Author Archives: michaelamaster

This week was a big milestone for my summer project: I began the process of training Local Matters employees on what the MAP (Master Accounts of Programming) Airtable tool is, how to effectively utilize it for the specific needs of … Continue reading →

I knew at the beginning of this fellowship that this experience would be filled with learning and growth. However, classrooms manifest in many different forms – the COTA bus system was one for me this summer. The suburb that I … Continue reading →

I’ve taken a variety of community development classes at college, many of which include failures of previous development work and lessons to be learned for the future. This field addresses the causes of problems, and potential solutions, that are relevant … Continue reading →

Before I delve into the meat of this post, I must acknowledge that I have spent 21 years living in relatively homogeneous communities, where I have been surrounded by people who either look like me or have similar lived experiences … Continue reading →

At every weekly Local Matters staff meeting, time is set aside to focus on two foundational components of the organization’s culture: gratitude, and mission moments. Gratitude is a time to acknowledge the kindness or contributions of another staff member, and … Continue reading →

As I’ve increasingly settled in to my role at Local Matters, I’ve noticed a disparity between myself and the rest of the staff: everyone else wears a million and a half hats throughout the day in fulfilling their roles, and … Continue reading →

My third week at Local Matters was dominated by my transition from observing to acting. I mentioned last week how important it was for me to create a foundation of intentional listening to build my work off of – that … Continue reading →

Week 2 at Local Matters was incredibly insightful – both on the work of the organization generally and the work that I will be doing this summer specifically. On Monday and Thursday, I was able to shadow three Food Matters … Continue reading →

Hello! My name is Michaela Master, I’ll be entering my fourth and final year at Ohio State in the fall to get my degree in Environment, Economy, Development, and Sustainability (EEDS), and a minor in City and Regional Planning. This … Continue reading →