Columbus Foundation Fellowship Programs

It’s been a heartbreaking and tumultuous week in America. As I retreated into the warm embrace of Netflix and cute animal videos on the internet I reflected on how one of the many benefits of my privilege is the ability to stop thinking about systemic violence and racism when it all becomes too overwhelming. Social workers are guided by the NASW Code of Ethics, which has social justice as one of its core values.  The emphasis on social justice and looking at people in the context of their environment is one of the primary reasons I chose social work over other disciplines. I’m hoping for peace, healing and radical change in our country, but have been realizing that hope is not enough. Myself and other graduate students in the College of Social Work have started discussing how we can create a more active dialogue among our class. What I’m doing down at Southpoint has also colored how I’m thinking about these issues and considering the type of social worker I want to be.

This week I took the teens to the OSU Urban Arts Space for our first learning partnership session. They staff laid out a variety of materials for the teens to explore and use on canvas. It was so much fun getting to see what the teens created when given the space to express themselves on their own terms. During our time at the gallery we discussed racial tensions at their high schools, Ciara’s recent wedding dress, what forms of art they prefer to express themselves with, whether or not there is a feud between Beyonce and Rihanna, and the most effective way to attached googly eyes to a canvas. We had a lot of fun and definitely one of the major high points of my summer.

I just finished the second fitness class we’ve hosted down at the Southpoint Community Center. Student fitness instructors from the RPAC have volunteered to come down and teach to parents and teens. This was our first weekend class, and it was such a nice way to wrap this week up. It was fun to see the adults and kids try something totally new. It reminded me of the first time I ever did yoga. I resisted it for so long, for some reason writing off as too frou frou for me. When I finally did it I saw what all the hype was about – being able to center yourself and connect to the present moment is a powerful thing.

Something I don’t think I’ve talked about nearly enough is how amazing the concept of this fellowship is. Not only do I get to gain real-life work experience every day at KIPP, but the Foundation also provides us with invaluable “learning sessions” every other week. At these sessions, we get to hear from interesting members of the Columbus community and to ask them questions about their personal experiences.

A few weeks ago, we got to hear from Doug Kridler, the Executive Director of the Foundation, about the path he took to get where he is today and why he loves Columbus. He gave us some amazing life advice with a bunch of fun anecdotes sprinkled throughout. And a few weeks before that, we heard from a panel of diverse members of the Columbus community about their work, which varied from empowering kids in foster care to a spoken word poet who wrote and performed a special piece at Columbus’s Bicentennial celebration.

This past week, we spoke with Jason Moore of Fulcrum Creatives about the concept of “benefit corporations” (or “B Corps”) and the importance of branding in marketing. I hadn’t heard much about B Corps before, but the concept really intrigued me. The certification comes from a corporation demonstrating their commitment to positively impacting their community. He talked about how much it really matters that every employee can answer three questions about their employer in the same way: “who are we? what do we do? why do we do it?” If this can be done, then the corporation’s “brand” is truly cemented, and they will be able to effectively show observers what they are trying to do and (hopefully) gain their support. I’d never heard branding talked about in such a direct, easily explainable way, and I found it fascinating.

We also had the chance to attend an etiquette luncheon this week, which besides providing a free meal (I’m a poor college student who appreciated that aspect of it!) taught us how to properly conduct ourselves in a professional eating setting. It was a bit of an embarrassing moment for me as I realized just how little I knew previously how to make myself appear professional and impressive while eating. Definitely gained some valuable skills from that! (Did you know you’re supposed to keep your hands on the table the entire duration of a meal so that you look engaged? Because I certainly did not.) I’m just feeling very thankful to the Columbus Foundation for all of these cool, enriching experiences that they give us outside of our specific programs!

This week I’ve felt like a baby bird being pushed out of the nest to learn to fly. Our Youth Program Manager, Brittany, has officially completed her last week at ETSS. I have been passed on all reports, past agendas, schedules, email contacts and responsibility for the Youth Summit.

