With my time with Data-Pop Alliance coming to a close, I am very proud of my accomplishments and I am happy with the amount of knowledge I have gained during this experience. During this week, I worked through implementing my team member’s comments and suggestions into my guidebook, clarifying certain passages or adding additional sections. However, with my dwindling amount of time left, I was not able to implement all the suggestions that I had hoped to, which was a bit disappointing. I am still very proud of how the final version came out, and I submitted and presented my deliverable to the entire company. I was met with wonderful praise and constructive feedback about not only my guidebook but also my time here with the company. Kun (the other intern) and I were also able to submit our application to present at the Data Day Conference in Monterrey, Mexico. Fingers crossed that we are accepted!! Saying goodbye to my team was tough, but we'll stay in touch through social media and other platforms. I'll also continue working with my project manager over the summer, as she wants me to submit my guidebook to Medium, a data science blog forum. We'll be editing my paper to meet the company's submission guidelines, and hopefully, it will be accepted.

Outside of my time with DPA, I was also able to work four shifts this week at the SF LGBT Center, located in the heart of San Francisco. The center provides several services, such as free food/clothing/hygiene supplies, dental and law services, gender affirming products (binders and packing), and financial and job services. They even have a small art gallery that displays the work of local queer artists. I worked as a volunteer at the front desk, helping navigate people to the right services, answering phone calls and emails, as well as keeping up the cleanliness of the lobby. I was able to chat with some very kind-hearted people with such interesting passions! I wish I could continue to volunteer here, as it is such an inclusive and welcoming space, but I must return back home to Michigan. 

While my LiA project allowed me to dive deeper into my passion for using data science to address gender issues and support the local queer community, this experience also helped me grow in maturity and gain essential life skills. I'm incredibly proud of myself for moving to a new city 2,000 miles away from my family and managing to thrive. I learned how to navigate the apartment rental process, live completely on my own, and meet new people. As much as I'm excited to reunite with my family and my dog, leaving San Francisco and DPA is bittersweet. This city and the people I've met here have left a lasting impression on me, and I can't wait to return as soon as I can. I also hope to collaborate with DPA again in the future. Thank you to the Laidlaw Foundation for providing me with this amazing opportunity. It has truly been the best experience of my life and has positively impacted my outlook on the world.