November is almost over

Hmmm I haven't blogged in a while but watching my roommate write posts for her blog and reading other people's great posts have given me some blog-envy and moved me to write. After having tiptoed into the colder months with what I assume was unusually amazing weather for October in Chicago, winter is finally upon us. Fortunately, I've had the foresight to save the restaurants directly in and right around Wicker Park for the wintertime so I'll still be motivated to try new food establishments when it gets disgusting outside. Chicago just got a Michelin guide so hopefully I'll be able to explore some of the highlights soon! I've also been making regular visits to the Art Institute and am becoming quite good at navigating the CTA.

At work, I've routinely started going out in the field to do energy audits-- this consists of traveling all over (the south side, the north side, the western suburbs) and is giving me the opportunity to see parts of the city (and boiler rooms) that I otherwise would not have ventured into. Last month, I got to audit the Greater Chicago Food Depository which is an amazing 270,000 square foot facility built specifically as a warehouse to store food for distribution to pantries, soup kitchens and shelters all over Cook County. I got to see all of their kitchens and giant refrigerators and even got to 'inspect' the roof. It was a very impressive operation and while I'm not sure there's much we can do for the energy efficiency of the building (they thought a lot about that while designing the building), it was fun to get the deluxe tour. Our program normally works with residential buildings, so on a more day-to-day basis, I meet with building owners/property managers and review their heating equipment and units. These visits are followed up with reports detailing suggested retrofits with cost analysis, financing assistance and bid solicitation/construction oversight with contractors. The split between field work and office work is something that I'm really enjoying about my job at CNT Energy so far.

Thanks!

I can't believe it's almost the end of November. Even though Thanksgiving was a few days ago, I've decided to use this post as a space to share what I'm thankful for.

1. I'm incredibly thankful for my fellowship at Umoja.

November has been super busy for me. The Writers Workshop has been moving along (mainly smoothly but with a few bumps in the road). Much of the responsibility for the program is in my hands now. It's strange/exciting to be setting meetings, creating agendas, really lead-facilitating, and making decisions about how I would like the group to be run. I'm already starting to think about what I want the next semester to look like. I've also been helping out with student leadership on Wednesdays. It's fun to get to know some more of the students within the school, get further practice facilitating, and work within a different realm of Umoja. The job is exhausting and as supportive as the staff is, it really helps to know that I have the support of my family... which brings me to my next point.

2. I'm thankful for my family.

I love that my family is available to talk, troubleshoot, etc. whenever I need them.

It was too expensive to fly home for Thanksgiving and Christmas so I decided to just fly home for Christmas. My sister came to visit me in Chicago for the week of her Thanksgiving vacation. It was a lot of fun showing her around (I took her to the November open mic at Manley where I work) , and doing touristy things such as seeing (and taking a picture on) the Sky Ledge of the Willis (prev. Sears) tower. She was impressed with my cooking and thought I was more mature!

3. I'm thankful for my mentor and her generosity.

My mentor, Becky, happened to be at Umoja on Tuesday. While we were catching up, I mentioned to her that my sister was in town. Becky asked me what we were doing for Thanksgiving and I said we were just going to have a small dinner at my place. Without hesitation, Becky asked me if we would like to come over to her house for Thanksgiving dinner. After I discussed it with my sister, we decided to take Becky up on her offer. It was really nice spending time with Becky's family and friends. Even though I was not with my own family, I was in such good company. Becky's sister even asked me if I wanted to spend Christmas with her family! (too bad I'll be back in NYC)

4. I'm thankful for the awesome people around me.

Chicago is a really great city and I'm glad this is where I've begun my professional life. The city's really easy to navigate, the people are super friendly (something my sister could not get over... if only New Yorkers could be so nice), and there is so much to do.

The fellows from Princeton, U Chicago, and Northwestern have really come together. There was a Thanksgiving dinner (hosted by two awesome Princetonian fellows) and it was a big success. I've attached a picture from that night. It's nice to have a sort of built-in social network since I'm not from Chicago and did not come here knowing many people.

I appreciate knowing that I can voice any concerns (though I haven't had to do so) to P55 folks back in Princeton or our Chicago contacts.

Happy Thanksgiving!

One of my favorite stories to tell about reunions is this: my sophomore year, I saw a young alum standing alongside the P-rade. She held a sign as the older alums walked past: "Thanks for the Job!" For the more recent classes, she flipped it around. It now read: "Have Job, Need Husband."

I don't think I'd ever have her guts (and I'm very, very not ready for a husband yet), but I would like to take a moment to thank all of the people who make AlumniCorps possible. Thanks for the job, Happy Thanksgiving, and lots of locomotive cheers for everyone!

