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.