Aug 6, 2024

Spotlight: Summer 2024 Learning Life Interns

Learning Life’s interns do vital work to grow our organization. This summer, their work included ; assisting with an in-person Democracy Dinner and organizing for the first DMV Democracy Festival this October; outreach to thousands of people on Facebook and Linkedin to help grow the Family Diplomacy Initiative (FDI) worldwide; research and writing on democratizing health care and the civic revitalization of malls as part of our DLC visioning work; supporting our international family dialogues and issue presentations; growing our Citizen Diplomacy International bibliography; and more. Learning Life is very grateful for their dedicated work. You can learn a little about each of the interns below.

Audrey Banks

Year, major, and school: I am an incoming junior at George Washington University, pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and American Studies.

Hobbies: I am passionate about traveling and exploring different places and cultures. Some of my favorite places I have been to are Italy, the United Kingdom, France, and Greece, and I am looking forward to seeing more of the world in the future! I also enjoy baking and playing volleyball in my free time.

Career aspirations: I am interested in working in political organizing, campaigns, advocacy, and government relations. I am particularly passionate about women’s rights, education, and civic engagement, and am looking to make an impact through my career. I intend to pursue a Master’s in Public Administration to further develop my professional skills.

Why Learning Life? I chose to work with Learning Life because I was drawn to their focus on cultural change in how people engage with democracy. As somebody passionate about civic engagement, I want to contribute to democracy-building initiatives like Learning Life’s DMV Democracy Learning Community (DLC). As part of the DLC, I am excited that I get to help organize the first DMV Democracy Festival and widen participation in democracy before the upcoming election. It has also been a valuable experience to see the inner workings of a grassroots nonprofit.

Gabriela Hilario

Year, major, and school: I am a rising sophomore at Williams College. I plan to major in Political Science with a concentration in Global Studies.

Hobbies: I love to spend my free time exploring the arts, specifically trying new forms of dancing, listening to new music, and going to live concerts! I also love trying different countries’ cuisines with my friends and family, and learning more about the world through its history and flavors.

Career aspirations: I hope to someday work in international or immigration law. I’m interested in studying to become a lawyer with specialization in these fields, and working in government policy-making.

Why Learning Life? I chose to intern with Learning Life because I love engaging with people from all over the world and bringing their experiences together to promote cross-cultural understanding and unity. Learning Life is the perfect place to do exactly this and learn more about what goes into facilitating a network of families eager to learn more about the world. I learned more about political engagement and all the work that U.S. nonprofits like Learning Life do to inform the public and build a kinder, more understanding world. Although I am too far away, in Massachusetts, to engage in any of Learning Life’s in-person events, it’s a great experience to learn about the great work done to build a better informed, politically engaged, and connected community in the Washington D.C. region! I am glad to have learned more about unconventional but powerful forms of diplomacy and democracy as a citizen diplomat.

Sunny Kim

Year, major, and school: I’m a second-year Master’s student at George Washington University’s Elliot School of International Affairs. I am studying International Affairs with a regional focus on Asia.

Hobbies: One of my hobbies is sports. I currently play kickball and soccer in recreational weekend leagues. I also enjoy going to the gym. In addition, I like watching YouTube videos and documentaries about history or current events.

Career aspirations: I am currently planning to work for an NGO (non-governmental organization) focused on democracy and governance. As someone who grew up in South Korea, I saw the benefits the democratization process gives people. I aim to assist people who want to participate more in democratic processes.

Why Learning Life? As someone interested in working in the nonprofit sector and in the democracy field, I find Learning Life perfect for me. Learning Life gives me experience both in a NGO and in an organization that works in the democracy field. Getting the opportunity to learn about the inner workings of a NGO is also very valuable to me.

Nick LaCascia

Year, major, and school: I am going into my senior year at Colby College majoring in French and Global Studies.

Hobbies: I like walking in cities, going cafe-hopping and trying out restaurants with friends. I also like watching videos on issues in, and the history of urban planning.

Career aspirations: I am hoping to work for a city government or a private firm as an urban planner or designer, eventually getting my Master’s in urban planning. I love cities and thinking about how they work and how we can make them more enjoyable and livable for everyone.