First Post... Finally

I am willing to say it: I am one of the happiest Project 55 Fellows I know. As an extremely superstitious person, I hesitate to “jinx” myself by declaring my happiness, because you never know when the fates will turn against you. However, my bizarre and blatant happiness has become a running joke amongst my friends and roommates, so I feel comfortable sharing it electronically with you all. Given this insane happiness, it is curious that I have waited until mid-November to blog, but ce la vie. Perhaps I was too busy smiling to log-in.

I guess I should start at the very beginning of my Fellowship with Education Through Music and branch out from there. Forgive me for the rambling nature of this long post; shorter and more frequent posts in the future--I promise!

When I moved to the city in September (two days before my start date), I was terrified. As I unpacked my boxes, my mind reeled with questions: What if they don’t like me? What if I loathe my day-to-day tasks? What if I am attacked by rabid dogs on my way to the subway and die before I can clock in for my first day? These concerns haunted me as I attempted to unload all of my stuff into my 6x10 room with no windows. I had never held a true 9-5 job for longer than a summer, and my stomach turned just as I imagined the grim possibilities.

In reality, my first day was rabid-dog free and absolutely fantastic. The instant I entered the ETM office, I was surrounded by smiling faces. I think the most amazing thing I have discovered about the non-profit sector is that: everyone has warmth in their eyes. Smart, driven, and passionate people exist everywhere, but I found that the warmth in the ETM office was something I had not yet encountered in a workplace environment.

I also could not have asked for a more welcoming schedule; I spent the first part of the day talking with our HR representative and going over logistics. Then, I observed some teacher training sessions led by ETM’s Director of Programs, Peter Pauliks. My start date coincided with the annual ETM training boot-camp for our music teachers, and so I got to meet all of our music teachers and get a detailed look at the program’s mission and process. Then, in the early afternoon everyone in the office headed out to a kick-off barbecue at one of our partner elementary schools. On my first day, the executive director of Education Through Music handed me a beer, and said “Welcome to our family, and relax!” Honestly? What could be better than that for a first-day on the first-job-out-of-college story?

I think that great non-profit organizations are formed by strong leadership, and our Executive Director, Katherine Damkohler, is a shining example of how positive energy and passion for a cause can infect others and motivate them to work hard for results. There is no competition between colleagues because ETM stresses teamwork to accomplish its goals. We support each other, because we all share the same passionate intensity for bringing music to inner-city school children. I mean, wow. Could this organization be a better fit for me? I don’t think so. Music has been integral to my education, my friendships, and my self-discovery and personal growth. I honestly do not know who I would have become without my experiences studying, performing, and celebrating music. Whenever I feel the slightest bit of fatigue or frustration creeping up on me as I work on an excel spreadsheet, I just think back to my personal experience. Competing in choral competitions, standing on the carnegie hall stage, singing duets with my best friend for 6 years in school concerts, traveling with my a-capella group, performing in musicals, learning to sightread and compose,or studying opera etc..... Some of my deepest friendships and hardest life-lessons came through studying music, and I absolutely believe that every child deserves to study music and learn all of the life-lessons that accompany that education.

So, I hit the ground running. One of my favorite things about ETM is the agency it gives its employees. From day 1 I was encouraged to think outside the box, speak up in meetings, and pursue my own projects. And--- I did. Within my first month, I had organized a few of my own initiatives for the organization, and I had even run my own fundraiser! I am sort of the “point person” for my project to expand/ advertise ETM to college campuses, and increase our “young/ student musician” base. I have also written articles for our quarterly ETM Newsletter; written my own promotional activities, and reached out to various contacts in the music industry and non-profit network. From the moment I was on staff, I felt that my co-workers valued my opinion and I was encouraged to offer my criticisms and comments. I have been really fortunate to see both sides of non-profit Development (grant writing and PR/personal relationships). My initiatives continue, and I have found that when you are spearheading a project for a cause you are extremely passionate about, you lose track of time and work really hard on it.

What I have learned about myself from this process thus far: when I believe in the mission of an organization, I can get a lot of people to do what I want. I mean, a LOT. Friends, family, strangers...everyone. Essentially, if you know me, then you are about to know about ETM. And if we are just meeting, you might walk away knowing more about my organization than about my background. I have always been a good salesperson (all of my past jobs have been in sales/customer service) but ETM has brought out a side of me that I didn’t even know I had. I guess, you could call me a crusader, now? I definitely miss academics (especially languages!) in some ways. The reading, writing, the heated debates-- ahh how I crave it! But ETM has given me something perhaps even more powerful than my love of academia---power to give back. My weeks fly by, I work through lunch breaks, because when you believe in the mission, it doesn’t feel like work. It just feels like the right thing to do. So, in conclusion: Thank you P55 for placing me with such an amazing organization.

