents are given basic necessities: a small room to live in, clothes, hygiene products, and a small stipend for public transportation. Most, however, send a portion of this stipend to their families back home. I was more inspired by the hospitality extended to these men; yet, the residents also illustrate the ministry of hospitality in a miraculous manner.

The house is by far the most diverse place I have ever been. Fifteen men live in the home and more than 10 countries, spanning from China to Ethiopia and many places in between, are represented. All the men are bilingual and many are trilingual, yet levels of English vary the spectrum from minimal to superb. Communication, however, is not stifled by the barriers of language or culture because each man in the house extends hospitality to one another. It is as if the ministry of hospitality becomes a universal language they everyone is able to speak. All of them are separated from their families. All of them are living in an unfamiliar place. All of them are painstakingly waiting for some sort of status or permit to come from the immigration system. Many have been waiting for more than a year and a half, and the waiting will continue. The men deeply comprehend each other’s situation because they too are living the same reality. It is the shared experiences of restlessness in their waiting and anxiety about their futures that allow for the ministry of hospitality to be exercised freely. I will provide one example.

Headed to the house for the third Friday in a row, July 17^th was a steaming hot day with spectacular sunshine that Chicago had not seen all summer. As I walked in, a delicious scent of spices and smoke coming from the kitchen filled the house. I followed the smell to find a feast being prepared by Ray, who is from Rwanda and no stranger to the kitchen. I have seen Ray preparing something or cooking a meal each of the previous Fridays. Each time he offers me something to eat or drink as soon as I arrive. I asked Ray what this feast was for. With sweat gleaming from his brow he told me that today was the beginning of Eid, which is the celebration that occurs at the end of Ramadan, a month of fasting and prayer for Muslims. Ray said the Muslims in the house were downtown praying and they would be hungry when they returned. So I asked Ray how I could help and the only thing he wanted me to do was test the food. The food was almost complete when the Muslims came back drenched in sweat and in obvious need of water and food. To their surprise, Ray had prepared a feast fit for the whole house so that all could join in their celebration. The table was set, the food cooked, and hospitality was served.

The most endearing aspect of this story was knowing that Ray is a Christian. Most Christians I neither know what Eid is, nor have they ever sat down for a meal with a Muslim. Yet, Ray understood the significance of the day, he understood his fellow residents of the house would be hungry, and he understood they needed food. And so he cooked for them. The Muslims did not ask Ray to prepare a feast full of chicken, beef, rice, salad, and soup. Instead, Ray used the ministry of hospitality to invite his neighbors to the table and join in a celebratory feast of both Eid and brotherhood. As ten men, some Christian and some Muslim, from numerous countries sat around the table, I was able to witness and experience the ministry of hospitality in a way that most people never will.

Opened two years ago, the Marie Joseph House of Hospitality for Men is home to 15 men representing more than 12 countries.

Interning with the Interfaith Committee for Detained Immigrants is unlike any internship I could imagine. Most internships focus on the completion of a project or report that will be of some use for the organization and display the impressive new skills or information the intern has gathered. However, this is not the emphasis of my internship. My role at ICDI is to experience this ministry of hospitality and solidarity. I will not leave with a specific task done or a tangible goal achieved. I will leave, however, with stories, relationships, and experiences: stories of remarkable encounters such as this one, relationships with the unlikeliest of people, and experiences that will shape my thinking from now and forevermore.

In the opening introduction of the book Road to Character, author David Brooks makes an important distinction between two kinds of virtues, résumé and eulogy virtues. Résumé virtues are the list of items typically seen on your own personal résumé, the skills you bring to the job market, the ones that aid career success.

Eulogy virtues go deeper. They are those virtues that get talked about at your funeral. What relationships have you formed, whether you are brave, honest, kind, faithful, or patient. They exist at the core of your being.

Most of us would agree that these eulogy virtues are of greater importance and worth than the résumé virtues. Yet, I know that I focus more time on my résumé virtues and developing those than my eulogy virtues. I also believe our education system and society put a greater emphasis on those résumé virtues.

