Murphy Bonner
Georgetown University Laidlaw Scholars Programme
Leadership in Action Showcase

Acknowledgements:
I want to first thank my Laidlaw Advisor, Dr. Kathleen Guidroz in the Sociology Department at Georgetown University who has been a constant support throughout my entire Laidlaw journey and in my academic career. A special thanks also to the amazing Georgetown University Laidlaw Coordinator Colleen Dougherty. Colleen’s kindness, dedication to the mission of Laidlaw, and work ethic are unparalleled. All of us scholars are so grateful to her for the guidance and support she has offered us throughout the program. I would also like to thank the Laidlaw Scholars Foundation for providing myself and the other scholars with the opportunity to do work that we otherwise never would have had the chance to do and to the Georgetown University Laidlaw Scholars Programme for supporting my research and Leadership in Action project.

Overview:
For my Leadership in Action Project I worked at the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and volunteered with local organizations that provided support services for the unhoused. Together, these two experiences allowed me to serve others in two very distinct but complementary ways: one by way of legal recourse for employment discrimination based on factors like race, age, gender, or sexual orientation and the other through being part of the community and directly interacting with those most vulnerable. This summer I was able to embrace the Laidlaw Scholars Foundation mission of sustainable service and leadership through experiences that pushed me beyond my comfort zone to achieve a greater good. I learned a lot this summer and have catalogued my work in the form of a blog post for each of the weeks in my Leadership in Action journey. 

Reflection:
This summer, I had the privilege of stepping into two very different yet deeply connected areas of service as part of my Leadership in Action Summer with the Laidlaw Scholars Programme. Specifically, two areas that I am deeply passionate about: civil service and public service. For my Leadership in Action summer I worked at the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and volunteered with organizations that support unhoused communities both in my hometown of Philadelphia and in DC. As part of the EEOC, I had a meaningful introduction to the legal frameworks of employment discrimination and work centered around victims and reconciliation. As a volunteer, I had the opportunity to play a small role alongside those making a tremendous difference in the lives of individuals experiencing homelessness. Together, these experiences enhanced my leadership skills in the spirit of the Laidlaw Foundation by centering those most impacted in each space. This summer was extremely transformative and I am extremely grateful for the opportunity. 
At the EEOC, I had the opportunity to engage in work that directly impacted those who believed that had been discriminated against in the workplace. As part of the Enforcement Team, I was able to take part in the enforcement of statutes like Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, among many others. My first days at the EEOC were spent understanding the role of the commission and what models of proof for discrimination cases looked like in this context. It was the first time that I was able to gain such an intimate understanding of a law(s) and demonstrated the complexity and ambiguity inherent to these statutes. However, the purpose of the role was not to learn the intricacies of statutes for my own edification, but to enforce them to the best of my ability. I had the opportunity to test my understanding of these laws with my supervisor as we underwent practice scenarios. I saw both the limits and the power of the commission and began to comprehend how my role fit into the larger process.
Over the next few weeks, I shadowed intake interviews where Potential Charging Parties (individuals who believed they had faced discrimination) shared their stories with investigators as one of the first stages of their engagement with the EEOC. These interviews involved note-taking, many follow-up questions, and expert listening skills. Not only were the investigators trying to understand the context of the story, all of the people involved, and the timeline, but they also had to make a determination on whether or not the cases had standing with the EEOC. In other words, they had to make the initial determination, later confirmed by  a supervisor, on whether or not the EEOC would continue to look into their case or dismiss it and give them a notice of rights to sue in federal court. Each interview that I was able to shadow had its own complexity but yet the investigators had an amazing ability to identify the pertinent questions that would determine whether or not a given statute applied. I was very fortunate to have a supervisor that placed explicit emphasis on the value of allowing individuals to tell their stories and to never judge a case based solely on preliminary information provided. This emphasis on dignity and care for the individual was demonstrated in the way that each case was handled and had time devoted to it. 
Eventually, after much preparation, shadowing, and studying, I conducted my own intake interview. I was nervous as I understood the importance of this call for the individual. Those who I had the opportunity to speak with had been, in many cases, terminated from their roles, denied promotions, not given reasonable accommodations, or harassed in some way because of a protected characteristic (i.e. age, race, gender identity, sexuality). I knew that the stakes of any call are oftentime an individual's livelihood. I remembered the ‘north star’ that my supervisor had emphasized: balancing the need to make a determination in their case with the understanding that this may be the only time that the individual has a chance to tell their story fully. Though it was  a stressful endeavor, I felt immense relief and gratitude after my first intake interview. It also gave me even greater admiration for the EEOC investigators who I had shadowed, who regularly navigate emotionally charged complicated situations daily, all the while demonstrating patience and compassion.
Apart from intake interviews, I had the chance to work on clerical and administrative tasks for the office. Though they were often mundane or repetitive, they were necessary to help the commission's mission of giving each individual the chance to exercise their rights. Processing forms or sending emails meant that there were people who would retain their statute of limitations or have the chance to talk to an investigator. 
Outside of my time at the EEOC, I had the chance to volunteer at Safe Harbor in West Chester, PA, and the Georgetown Ministry Center (GMC) in Washington, DC, both service and drop-in centers for those experiencing homelessness. Both prioritized dignity and safety for their guests as they provided services beyond what many drop-in centers can - a bed, laundry, meals, shower, and a place to keep one’s items while working. Through street outreach I saw the impact of the “othering” that is inherent to homelessness and the way in which these services provide a means of blending in for many. 
As I look to the future after my Leadership in Action summer, I recognize how much of my future path has been changed by this experience. Now working at the intersection of economics and employment law, I am so grateful for the introduction that I had to the field this summer. Additionally, as the lives of many of the individuals experiencing homelessness in Washington, DC have been completely upended recently, I know what I am able to contribute to serve that population in my own community. I could not have asked for a better or more fulfilling summer experience and would like to thank the Laidlaw Foundation again for their support in making this work possible.