So far things have been going well, I led my very first Summit meeting along with a quick tour of ODU yesterday. I was happily surprised to hear from all workshop instructors either at the meeting or via email to work out the details of their rooms. The meeting went smooth and I surprised to hear myself giving answers to questions from the partners and workshop leaders. I guess you never know how knowledgeable you are about something until you’re bombed with questions about every detail.

Today I was able to be part of a manager’s meeting and the wedgewood community inevitably became a discussion topic. Like I’ve said before, this area is one of the most violent areas in Columbus and is only growing worse. Over 80% of the wedgewood residents are refugees from Somalia. Of the 2,500 residents living there, 2,000 are youth living in poverty.Weapons, violence, and gangs have become a larger issue and ETSS is meeting with other community organizations to brainstorm a solution to these issues next Thursday. The proposed solution will be to turn an abandoned middle school, that is within walking distance of the apartments, into a community center.Most of today I have been researching center’s from inner Toledo that I know have had an impact on the community. I’m gathering information about how the building were obtained, different ways of paying to expenses whether it be grants, donations, sponsors, or partnerships with benefit corporations. I’ve also tracked down my capstone paper that specifically speaks on the benefits on after-school programs in low-income areas.

My goal is to show the board how beneficial a mere after-school program can be to a community, let alone a whole community center. I’m hoping that by showing the board the different ways other community centers have grown, it will motivate and push them to advocate for creating this community center in wedgewood.

Stay tuned for updates on this and wish me luck 🙂

As an International Studies major, I enjoy being surrounded by people of various cultures, getting to know their background, and hearing personal stories. At the beginning of my fellowship, I had a chance to accompany my supervisor and co-worker in distributing meal coupons to some of the Somali community on the North and West side of Columbus. I found this to be one of my favorite events that I have been able to attend at LifeCare.

The first distribution I attended occurred right before Ramadan began – which consists of a month of prayer and fasting. Being naïve to what exactly Ramadan is, I found myself researching after leaving the coupon distribution, intrigued to learn more about what Muslims practice during this month. This year, Ramadan lasted from June 5 to July 5. For those of you who may not know what Ramadan entails – Ramadan is a month where Muslims fast from dawn to dusk in an effort to strengthen their relationship with God. Fasting reminds them of those less fortunate and forces them to remove themselves from worldly desires.

The most recent distribution took place this past Thursday, July 7, as Ramadan had just come to an end. We were able to hear about the celebration that took place the day before which consisted of “a lot of food and drink”, said the lead volunteer at the distribution site. I found it extremely interesting to hear firsthand about this event in which so many people around the world participate in. Contrary to last month, the Somali people exhibited new excitement to receive coupons because of the ability to eat at any time of the day in the upcoming month. I enjoyed learning more about their culture, hearing their language, seeing the women’s beautiful dress and hijabs, and even seeing a few henna tattoos.

LifeCare gives out approximately 3,000 Somali coupons each month. This allows those participating to receive a free meal at different Somali restaurants located throughout central Ohio. I find it extremely beneficial to see the diverse community in which LifeCare serves. It is remarkable how LifeCare is able to cater to the Somali population’s needs and respect them by providing coupons where they can eat food from their own culture. It is especially important for those who are refugees, as part of the integration process. The ability to have access to a free meal with food from their own culture can provide a sense of comfort throughout the transition period. LifeCare strives “to lead the community in identifying and delivering health and nutrition services to meet the community’s changing needs.” This is exemplified through the distribution of Somali coupons each month.

Yesterday, I was invited to sit in on a nutrition app development meeting. The app group from the Center has met with the technology firm previously but this was the first official action meeting to kick-off the six month creation process.

With a room of half eating disorder specialists and half technology specialists, the divide was clear. I noticed how the firm was attempting to grasp the Center’s complex nutrition terms and philosophy while the Center was trying to understand all of the moving parts in this massive project . They each had to re-explain their thoughts to overcome language barriers and made remarks like, “this is all Greek to me”.