As my internship has come to a close with National Lutheran Communities and Services, I am grateful that I have become aware of this distinction between virtues. But better yet, I have been blessed to see examples of people who, while possessing these résumé virtues, have instead shown us time and time again that eulogy virtues are those that will have a lasting impact.

In the process of saying my goodbyes to those in the office that have made such an impression on me, I made the comment that I was grateful how everyone had gone above and beyond these past eight weeks to make our internship team feel so welcome. That person’s responded in a matter-of-fact tone, “No I don’t think so.”

As I thought about the exchange, the initial surprise of that comment, and the tone in which it was said, still resonated with me. Throughout our summer in Rockville we were treated to numerous meals, a Nationals baseball game, we were taken sailing on the Potomac River, the CFO took three hours out of his day to speak to us about accounting and finance, we witnessed a board meeting, and more importantly than all of those events, we worked everyday with people that were always ready and willing to humbly share their wisdom. Of course they went above and beyond.

In truth, National Lutheran Communities Services went above and beyond only my expectations. I had in my mind the average experience of an intern and came into the office thinking that was what was in store me. The people in the office had another idea of what it meant to host an intern. They believed it was more like welcoming someone into a family; in fact, our supervisor playfully called us his “kids.”

The eulogy virtue of generosity was apparent in my summer. Generosity is one core virtue of National Lutheran Communities and Services. In the future, as I look back on my experience, that virtue will stick with me. In turn, I hope to welcome people who do not expect it the same way that I was this summer. It is just one way I can try to develop my eulogy virtues.

Jose Lopez, LULAC of IL State Director, myself and Jesus Payan chatting about improving community outreach via social media and unified webpage for LULAC of IL.

Narratives and storytelling has been a long standing tradition in the Latina/o community. It is often in that way in which we learn; by hearing stories from the elders in our families or communities telling us of our long standing traditions from our ancestors before us, events that have occurred when the thought of us was not even conceived, still in our mother’s womb or too young to remember. I grew up with story telling and learned the importance of narratives. To my family and to our community, narratives gave a platform to the unheard. But throughout the existence of our community, we have been shamed and conditioned into believing that we should not speak up for what we believe in due to fear or retaliation of what the majority in the United States could do to us. I’ve slowly seen this fear stripped away by the courageous acts of many in the Latin@ community in the U.S. From Cesar Chavez and Dolores Huerta forming the United Farm Workers in California to protest the working conditions of the fruit and vegetable pickers in the fields, to young immigrants proclaiming that they are undocumented and unafraid and recently, to the undocumented trans activist Jennicet Gutierrez interrupting President Obama during a pride event at the White House, crying out: “President Obama, release all LGBTQ immigrants from detention and stop all deportations”, the Latin@ community has had enough. Even in the most difficult of times, I don’t believe we have ever been quiet. We simply have never been heard. And now, finally, people are listening.

Having the opportunity to attend the 86th Annual LULAC National Convention in Salt Lake City in early July, reminds me of the several facets of racism, discrimination, prejudice and systematic inequality my community has faced and continues to face to this day. It is always empowering for me to go into a room full of Latin@s that are fighting everyday, across the country, to help dispel the injustices that are occurring. It is in these spaces that we are allowed to come together, meet new people, formulate new strategies and ideas for the betterment of community at a local or national level.

Often times, in social justice work, it can feel lonely or that no matter what you do or how hard you work, it’s never going to end and it’s never going to be enough. During these times, I am reminded of a saying my mom always tells me: todo tiene solucion, menos la muerte. Everything has a solution, except for death. While at times, the work I am doing may seem insignificant to some or not enough, I know that I, along with so many other’s, are doing what we can with what we have. Attending the LULAC National Convention was a thrilling reminder for me that the work that I am doing in my community does matter. Although some days are not easy, better days will come. There’s a long road ahead and so much work to be done. It’s scary to think of what lays ahead, but I am ready to do whatever it takes to create a more just community for my people and our future generations.

I got this at the Eastern Market at the beginning of the summer. Everything did turn out to be amazing!