Why Learning Life? A lot of the worst things to happen in the history of American urban planning have come from a lack of democratic involvement of the everyday people affected by urban planning decisions. Interning for Learning Life to promote the involvement of people in the democratic process is therefore an attractive experience. Learning Life is also an excellent opportunity to get a foot in the door of the nonprofit sector, and make excellent professional connections.

Valery Mayorga

Year, major, and school: I am a junior at Grinnell College, majoring in Political Science with a minor in Peace & Conflict Studies.

Hobbies: In my free time I enjoy salsa dancing, watching birds, going to the beach, and spending time with my family!

Career aspirations: After completing my undergraduate education, I aim to pursue a career in international development, law, and education. I eventually want to start a nonprofit organization to promote access to education in Latin America.

Why Learning Life? I was eager to intern with Learning Life because I was drawn to their mission of promoting family and citizen diplomacy through education. I was also inspired by their impactful grassroots work. I wanted to gain hands-on experience with a grassroots organization and be part of a larger movement making a positive difference in the world by widening citizen participation in our divided world. Interning at Learning Life has provided me with the opportunity to connect to a global community that shares these values. I am looking forward to applying the knowledge I have gained through my internship with Learning Life to a future career in international development.

Kennedi Munson

Year, major, and school: I am a rising sophomore majoring in Comparative Women’s Studies and double-minoring in Sociology and International Studies at Spelman College.

Hobbies: I am an artist at heart, so my hobbies are in that realm. During my free time, I create portrait oil paintings, take photos of my surroundings, and go to the theatre as I am a self-proclaimed cinephile. My favorite films are Amadeus, Everything Everywhere All at Once, and The Fantastic Mr. Fox.

Career aspirations: As a Comparative Women’s Studies major, I find my educational path to be interdisciplinary, enabling me to explore several interests. At the core, my career aspirations lie in advocating for marginalized groups, specifically women of color and the queer community. I see myself doing this through immigration and refugee work, specifically in the sectors of educating and empowering such communities. After graduating from Spelman College, I hope to pursue a law degree, where I can use my legal training to further such advocacy.

Why Learning Life? I chose Learning Life as I initially had an interest in work centered around democracy and diplomacy. Being a third-culture child who has lived abroad for most of my life, I sought out organizations like Learning Life to be immersed in a space where I could actively learn about the world around me and how it functioned from a diplomatic and democratic perspective. By being an intern at Learning Life, I have been able to create meaningful connections with people on an international scale and aid in organizing future projects centered around the organization’s Family Diplomacy Initiative, which has been incredibly insightful.

Amy Nilsson

Year, major, and school: I am a rising junior in Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, studying International Politics ,with a minor in Classical Studies.

Hobbies: Most of my spare time is spent at the barn with my horse, Cooper. When I’m home, I go there almost every day to care for him. At school, I spend much of my free time involved with music. I play mellophone in pep band, clarinet in orchestra, and saxophone with jazz.

Career aspirations: In the future, I’d like to work in the field of foreign affairs. Ideally, I’d like to become a diplomat or ambassador at the United Nations so that I can assist in international collaboration.

Why Learning Life? I am super excited to have the opportunity to work with Learning Life because it’s a chance to understand the nonprofit world. I love the idea of exploring citizen diplomacy, including family diplomacy as a new way of bringing people together internationally. Helping to grow the DMV Democracy Festival is my absolute favorite part.

Julee Sharma

Year, major, and school: This fall I will be a senior at Wellesley College majoring in political science.

Hobbies: In my spare time, I am a NCAA lacrosse player for the Wellesley Blue. If I am not lifting weights in the gym or practicing on the field, I am probably writing for the sports section of our school’s newspaper. I also enjoy building Legos (especially Star Wars ones) and playing with my dog Coco.

Career aspirations: After I graduate from Wellesley, I plan on pursuing getting my MPH and going into the public health field. Before going to college, I was an EMT and have always been interested in America’s healthcare system. Throughout my liberal arts education I pursued many paths but ended up seeing that my interests in health and policy can be combined in the study of public health.

Why Learning Life? I became an intern at Learning Life to gain insight on the operations of a non-profit organization while also trying to provide a health policy perspective. My tasks helping with the Democracy Festival have been the most gratifying work I have done. Being able to see that people are physically coming together at a time where democracy is so necessary is inspiring. I am so thankful for this experience.