This meeting was rather reassuring that I have learned quickly in this fellowship. When the firm posed questions, I simply observed but felt that I could speak on behalf of the Center to make decisions. You can certainly argue that in my position, I better know my wording and ethical decisions without much thought. However, at internships that I have had in the past, it has taken longer than six weeks for me to feel truly comfortable and adjusted to a work environment, yet alone be able to have a say in large undertakings.

I walked away with confidence that I am not only learning constantly but trusted and valued. I have been given full access to communication channels that are rarely handed to others. I have received feedback that makes me smile quite a bit (who would’ve thought that this bathroom stall newsletter would be such a hit or that other eating disorder facilities across the country would borrow my designs for their social media accounts?!).

Additionally, I have the consolation that at week six, it’s not Greek to me. I have less questions to ask, more freedom to run with my tasks, a greater understanding of the obstacles and triumphs that occur here daily and a long but exciting to-do list to accomplish. Thank goodness, it’s not Greek to me!

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to spend the Fourth of July with friends and family in Washington D.C. Eager to embark upon my very first solo road trip (I told you I could do it, Mom!) and first-ever visit to Capital City, I left the office Friday anticipating a weekend filled with great food and plenty of patriotism—the perfect way to celebrate making it to the halfway point of the fellowship.

With only three days in the area, I made it my mission to explore the area as intricately as possible, creating my own personal version of D.C. Bingo in which I would all of the major historical landmarks and neighborhoods the city had to offer. After one long day of touring many of the city’s standouts, such as the White House, the Washington Monument, and my personal favorite, the Lincoln Memorial, my friends and I decided to take an impromptu trip to the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery, a famous nonprofit with the mission of “telling the story of America by portraying the people who shape the nation’s history, development, and culture.”

As I roamed amongst the hundreds of portraits of Americans, famed for their remarkable character and achievements, I couldn’t help but feel inspired by their accomplishments. These Americans, these famous artists, inventors, performers, activists, and leaders, capitalized on their talents and dreams to form our nation’s collective identity. Their tireless work and dedicated passion significantly shaped American society, allowing us to understand who we are and what we can aspire to be. Perhaps most importantly, seeing their faces allowed me to pose the very possible notion that one day, my hard work and dedication could make a difference in the world significant enough to shape society too.

This summer, I’ve been able to explore my own passions and interests through experiences that have allowed me to question what it is that truly ignites my fire. The individuals depicted through the Smithsonian’s portraiture were once upon a time, very “average” people, individuals with hopes and dreams similar to my own who were able to overcome obstacles to achieve impact. Seeing their faces reminded me that substantial change does not come from superheroes or miraculous instances of fate. Instead, it results from a tireless commitment to values and the ability to inspire others to follow suit– something I feel I am extremely capable of.

Reflecting on my visit to D.C., I was reminded of our amazing potential as individuals when we seek out our dreams. For now, I will continue exploring my passions in the areas of the nonprofit excellence and accountability, and I hope to inspire you to do the same. With this summer’s group of passionate fellows, I wouldn’t be surprised if twenty years down the line, I saw one of their faces memorialized through the portraiture at the Gallery.

Here I am geeking out at the Lincoln Memorial. You can tell I really am not excited at all.

My fabulous tour guide and I at the Washington Memorial.

As cliche as it is, time has flown by this summer. I don’t have too many thoughts to share from the past week, I’ve been busy going to sites and doing History to Go programs and working on the facilitators guide.

However, there is one important reflection I had a chance to make last week–the power of people. The people we are surrounded by, whether we want those people around us or not, effect our own mood. I’m feeling very thankful to be able to work with so many lovely and positive people. Most of the people I work around at the Ohio History Connection have lots of projects and tasks to be managing, just like in many non-profits. So, for people to take their time to be friendly means a lot to me. Everyone wants to feel welcome and at ease and I think I’ve started to feel this way within the organization.

Coincidentally enough, I was mid-way through typing that last sentence, when one of the people that works here stopped by my desk. We ended up having a lovely conversation about how things are going. Of course, it’s not just the people that work right beside me at the Ohio History Connection that allow me to have a positive experience, but also those that I meet when I’m facilitating History to Go programs.