My roommates and I keep commenting on how quickly this summer has gone by. Two months seems like a lot at first, but now it feels like hardly any time at all. I’m entering my final week at Lutheran Services in America, which means I’m working on finishing up the projects that were assigned to me. A few of the projects I have been working on won’t be done by the time I leave, so I will be preparing those to be handed off to future LSA interns.

Outside of various smaller tasks, my two main projects at LSA have been donor analysis for the 2015 fiscal year and managing their social media platforms. The first project has involved a lot of compiling and organizing numbers in order to understand where the donations are coming from, evaluate donor trends, and formulate a new development strategy for the 2016 fiscal year. While sometimes spending hours on end working in Excel can be tedious, I’ve found myself to be quite interested by the results. This Thursday I will be giving a presentation to the entire LSA staff that will summarize the findings and help them understand a little more about where LSA’s funding is coming from.

Managing the LSA social media platforms is a different sort of project. I try to make sure that our postings are spread out evenly, so that we are maintaining a regular presence on social media. Sometimes these posts regard projects or events LSA is involved with, and sometimes they are highlighting one of our 300+ member organizations. I love posting about our member organizations because it means I get to spend time going through their Facebook pages and learning about all of the amazing projects and services they’re all providing. It fascinates me how vastly different our member organizations can be, yet they are all connected in their mission to serve others and by their Lutheran roots.

The LSA staff went to a Washington National’s game this week!

As a Lutheran, the network that LSA has created fascinates me. When I was growing up, I was always told that we are all one through Christ and that we are all connected.  That’s something I think about every day here at LSA. The work done by any one of our members is excellent and necessary, but when you take more than 300 of these organizations and find ways to connect them, that’s when truly incredible work can happen. And every single person involved in these organizations is doing service work – whether they are doing hands on work or office work. This is one of the best examples I’ve seen of the body of Christ in action. Romans 12:4-5 says, “For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” The members of LSA provide a variety of tasks, and LSA helps bring them together. We are all the body of Christ, serving in a multiplicity of ways, and touching the lives of millions of people every year. Every kind of service is a necessary part of the body of Christ and serving with LSA this summer has provided me with a unique example of the body of Christ serving God’s people.

My work at the Federation is all about details. From the exact responses to survey results and their connotations, to document formats, to the placement of questions in each email, each project forces attention to every miniscule detail. And every single detail has been important and critical to the success or outcome of each project. Working with an immense group of 56 councils around the country and in partnerships with organizations like the NEH and Pulitzer, the Federation’s effectiveness in these relationships relies on having each fact or detail correct.

However, our effectiveness is also measured in the work each council puts in to provide humanities programming to everyone in their state or territory. As the national branch, we are the promoters, advocators, and cheerleaders for the individual councils. For all of the work the Federation completes in Washington, DC, negotiating and advocating on Capital Hill, communities around the United States receive more chances to grow in the humanities. Knowing our national impact inspires me to continue to promote humanities education, to push for more literacy and reading discussion groups, and to always advocate for the value of history and literature.

I was lucky enough to experience firsthand the Board of Directors meeting last weekend in Chicago. A little bit awestruck, and a whole lot a bit nervous, I found myself in room with influential humanities scholars and nonprofit workers from both humanities councils and other humanities backgrounds. Sitting in the room during the meeting, I gained valuable insight into the underground workings of a nonprofit. Board members and Federation staff discussed items such as budget allocations, development issues, and strategic plans. Each topic was important to the inner workings of the council system, and again, all of the details were highlighted and reviewed. While the board members debated and discussed, I sat at my intern table, frantically taking notes and excitedly grasping at the pieces of information that hinted towards the Federation’s future.

As I begin the last week of my fellowship, I am filled with such a bizarre combination of sadness and excitement. The last nine weeks have been transformative, not only to my sense of self, but to my future and the place I see myself in this world. Working at the Federation has been more fulfilling and informative than I could have ever foreseen when I first learned of my placement all the way back in April. And now, I am so happy to be given the chance to continue my work here and stay I the amazing city of Washington DC. I will be working at the Federation full-time starting in the middle of August as I switch from CAPS fellow to a member of the nonprofit workforce. I am thrilled to have found a calling to promote the importance of the humanities during my time as a CAPS fellow, and I am eternally grateful for the opportunities it has provided me. Now, I get to sit and look out at this beautiful view for the indeterminate future, as I continue to discover my purpose in this world.

