Hello world!
This past year can be described in only one word: CHANGE. I realize that I posted only 1 post in all of my sophomore year, but that is because I was trying to figure out who I was and I was learning to take care of myself for the first time in my life.
In fall of 2018, I finally went to a therapist and psychiatrist for the first time ever, got diagnosed with free-flowing anxiety disorder and panic disorder, and got put on anxiety medication that has helped me more than I can explain. I have spent countless hours since then reading books, practicing new forms of mindfulness, meditating, taking care of my body, and doing a whole lot of self discovery and I am happier now than I have possibly ever been.
Now, in November of 2019, I have some great things going on and I'd love to share them with you all!
I'm currently interning full-time in the political affairs department with NARAL Pro-Choice America, fighting for pro-choice candidates and women's reproductive rights across the country. This organization is absolutely incredible, and I love going to work every day. Recently, I was sent by NARAL to do some work in Kentucky for Andy Beshear's campaign for Governor, and let me tell ya, I am STOKED to see that our hard work has paid off.
I also recently found out that I will have the coolest opportunity to go to Alabama next weekend to follow and study the Civil Rights Trail and all those who fought for equality and voting rights. My campus held a three-session long lecture series called "Activism and Advocacy in the United States," in which experts came to speak with students about the Women's rights movement, the Gay rights movement, and the Civil Rights movement. At the end, students had the chance to apply for an all inclusive trip to fully immerse themselves into a weekend in Selma, Birmingham, and Montgomery to study the civil rights trail and movement. I applied, writing a piece on the affordable housing crisis in the US and explaining why I felt so strongly to attend, and ended up getting chosen! So, next weekend, I'll be flying down to Alabama with two other students and a staff member at NYU, to experience just a small fraction of the incredible and world-changing work that was done during the 1960's in our country for civil rights.
The weekend after that, I will also have the chance to be a panelist and workshop leader at Georgetown day school's Summit on Sexual Assault and Consent. After sharing with my therapist (who also works at that school) stories of my own personal experience with sexual assault, she invited me to be a panelist on their Survivor's panel, with three other survivors of sexual assault (one of which is a Weinstein survivor), and we will get to speak to hundreds of students, educators, and professionals about our experiences and life afterwards. I will be hosting a workshop also, called "Bystander Intervention: How can you reduce and prevent sexual assault and domestic violence?” in which I will train folks on how to intervene in these situations and how to actively work to reduce and prevent sexual assault and various forms of violence. I am so incredibly excited for this opportunity.
Otherwise, I am just working and going to school and taking care of myself! I am so excited to go home for Thanksgiving and my (20th??) birthday in a few weeks, and I am excited to finish out this awesome semester, stronger than ever.
I'll add a few pictures from my last few months and I will hopefully update more often now!
Thanks for reading this life update that none of you asked for but I'm giving you anyways. Go Andy Beshear, I love Kentucky, and I'll talk to y'all soon.
Mere
