This week I began my summer employment at Equitas Health, which I must admit is a very exciting opportunity for me. Focusing on LGBTQ+ and HIV/AIDS-related care, Equitas is an important healthcare resource for thousands in Ohio and neighboring areas. My duties for the summer primarily orient around Equitas’ presence at pride-related events and celebrations around Ohio, but I will also be assisting in other, non-pride-related activities. For instance, this week I spent two days working at OHIV.

OHIV, from my understanding, is a sexual health and education hotline and organization that provides free information, condoms, STI/STD testing kits, and other sexual well-being services. I spent my time preparing sexual-health kits that are freely distributed, as well as engaging with current OHIV employees and learning about their mission and structure.

Working directly under Equitas, whether from the office or at home, has been mostly clerical work. I am not bothered or disappointed by these tasks. It is only my first week and it has been confirmed that my responsibilities will grow. Not only that, I am more than happy to do this work given the time of year. It’s June! It’s Pride Month! A very busy and exciting and slightly chaotic time for an organization that directs its work toward queer individuals and communities.

Speaking of pride, tomorrow (6/10) I am traveling to Athens for their community pride events. I’ve never been to a pride and I surely haven’t worked one before, so I excitedly await the opportunity! It’s not likely I’ll be doing much – mostly watching how other employees and volunteers interact with patrons and gaining an insight into their messaging and what they prioritize. Ideally, I will be much more proactive and engaging in the next pride event I work.

A goal of mine for this summer is to gain a better understanding of how non-profits operate and to learn where I may be a good fit or where my skills and interests can best be applied. I don’t expect to learn this immediately, but over time I expect to have obtained a more comprehensive picture.

My first week went well and I’m looking forward to writing about my next week in my next blog post!