The Region is as diverse in its problems as it is in its population. You do not have to wander too far to see the poverty that is plaguing some of the largest metropolitan areas in “the 219.” My placement is in one the cities that has been, by and large, forgotten by the rest of the Region and left to its own limited resources to rebuild itself. The progress that the city of Gary makes can seem slow but it is truly amazing to see the good that is coming from the organizations and citizens within the city that refuse to give up on each other. I’m proud to say that the Urban League of Northwest Indiana is one of those organizations.

During the second half of my internship, I noticed that many people began to call in for rental and/or utility assistance. Unfortunately, the ULNWI does not have the capacity to help with these specific problems, but we are able to refer people to other organizations that can. It is extremely sobering to realize that something as basic and necessary as shelter, electricity, and water are not readily available to so many people. Poverty is something that we all know exists, but until you meet the people that are living in the conditions or find yourself in that situation yourself, you don’t really “get it.” This is not to say that I completely or even half-way “get it”; there is no amount of schooling or volunteering could ever make me understand what it is like to live in abject poverty. I can only speak on things as I see and understand them through the lenses of privilege that I have.

In the midst of receiving phone calls about housing assistance, we had our monthly handing out of food vouchers. One of the local churches gives the ULNWI ten vouchers per month to give to people who sign up. To put into perspective as to how great the need is for food, if someone were to call in to receive a voucher, the earliest they would be able to receive one would be mid-September. This list is made up of just people who know that we have the capability to give out the vouchers. In June, I went to a grant writing workshop and one of the organizations that was also in attendance noted that they feed about 100 children every Sunday through the soup kitchen they run. Between the two churches, over 400 people are fed per month. And that is just in one city. I cannot imagine how much hunger there is in the other corners of the Region, in my own, more privileged but by no means upper-class, community of Merrillville. Do we really know what is going on with our neighbor?

For people that are in immediate need of food and cannot receive a voucher, we are able to refer them to other organizations throughout Lake and Porter counties. That makes the uncomfortableness of denying food to “The Eleventh” person somewhat less biting. But then you wonder if they have the means to get to the other organizations to receive the food that may be available to them. It is an overwhelming issue that people who are removed from the situation can sometimes diminish. If there was any doubt as to whether or not hunger is an issue in Northwest Indiana, here is the proof.

Even fours years later, the ULNWI is still working to rebuild the US and African American community through job prep services.

As mentioned in my other blog post, the ULNWI  provides career services on Wednesdays and Thursdays and I have been able to help people look for and prepare for work. This has been one of the best things I was assigned to do, hands down. I love having the opportunity to filter my passion for helping impoverished communities and the African American community into a program that directly, positively, affects people. I love learning about people, their stories, their struggles, and their goals. The optimism they have for their future, despite the myriad of obstacles they are facing. The grit they have for being able to apply for job after job even if many of them do not result in unemployment. The amount of work and effort people put into their professional development, from making resumes, practicing interviewing, or simply learning how to use a computer, reaffirms my belief that no one wants to live in poverty and that people do desire to make themselves self-sufficient, but it takes the efforts of those who have been able to “make it” to rise out of impoverished conditions. If the ULNWI did not respond to the needs of the citizens of the Region and did not open an employment clinic, I am not sure what other resources our clients would have. If I find myself having career problems, I can fall back on my university’s career center and a couple professional connections. What other option does everyone else have?

