Hi everyone! My name is Jacqueline Figueroa (she/her pronouns) and I am a summer fellow for Zora’s House. My theme for the first week of my internship has been the importance of care. I have gotten to meet very dedicated and passionate people at Zora’s House, and I gained a small glimpse into what it means to build sisterhood and co-design with other women of color in our community. It was refreshing to see that the leaders at Zora’s House are so dedicated to their mission and goals of co-creation and uplifting women and femmes of color, and how they are not limiting themselves just to Columbus. I have heard a lot about how the nonprofit sector, although fulfilling, can drain the people working in that area. However, the people at Zora’s House emphasize the importance of taking care of one’s self and others in various ways, and that rest is integral in one’s life, including when it comes to work. 

The importance of care and rest came through in the organization’s physical space. When I first visited the space on Wednesday, I could see how, even though each part of the house had a designated work purpose, the importance of relaxation and comfort came through. I could feel it through the types of furniture and the layout of the spaces, and I could see it in the different quotes, books, and work that is showcased as well. They even have a basement that one can go relax in and be alone if work becomes overwhelming. As a member of the Operations, Infrastructure, and Culture board mentioned in the board’s meeting today, in a world where we are always told that we need to have everything together, we are rarely given the grace to be “in process.” By emphasizing the importance of care and rest throughout the space, there’s an opportunity for women of color to just “be” and to progress towards their goals. 

These first impressions and what I have gathered so far about the culture of Zora’s House from its various members are crucial in order to better fulfill my responsibilities regarding the organization’s employee and operations manuals. I’m so excited to continue learning more about Zora’s House (what it represents, and why it is important to women and femmes of color) and figuring out how to translate that into documents that convey the organization’s essence to its employees, ambassadors, and members.

*This title is based off of the slogans included in the employees’ email signatures, which I include because I believe it is a crucial aspect of the organization and its goals based on what I have seen during this past week. It also accurately summarizes what I have seen at Zora’s House based on the people I have met and what I have looked at during this week.