Jul 3, 2024

Update on DMV DemFest 2024 Fundraising

Learning Life will be periodically updating this page to report on our progress toward the $50,000 fundraising goal for the first DMV Democracy Festival. As of July 3, 2024, we have raised nearly 10% of the $50,000 goal, including all donations. See the chart below for the breakdown of donations of $100 and above. Click here to contribute. For other ways you can help see “Seven Easy Ways You Can Support DemFest” toward the bottom of our DemFest page.

Gift Size	# of Gifts Goal	Total $ Goal	$ Raised as of 6/1	# of Gifts as of 6/1
$5,000	1	$5,000	$0	0 of 1
$3,000	1	$3,000	$0	0 of 1
$1,000	15	$15,000	$3,000	5 of 15
$500	20	$10,000	$1,000	3 of 20
$250	40	$10,000	$750	6 of 40
$100	70	$7,000	$200	6 of 70
TOTAL	147	$50,000	$9,890 (including giving under $100)	20 of 147

Jun 1, 2024

Learning Life Launches $50k DemFest Fundraiser

Today, Learning Life officially launches its campaign to raise $50,000 to fund the first Democracy Festival in the nation’s capital region in October this year, before the November elections.

As part of Learning Life’s broader work to build a model Democracy Learning Community (DLC) in the Washington DC region, a.k.a. “the DMV” or DC-MD-VA capital region, the DMV Democracy Festival is intended to:

Make democracy fun for all ages
Widen participation in democracy
Deepen civic learning
Foster creative collaboration, particularly between folks in the DMV arts, education, business, philanthropic, and democracy sectors
Be financially self-sustaining, and help grow the wider DLC

DemFest is tentatively planned for Saturday, October 19 (mark your calendar if you live in the DC area!), and will include five types of activities: games, discussions, arts performances, skill-building workshops, and a democracy market.

Learning Life is investing more than 6,000 hours of volunteer time to organize DemFest. The $50,000 we are working to raise will pay for organizing the festival (including managing the growing number of DemFest volunteers), space and material rentals, food, sale items, prizes, and printing. For a copy of the DemFest budget, contact us at email@learninglife.info.

Some of the $50,000 will be raised at DemFest, via ticket sales ($3 and $5 for kids and adults in advance, $5 and $7 at the door; ticket page to be announced later), vendor fees, and festival sale items (e.g., food, t-shirts, democracy quiz cards), but the bulk of the money will be raised prior via sponsorships and donations. By contributing to the $50,000 goal you support DemFest and become a DLC donor or member, as you prefer.

Here are three ways you and/or your organization can contribute:

(1) Become a DLC donor with a gift of $100, $250, $500, $1,000, or whatever you can afford. Donations are 100% tax deductible in the USA. At the contribution page, enter “DLC donor” in the Note box. All donors get DLC email updates and event invitations, and recognition as a supporter at Learning Life’s website, social media and DemFest.

(2) Become a DLC member: Membership is $100 per year in 2024 (starting from date of contribution). Members get (a) DLC email updates and event invitations, (b) entrance to one Democracy Dinner, (c) two tickets to the DMV Democracy Festival (DemFest), and (d) recognition as a DLC member at Learning Life’s website, social media and DemFest. At the contribution page, enter “DLC member” in the Note box. Note: Because of the benefits, membership contributions are not tax deductible.

(3) Sponsor the DLC if you or your organization would like to get greater benefits and support the DLC at a higher level. Individual sponsorships start at $250, and organizational sponsorships at $1,000. At the contribution page, enter “DLC sponsor” in the Note box.

Apr 13, 2024

Spotlight: Spring 2024 Learning Life Interns

Learning Life’s interns do vital work to grow our organization. This spring, their work included outreach to thousands of people on Facebook and Linkedin to help grow the Family Diplomacy Initiative (FDI) worldwide, and our Democracy Learning Community (DLC) in the Washington DC capital region; assisting with in-person Democracy Dinners and organizing for the DMV Democracy Festival; research to develop our DLC vision and action plan; supporting our international family dialogues; research and outreach to develop Citizen Diplomacy International; and more. Learning Life is very grateful for their dedicated work. You can learn a little about each of the interns below.

Ian Bastida

Year, major, and school: I am a graduating senior from UCLA, ready to receive my Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Chicano Studies.

Hobbies: Theatre is one of my greatest passions and something I have enjoyed for many years. In my free time, I love supporting local productions and working on my craft as a playwright. My favorite shows are The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Cabaret, and The Drowsy Chaperone.