I have been fortunate enough to learn many skills during my internship at the ULNWI. I have learned more minute things, like how to make Excel less annoying and practical things like using my training in academic writing for professional writing. I think the most important things I have learned this summer are the issues of my community. I am going to graduate school in the fall and my focus has always been on the needs of communities of color living in poverty and I hoped for a placement at the ULNWI because of the exposure to these problems I would receive. My hopes were met and exceeded. When I finish school, I want to spend some part of my career improving the conditions of people living within the Region and this summer affirmed that desire. I see so much potential in the natural resources and people of the Region. With proper care, we could be the envy of the Midwest. But in order for that to happen, we cannot ignore the problems of our neighbors. We cannot hope that things will one day change. There must be a conscious effort made to make the Region reach its full potential. Working at the ULNWI has shown me that those efforts have started. Those efforts are creating the progress this area so desperately needs. I am proud of the service that I have done this summer and I am very excited to see in what capacity I can help during and after graduate school.

Since first stepping foot onto Valpo’s campus as a freshman three years ago, the infamous “What are your plans after graduation?” question has always been daunting.  My typical response provides a semi-decent answer, as I mention my aspirations of a career in the nonprofit world. Yet, the follow up question—“What do you plan to do in that field?”—is more challenging. My 21-year-old (male) instincts tend to kick in at this point, and I reply with a simple, “Not sure. I still have to figure that out.”

I’m realizing, though, that things need to be figured out fairly soon.

Over the past month, my time at Legacy Foundation provided several opportunities for me to realize three key organizational characteristics that are essential for the nonprofit in which I will someday work. Whether observing a diverse group of area residents rally behind Legacy’s collective impact initiative known as “Neighborhood Spotlight”, conceptualizing hurtful charity practices set forth in Robert Lupton’s book Toxic Charity, or seeing grantees’ excitement as they report back on the progress of their grants, each offers unique glimpses into the criteria I will look for in a future organization.

1. Shares Christ’s love

I want to be inspired to work for a cause that fulfills deep, intrinsic calling to greater purpose on this planet. Every nonprofit organization claims to touch on this in some form through its mission: art, dogs, nature, education, poverty, etc. All are important. All are impactful. All are different. And it’s in this variety that opportunities—and pressure—arise.

As the community foundation serving Lake County, Indiana, Legacy Foundation provides grants to local nonprofit organizations that work to transform lives of Lake County residents. I’ve witnessed nonprofit diversity within the last month when traveling with Legacy staff to visit these organizations for progress checks. It’s very evident that each organization is comprised of passionate individuals that are fulfilling their purpose by wholeheartedly committing to their organization’s vision.

Reflecting upon my own purpose, I am reminded of the importance in connecting my faith and career together—something that I was called to do after taking a mission trip to Haiti several years ago. My heart’s deepest passion is to make a difference for Christ in the world; I am reminded of this again and again. Although I am still discerning the details of what this will look like (let’s save that for another post), I know that my calling and purpose is to work in a faith-based nonprofit organization that shares Christ’s love.

2. Empowers others

Sure, it may sound straightforward, maybe even redundant. But I believe that empowering others to proactively take initiative should be intertwined into every organization. This very notion is at the heart of Legacy Foundation’s “Neighborhood Spotlight” initiative, as the program fosters collaboration from all community sectors (citizens, nonprofits, corporations, government) to tackle community issues through collective impact. In other words, Legacy is empowering residents to catalyze community change. This intentional investment into residents’ lives is creating great momentum for this region.

3. Seeks opportunities

I believe that nonprofits must constantly pursue opportunities to advance their missions, for doing so fosters the discovery of ways to help more people. Many times these efforts produce partnerships that create new programs and projects that would otherwise be unattainable if attempted alone. Collaboration is highly important at Legacy and is seen in many of its programs, including Neighborhood Spotlight. Organizations that boldly seek opportunities make the greatest impact—and I want to be part of that.

As I hope to work for a faith-based nonprofit in the near future, I am encouraged by the insights learned through my time as a CAPS Fellow. The three aforementioned criteria serve as guides to my vocational pursuit and will undoubtedly help me the next time I am asked about post-graduation plans.

Site visit group photo at Taltree Arboretum & Gardens in Valparaiso.

