Author: beccawiser

On the last day of my internship at the Anti-Defamation League, I decided to read through my application for the WOW fellowship. Although nostalgia was hitting hard, I had a big smile on my face as I recalled the anticipation I had for this internship, and the reality that all of my goals were not only reached but surpassed.

Before I began my internship, I had a clear vision of what I hoped to gain, contribute, and learn from this experience. On an academic and career front, I hoped to further develop my writing abilities and become very comfortable in an office setting. Looking back on these past few months, it’s clear that I’ve done just that. I wrote a lot this summer and feel far more comfortable drafting professional letters, op-eds, and press releases. It was an honor and a blessing to further develop this critical skill while contributing in a meaningful way. Feeling comfortable in a boardroom setting is definitely not an issue after spending 200 hours in a non-profit work environment. Interning at the Anti-Defamation League gave me a clearer sense of what I want in my career and reaffirmed that I thrive on contribution and connection.

My personal goal was, by far, the most important one: to challenge myself and stretch far beyond my comfort zone. Before I began my internship, I thought I had a pretty good sense of what working in the field of social justice would be like. After all, I had taken several related classes, completed ADL’s A World of Difference Peer Training, and volunteered in their office throughout high school. From day one of my internship, it was clear that I’d only gotten a glimpse of the type of work I’d be doing. Being immersed in combatting the anti-Semitism, bigotry, and discrimination that still plagues our world is anything but comfortable, especially for a girl who doesn’t even like to watch the news! Each day, I conducted media searches for terms like bullying, anti-Semitism, and racism. Being on the lookout for acts of discrimination and prejudice was often uncomfortable and difficult for me. But as I moved further into my internship, I began to see tragic news stories as opportunities for organizations like the ADL to make the world a better place.

This summer has been a summer of growth. I walked in excited, anticipating the incredible lessons to be gained from this experience. I’m leaving truly inspired, and ready to take these lessons back to Brandeis. Reflecting on this summer, I feel proud of what I’ve accomplished and grateful that I was able to contribute so much. I think my greatest impact was in kickstarting various projects that had been pushed back. Toward the end, a significant part of my internship involved locating the contact information for each principal in the state of Florida. Standardized testing had been scheduled during a window of time that included the Jewish High Holidays. Several schools had scheduled testing during these holidays, which presented an issue for many families. Because we reached out to each district, schools are now better informed and fewer students will face this dilemma.

The advice I have for future ADL interns or social justice WOW fellows is simple: keep a clear vision of why you’re doing what you’re doing. Social justice work is critically important, but it’s also very difficult and emotionally trying. As Olympic athlete Mallory Weggemann says, “You see bad things happen, unfortunately, it is inevitable, but they don’t have to take our ability to believe in the beauty of tomorrow.” Reminding yourself each day of the purpose of your work — the people, the goal, the future —  will be your fuel. This will give you the ammunition to continue on, in high spirits. I’ve learned from the best: The ADL staff always seems to remain optimistic by creating a positive and hopeful work environment.

I will truly miss the incredible and inspiring staff at the Florida regional ADL office. I am so grateful that I was able to participate in such a life-changing experience with such wonderful people!

It’s hard to believe how quickly my time at the ADL is flying by, and that it’s already time to write my mid-point blog post. Having now completed more than 115 hours at the Anti-Defamation League, I feel far more comfortable, knowledgeable, and inspired than when I first began my internship. I’ve grown to really love working at the ADL and already feel nostalgic about having passed the mid-point mark. In this post, I’ll share some of the highlights, challenges, and events that have made this experience so transformative.

 
Last time I checked in, I had just started my internship. Since then, I have participated in civil rights committee meetings, helped draft an op-ed to a Florida newspaper, and assisted with projects relating to the transgender bathroom law. I attended ADL’s annual board meeting, where I learned about “No Place for Hate,” a program dedicated to combating bullying in schools. I’ve continued to speak with witnesses and victims of discrimination who wish to file reports with the ADL. I’ve conducted media searches, helped in the education and outreach department, and interviewed participants of ADL’s trip to Israel.