I promise to post again soon! :)

To the Circus or shall I say Children's Socialization Group?

An unusual number of mothers arrive for the Thursday group intended to improve the children’s socialization skills. Indirectly though, the group permits my supervisor, a clinical psychologist, to observe how mothers are interacting with their children and intervene if there are any habits that might be detrimental to the child's development. Usually there are three staff members there to help lead the group, but unforeseen circumstances leave me alone with 7 mothers and their lively and loud children. By this time in the year, I know all the children by name, face, and giggle, but it is intimidating for me to be left in group mostly composed of mothers. Will it be awkward for mothers? Will the session ultimately be a prolonged silence interrupted only by a slight cough or shift in a chair?

After my supervisor serves the food to the families, she leaves to see a patient. I eventually make my way, constructing postmodern houses with foam blocks, playing plastic drums, and getting fed crackers and cheese by the kids. Sitting next to mothers, I inquire about their work weeks, their holiday plans, and their child’s progress. Surprisingly, one mother expresses how tired she is from working long hours at a corporation, especially now during the holiday season. Our conversation is mollified by the two-tooth smile of her young daughter, who now knows, according to the mother, where her mouth, nose, and ears are.

Wading through the blocks, puzzle pieces, jingly balls, and trinkets, I eventually make my way to the parachute my supervisor had purchased last week only to have all the children scared of its purples, pinks, and yellows, but this time as I grab its edges, other children draw close, curious to discover its use. Slowly, I lift my arms as the circle becomes a hemisphere bending and tilting in the air. The children that have gathered around scream in excitement as the colors slowly drift until they come to a rest. Unexpectedly, some of them look at where my hands are placed and grab hold of the edges. Then with anticipation in their eyes, they flap their small arms, sometimes unable to create enough momentum to send the parachute into the air. Before too long though, a mother approaches the parachute and helps send it flying through the air. Children dart underneath momentarily, sometimes preferring to remain there than return to the outside. Up and down, down and up, we wave our arms jumping beneath the descending blimp and jumping out just before it touches our heads. As the parachute lands one last time, I find it difficult to sing, “Clean up; clean up. Everybody do your share…,” since all I really want to do is keep the swirled circus roof in the air so we can all enjoy its fluttering wonders.

So far, so good

On Tuesday I went back to Princeton to participate in a panel sponsored by the Princeton Varsity Club, Alumnicorps, Princeton-in-Asia, Princeton-in-Africa, and Princeton-in-Latin America, which was designed to get more varsity athletes interested in these public interest programs.

It was nice to be back on campus for the first time, and I realized as I fielded questions from the audience, that I've already learned and experienced so much since graduating just a few short months ago. My p55 experience has allowed me to learn about the nonprofit sector as a whole and about working as part of a mission-driven organization.

There's nothing like telling a room full of people about the benefits of doing an Alumnicorps fellowship to reaffirm your own appreciation for the position. Being forced to articulate aspects of my experience so far (such as "what has been the most rewarding", etc) provided me the chance to reflect.

My visit to Princeton was a short as this blog post. It wasn't even long enough to stop by the Bent Spoon! But it was definitely worth it.

ps- Every year the NYT does a pull-out section on issues relating to charity and philanthropy. Last week, I read through all of the articles in this year's section and typed up a brief snapshot of the coverage. Check it out on the Foundation Center's PhilanTopic blog if you're interested! You can find the post here.

Meandering

Faded and tattered, the Puerto Rican flags strung from window to window flap in the wind, baring through each shred the blues of early morning. Passing under them on our way to the administrative offices, my supervisor and I acknowledge silently their haunting presence, as if their wraithlike bodies kept watch over a community similarly out of time and place.

As we make our way beyond this street, my supervisor stops to greet clients from the clinic on the street, which surprises me since confidentiality is so important at the clinic. For me it is a new kind of community outreach, one that goes beyond the walls of any institution and spills out onto where people shop, eat, and live. Casually checking in on clients, we stop and go in an unhurried rhythm until we reach the offices, but by then, I realize that the promenade was not intended to reach any particular destination but rather to reach out to clients that we hadn’t seen in a long time. On our way back, we take a different route, but in my mind I still see those rent flags from the other street and wonder if they solemnly still cling to the line that keeps them in place.