Week 5 was another great one. For whatever reason, I experienced a shift where I suddenly got really comfortable with all of my coworkers and started to lean into the work culture here—which feels great! As an intern, it's so easy to feel timid and incompetent, but after a successful meeting with one of our board members, I instantly felt more confident in my ability to contribute to our team. In the meeting, I got her to agree to host a fundraising party for our organization-- an ask I was very scared to make. Once I started talking to her, though, she was so excited to hear about my ideas and how she could help; she also had so much wisdom that she shared throughout our conversation.

A big takeaway from this is that being young and new to movement spaces is great because there are so many people who want to give you advice. I am always nervous about being perceived as naive, incapable, or 'too young to get it,' when, in reality, young people are so crucial to this work. I'm learning that people LOVE when young people come with questions, curiosities and big aspirations-- it's what keeps this long, inter-generational project of abolition going! I've felt really emboldened and encouraged by my coworkers here and have found some mentors I will definitely turn to even once I leave Oakland. Feeling: inspired.