Career aspirations: Majoring in English has allowed me to develop my creative voice as a writer and I hope to incorporate that into my career. Over the years, my infatuation with words has only deepened with each book I read and every word I write. I hope to become a cultural critic, where I can share my insights and perspective on the media we consume.

Why Learning Life? Learning Life is a great opportunity for me to enter the professional world and apply the skills I have gained as an undergraduate. This is where I can immerse myself in diplomatic and educational industries while navigating the non-profit sector. Interning at Learning Life allows me to make meaningful connections and help organize important citizen conversations on democracy and diplomacy.

Michelle Chen

Year, major, and school: I am a current sophomore at the University of Southern California, majoring in International Relations-Global Business with a double minor in Legal Studies and Cybersecurity.

Hobbies: I love to dance hip-hop and play pickleball in my free time. I also love trying out new restaurants and cute cafes with my friends. If I had an unlimited budget, I would choose to travel to a new state/country whenever I had the time because I am an adventurer at heart.

Career aspirations: I am currently interested in pursuing a career in law, government, and cybersecurity management. I plan to go to law school after I graduate, and am particularly interested in areas of international law and civil rights law.

Why Learning Life? I was interested in interning for Learning Life because I was curious and excited by their mission of spreading the concept of family and citizen diplomacy, and the active work they were conducting at the grassroots. I wanted to gain hands-on experience working in a grassroots organization and feel that I am a part of a bigger movement giving back to the world. Learning Life definitely connected me to a community like that and has helped broaden my network greatly!

Samantha Cruz

Year, Major, and School: I am a senior at Towson University. I am majoring in Law and American Civilization with a minor in Political Science.

Hobbies: During my free time I like to learn new cooking and baking recipes. I enjoy going to the gym and finding new horror movies to watch. I also love visiting my family and spending all day with them.

Career aspirations: After I graduate I plan on attending law school and eventually becoming an immigration lawyer. I would love to help others within my community and I’m looking forward to learning more about how to help people from different places with citizenship and immigration issues.

Why Learning Life? When I came across the internship listing, I was interested in how education could be tied to diplomacy and democracy. The whole concept of outreach and uniting people from different countries to hear their stories is a great way to bring awareness to what occurs in their country. I also think it’s important to continue to educate many people about democracy. Schools tend to only teach the surface-level basics of it, but through Learning Life, we can learn in greater depth what democracy is and how it impacts people.

Leslie Figueroa-Borja

Year, major, and school: I’m a third-year History major, doubling minoring in Latin American Studies and Dance. I attend the University of California, Davis.

Hobbies: I’m a dancer, and enjoy dancing all styles of dance. Dance has taught me to be intentional with everything that I do. I also enjoy going on long walks and grabbing an iced coffee!

Career aspirations: After completing my undergraduate education, I aim to pursue a master’s degree in public policy or history. Then, I aim to pursue a career in public service or public policy research focused on addressing issues marginalized displaced communities face.

Why Learning Life? Learning Life aligns with my desire to storytell. I believe storytelling is an effective strategy to resist systems of oppression. I hope to have the opportunity to tell stories about the struggles marginalized communities face to initiate societal reforms.

Kinsey Martindale

Year, major, and school: I am an undergraduate senior at NYU Shanghai where I am studying political science with minors in Chinese and Journalism.

Hobbies: In my free time, I enjoy writing, photography, wandering the streets of Shanghai, trying new cafes, watching documentaries, discovering new music, and snuggling with my cat Pablo! I’m also a huge travel junkie, and I’ve been very blessed throughout my college career to have studied in three different continents and visit over nine countries!

Career aspirations: As my graduation approaches, I’m currently working towards pursuing a career in the international development space. I have been accepted into the Peace Corps and am set to serve as a primary education teacher in Lesotho for two years starting this September. I then plan to get my master’s degree which will hopefully lead to a position with an international development organization working on projects that contribute to expanding opportunities for people in underprivileged communities. I am also interested in using my journalism experience and international background to pursue freelance work focusing on global development.

Why Learning Life? I’m very grateful to be working with Learning Life this semester. I have had the opportunity to gain firsthand experience in the inner workings of a nonprofit. A lot of my work has focused on helping coordinate our four live international family diplomacy dialogues on the theme of “Understanding and Addressing Threats to Family Security.” It has been enlightening to hear how people from all regions of the world are affected by a variety of issues including war, poverty, climate change, gender-based violence, and the internet. I am looking forward to applying the experience and knowledge that I have obtained through my internship with Learning Life to a future career in international development.