As I come to the end of my fellowship with LULAC of IL in Cicero, I had a great opportunity to attend the National Convention that was held in Salt Lake City, Utah. WOW! This place was amazing. The view of green, breathtaking mountains behind the city really blew my mind. The weather was perfect. You know why? Because they were little to no flies and mosquitos, the sun set around 9:30pm, and low humidity. The city was like the ocean on a calm day with a nice breeze.

The convention catered to around 5-6,000 LULAC members during the week long convention. It was a nurturing weekend because I was able to spend time with LULAC State officials on the plane, over dinner, dance floor, workshops, and have intellectual conversations. I really bonded with the LULAC of Illinois State Director, Jose Lopez. I would ask questions and he would have answers, especially during elections. Elections were hectic and borderline madness. I asked Mr. Lopez, “I don’t see unity here at this election. People are yelling and being disrespectful. Is this how it usually is”? And he chuckled a bit, bowed his head a little closer to me and said, “This is expected. It happens every year in nearly all elections. It even happens within Democrats when they are voting because people may have strong, opposite opinions on certain topics. It’s the nature of elections, but LULAC always puts aside personal opinions and comes together for the larger issues”. As a biology major, I have no academic background in political science. However, Mr. Lopez really opened my eyes to the realm of politics in a coachable and effective way. And for that, I appreciate his patience in mentoring me and allowing me to challenge my preconceptions of politics.

After my fellowship, I plan to remain as an active member of LULAC and continue making myself of a resource for the community in whatever way that may be. I love my Latina/o community. But I recognize and understand the intersectionality between the entire spectrum of race, ethnicity, class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and ability. I would like to continue my work to fight against social injustices and institutions that support institutionalized discrimination to create an inclusive and transparent community.

It is up to us, as Valpo leaders, to voice the struggles of our community through ACTION and ACCOUNTABILITY!

Salt Lake City, Utah

LULAC National Convention in Salt Lake City with Rocio Pulido

LULAC of IL delegates ready to vote

Jose Lopez, LULAC of IL State Director, Rocio Pulido and myself chatting about improving community outreach via social media and unified webpage for the state of Illinois

In my last post, I talked about the exciting opportunities I was given right out of the gate at the United Way of LaPorte County, I have been able to dive deeper into the great work that this organization is behind. After my last post, I was able to aid local youth, of the Michigan City Police Youth Academy, in building cardboard boats for the Annual Boat races on Lake Michigan. The race was this past weekend, a beautiful Saturday for the community to gather to watch not only kids, but also adults put their cardboard creations on the water. (I have attached photos of both the building and the race day). It was fantastic to be able to work with some of the youth, just being able to watch them work together to get a task complete has made this experience worthwhile.

The community garden that I previously blogged about, is coming together nicely, with an ADA approved area for gardening to those with disabilities. Plants are planted, mulch has been laid to create paths, and the fencing is nearly complete. One neat occurrence around this garden is that someone anonymously delivered plants for the garden.

I have been spear heading a new way to raise funds through our campaigns. The United Way generally runs a campaign from August to February to raise funds for projects and other organizations that we sponsor. With that, our Executive Director suggested that we should use Network For Good, a non-profit that uses an online platform to raise funds for non-profits. Next week, I will be presenting this platform and how to use it to the Board of Directors. We are attempting to reach potential donors through Facebook and other social media platforms. It is a way to keep up with the adapting market while still keeping in touch with our prior donors.

Last Friday, a representative from the Indiana Association of United Ways, came and spoke with us and some other regional volunteer and staff personal to talk about ways to handle the new campaign season. It was nice to hear much of what he had said, was right in line with what we are trying to promote with this new platform to reach both previous and potential donors for this campaign season.

Being home has its perks. I have been able to utilize the contacts that I have made in the past, as well as creating new ones. Any social event that Kris or Dave (the Executive Director and the Manager of Community Engagement), I will tag along to learn as well as connect with leaders in the community.  I am getting near the end of my time with this organization but I have felt welcomed and that I was able to be a part of something bigger than myself. I am reminded of a phrase I heard at a very young age, “It takes a village…” meaning that it takes all of the people within a community to create change or promote societal well-being. Comment or questions, I will respond. Live United!