I enjoy interacting with children who are inquisitive and joyful. It’s rewarding to see the smile on a child’s face, because they are so happy to be learning and creating.

The little girl above is glowing with a big smile on her face, because she gets to show off the necklace she made during our American Indian program. Knowing I am one component that is helping to provide that smile and many others feels great.

To make a long story short, I get to leave work with a smile today 🙂

As the 5th week of my fellowship came to a close, I reflected on all of the things that ended during those few short weeks: the sixth season of Game of Thrones, the NBA Finals (go Cavs!), and the creation of some of my favorite spreadsheets at KIPP. I know you’ve all heard this before, but time really does fly when you’re having fun.

I’ve really gotten the chance to explore Columbus in depth. The neat thing about having a job is that, unlike being in school, when you come home… you’re actually finished for the day. It’s given me many opportunities to seek out fun activities in the city. To name a few: I’ve gone to Red White & Boom (Columbus’s 4th of July celebration), wandered through the Franklin Park Conservatory, and enjoyed a beautiful walk through the Scioto Mile at the Columbus Arts Festival.

And speaking of exploring, I spent some of my time at work this week exploring an aspect of KIPP that I hadn’t gotten to interact with yet: their “KIPP Through College” (KTC) program. KTC encompasses what KIPP is all about. The program is designed to help all KIPPsters make it to and through college. It was previously called their “KIPP To College” program, before the national organization realized that their KIPP alumni needed guidance during their time at college to support them on every step of their journey.

At the moment, KIPP Columbus does not have a high school (see the construction photos from my last post). Because of this, they have 3 classes worth of alumni across 60 different high schools and 4 different states–a rather wide variety of students to keep track of. KTC is the overarching presence that keeps students focused on their futures. It’s important to note that KTC is also aware of the different futures their KIPPsters can have. This year, they had kids getting their GEDs for the first time, kids who otherwise wouldn’t have graduated high school. I spoke with Jessica Reback, KIPP Columbus’s Manager of College Access, on how KTC works. As she put it, “we’re here to help our students, whatever that looks like for them.” To name a few of their responsibilities, KTC makes sure their students carefully select a college that best suits their career goals (particularly not a college with high drop-out rates!), that they fully complete their college applications, and especially that they fill out their financial aid forms.

Something that struck me about our conversation was what she said about her first day working at KIPP Columbus. She told me that she went home and couldn’t stop thinking about how different things at KIPP Columbus were when compared to her previous education jobs. I asked her what she meant by that, and she replied, “people keep their promises to kids here.” And exploring the work of KTC really proves that statement to be so very, amazingly true. 

As I reach the halfway mark in my fellowship, I’m finding myself sitting at my desk overwhelmed by all of the lists I have made. During the last five weeks of my fellowship I am going to be working with the teens to complete a mural on an interior wall in the community center at Southpoint. Today, the teens and I cleaned out the room we intend to make a teen space and paint the mural. The room has functioned as a sort of make-shift childcare room, and we worked to pack up the toddler toys and move furniture to make way for the mural. I had the teens brainstorm themes and start arranging images for the mural, and challenged them to come up with their own designs. To get their brains working I had them look at some images of some of the beautiful public art murals we have around Columbus.

Source

In researching how to go about doing this with the teens I looked at how other community mural projects have been executed. I was inspired by some of the beautiful projects I found, but was anxious upon learning the months and months of planning and coordination that went into them. I had to remind myself that for this project my goals are simply to have the teens work together, and end up with an image that they and the rest of the community at Southpoint likes.

I’m also working with the youth staff to put on a back to school community carnival my last week with Concord Counseling.  We want the kids at Southpoint to receive school supplies as prizes for the games we set up. This week I’ve learned more about bounce houses, popcorn machines and balloon tiers than I ever thought I would. I’ve been working on soliciting donations for food and school supplies. It’s going to be a lot to pull together in the next four weeks, but it will be an exciting to have it all come together my final week.