I have infinite respect and admiration for the ADL staff. They remain committed and steadfast in their fight for social justice, actively working to combat discrimination. Initially, I found it difficult to be immersed in the discrimination, anti-Semitism, and racism that still plagues our world; but as I spent more and more hours at the ADL, something else occurred to me: that meaningful efforts are being made to combat the hate, and that there is still so much love in the world.

 
The skills I’ve developed throughout this internship have already proven to be critically important in my academic, career, and life endeavors. By participating in civil rights committee meetings and engaging with highly intelligent people, I have grown more competent and capable. By speaking with victims and witnesses of discrimination, I have practiced compassion and empathy. By drafting letters and op-eds, I am enhancing my writing abilities. Most important, it has reaffirmed for me that I thrive on growth and contribution.

I’ve taken many courses at Brandeis that delve deeply into the inequities that exist in healthcare, government, and media. This internship has made everything I’ve learned at school come alive. The biggest difference between academic and work life is the incredible sense of contribution I feel each day at my internship. I love knowing that my work is helping to make the world a better place. Like anything else, the world of work and the world of academics are what we make of them: in both universes, we have the ability to extract every lesson or orbit passively, choosing not to see the opportunities right there in front of us.

 
I am eternally grateful to Brandeis University, to the generous donors, and to the Anti-Defamation League for this extraordinary opportunity.

One of the many things I confirmed upon completing my first week interning at the Anti-Defamation (ADL) League was that you can learn a tremendous amount in just one week. Although I knew that I would leave this internship feeling more inspired, educated, and passionate, I hadn’t anticipated feeling all of those emotions so early on. In this blog post, I’ll share glimpses into the short, yet prolific, time I’ve spent interning at the ADL. Before I dive into what I’ve been doing at the ADL, allow me to paint a picture:

I walk into the South Florida ADL office bright and early on a Monday morning. I’m immediately taken by the aroma of altruism in the air. I can already sense that there are intelligent, passionate, and kind people in this office. The Anti-Defamation League, one of America’s leading civil rights organization, works vigorously to combat anti-Semitism, racism, and all forms of bigotry. Given their strong efforts to promote understanding and diversity, it makes perfect sense that driven and dedicated people are steering the ship.

The morning was devoted to orienting me on the computer systems, teaching me the best way to delicately handle phone calls with victims, and introducing me to the ADL staff (my intuition was right: they are all intelligent, passionate, and kind individuals). The majority of my first day was comprised of following up on incident reports, which means that I communicate with victims or witnesses of discrimination, who have filed or wish to file reports. Initially, it was incredibly disheartening to hear about the terrible incidents that occur on a daily basis (not to mention, in my hometown of South Florida). However, I’ve chosen to use this discouragement as fuel, empowering me to take the lessons I’m learning at the ADL and bring them back to Brandeis.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed attending and participating in ADL staff meetings, where I get the latest scoop on how the organization is working towards attaining social justice. It has been truly inspiring to witness important decisions being made, and new ideas being shared, and to be in the presence of such idealistic people. I also went on an out-of-the-office field trip to assist with a presentation highlighting anti-Semitism on college campuses. As a college student and a Jew, it was disconcerting to learn how often these incidents occur. However, I’m committed to converting these uneasy feelings into ammunition, and choosing to peacefully fight against all forms of bigotry.

A part of the WOW application asks participants to identify the goals we have for our internships. One of the three goals that I listed was “to challenge myself to stretch far beyond my comfort zone and prove that I am indeed capable of successfully handling matters of great importance.” Although it’s only been a week since I began interning at the ADL, I really believe that I’m on the right track toward achieving the goals I’ve set for myself. I’ve already learned that it takes motivated people to make a true, lasting difference. I’ve learned that, unfortunately, bullying and discrimination are still very much present. I’ve also learned that we still have a long road ahead of us in regard to social justice, but that we can make tremendous strides when more individuals step up and take action.

I want to sincerely thank Brandeis University and the incredibly generous donors who have made this experience possible. I promise to ensure that your generosity – both in time and in funds – is worth every second and every penny.