My six-week adventure in Washington, D.C., has come to an end.
I had a fantastic experience working directly with Disability Rights International. Thank you, Eric, Priscila, and Mariel, for your guidance and for bringing me onto your team! I truly admire all the work, time, and dedication that go into DRI. It is not easy work; it is emotionally challenging. It is detailed, requires patience, legal knowledge, and empathy. I hope my path crosses with DRI again. Some of the work was confusing and challenging, and it required me to ask many, many, many questions. Six weeks went by incredibly quickly, and I wish I had stayed even a few more weeks to contribute to some of the final projects and tasks I was assigned.
If you had told me six weeks ago that I would manage to learn extensively about the work that goes into human rights advocacy organizations and make 2 new close friends while in D.C., I wouldn't have believed you. Given that I worked with no fellow college-aged students, I was worried. I was worried I wouldn't meet new people. But life has its random, mysterious moments. I spent a lot of time with interns from Capital One and Hillterns, as well as lobbyists... quite different from my work. One of these friends that I only met 6 weeks ago is visiting me in New York soon! Although these people are not part of the Laidlaw network, my time as a Laidlaw Scholar has allowed me to cross paths with many leaders, intellectuals, and fantastic friends.
I will remember my time with DRI in Washington, D.C, fondly.