Mahum Shah

Year, major, and school: I am a public administration major with a concentration in non-profit management. I am a senior at George Mason University and I will be graduating this May!

Hobbies: I love to go to the gym, paint, travel and journal. I am also very family-oriented, so I love to spend time with my siblings and cousins in my free time.

Career Aspirations: I hope to work in the nonprofit sector with organizations such as UNICEF, in education, health, and human rights. I hope to be able to better the world both locally and globally. I eventually want to start my own nonprofit and work in project management/public budgeting for government agencies or nonprofits.

Why Learning Life? I was interested in working with Learning Life to gain insight into the functions of a non-profit organization while tapping into my passion for helping others around the world. Learning Life helped me strengthen my passion for diplomacy, family, and education and I learned the importance of storytelling. I got to work closely with many incredible individuals from all over the world via the Family Diplomacy Initiative and made many connections. I learned about so many different people’s lives and what they have gone through. Being able to help them in any way I could was rewarding. I am truly grateful for this opportunity.

Saige Thibaud

Year, Major, and school: I am a graduate student at the University of Miami about to receive my Master’s of Science in International Business in May 2024.

Hobbies: I like exploring different countries’ cuisines by trying different recipes I find online. I also like reading fantasy books. These are my two favorite ways to unwind.

Career Aspirations: My ultimate goal is to work in the field of foreign policy. For now, I plan to take a year to work and study for the LSAT to go to law school in 2025, with my target being Georgetown Law.

Why Learning Life? Given my career goals align with Learning Life’s focus on diplomacy, taking on this internship was a no-brainer. I was happily surprised by the additional benefits of learning the inner-workings of a nonprofit and being exposed to such a wide range of lived experiences across the world through Learning Life’s international citizen diplomacy programs.

Bianca Timofte

Year, major, and school: I am a freshman in the Dual BA Program between Sciences Po Paris and Columbia University! I will be getting my first degree in economics and sociology and the second in financial economics.

Hobbies: I love to go on walks, runs, hikes, or get out in nature any way I can! Another way I love to spend my free time is baking. I’ve made everything from croissants, to macarons, to a three layer chocolate cake. If I’m not outside or baking, you can find me crocheting with some music on!

Career aspirations: In the future I would love to go into a career in financial services. Although I am undecided on a specific position, I hope to be able to apply both my analytical and presentation skills in my future career. Aside from financial services, corporate law is another pathway I’m considering.

Why Learning Life? I was drawn to intern with Learning Life to gain deeper knowledge of how diplomacy can be spread internationally. It was an incredible experience to meet people from all over the world, from our intern meetings to attending international family diplomacy dialogues. Additionally, I was super excited to assist with Learning Life’s transition to Salesforce to learn more about customer relations management and implement technology to improve Learning Life’s ability to connect with and benefit communities!

Jenna Tooley

Year, major, and school: I am a third-year senior at UCLA graduating in June 2024 with my Bachelor’s in Political Science and a double minor in Public Affairs and Global Studies.

Hobbies: In my free time I enjoy exploring coffee shops and bakeries for the ambiance, listening to podcasts, going to the beach, and traveling to new places!

Career aspirations: Upon graduation, I plan to continue studying for the LSAT in preparation for law school in addition to working in the Washington, DC area doing law and government-related work. While I haven’t solidified the specific type of law I intend to pursue, my interests span international relations, reproductive health, and criminal justice. Due to my array of interests, I am open to other possibilities related to diplomacy, democracy, the legislative process, and the judiciary system to expand my knowledge about the impact of critical decision-making and political initiatives on a global scale.

Why Learning Life? Learning Life bridges and fosters the interconnectedness of democracy and diplomacy on local and international levels, which immediately piqued my interest. Although I’ve taken some political science courses about international relations, Learning Life offers me the opportunity to delve into international relations from a multi-faceted, intersectional yet personable approach, through the Democracy Learning Community, the Family Diplomacy Initiative, and Citizen Diplomacy International. Being able to connect with individuals across the globe and hearing their stories is both enriching and inspiring, contributing to more inclusive spaces while strengthening education.

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