This summer I am working at Mobilize.org, formerly ‘Mobilizing America’s Youth’ the organization is an “all partisan” organization that focuses on encouraging those included in the Millennial Generation to become involved in political and civic engagement. I’m definitely a little partial, but I seriously think I have absolutely the best, coolest internship placement. Seriously, these people literally wrote the book on grassroots mobilizing, in which they outline the steps of rallying around an issue and ways in which Millennials can have impact on issues of importance to them.
I was expecting to work in a very conventional office, where everyone worked 9-5, with the girls in heels and business suits and guys wearing ties...so I was pleasantly surprised to find everyone in the office wears blue jeans, tank tops, flip-flops, and shorts. My day starts when I get to work at about ten and ends at five thirty or when I’m done with my work for the day...whichever comes first. So what is it that I actually do? Well, officially my title is Communications Program Associate, and that means that I am helping out with the communications of Mobilize.org--for instance, I compile information for the press list so that the organization can have an effective communication model, have spent a lot of time preparing for a Money In Politics Grant Summit that’s scheduled to happen here in DC during September.
Normally I spend time everyday browsing internet news sites and blogs to find out what kinds of research is being conducted on the Millennial Generation. My favorite thing to do at work is check Facebook, which I must do frequently because we use the site for a great deal of networking and event planning. I know a lot of people who sneak onto Facebook at work, but how many people can actually say that Facebook is included in their job description? And as if that’s not cool enough, in the next couple of weeks we are moving to share an office space with THE Facebook! I’m really looking forward to that.
On my way to DC for this internship, I was already really excited about the work of my organization, but the description I was given over the phone and from the website could not even begin to scratch the surface of everything the organization actually has a hand in. Almost weekly, I attend conferences of our partner organizations, during which I have opportunities to sit in on some amazing panel discussions with people who have led distinguished and successful lives and careers. These leaders talk about ways in which individuals can be effective in impacting policy and ways to hold people in power accountable. I’m really excited, because I think it’s so important that people our age wake up and realize that we are the future of our government. “We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for,” as a discussion panelist phrased it. Mobilize.org is incredibly innovative--any time they think of idea that hasn’t been thought of before and it has no name, they just make up their own.
I was expecting to work in a very conventional office, where everyone worked 9-5, with the girls in heels and business suits and guys wearing ties...so I was pleasantly surprised to find everyone in the office wears blue jeans, tank tops, flip-flops, and shorts. My day starts when I get to work at about ten and ends at five thirty or when I’m done with my work for the day...whichever comes first. So what is it that I actually do? Well, officially my title is Communications Program Associate, and that means that I am helping out with the communications of Mobilize.org--for instance, I compile information for the press list so that the organization can have an effective communication model, have spent a lot of time preparing for a Money In Politics Grant Summit that’s scheduled to happen here in DC during September.
Normally I spend time everyday browsing internet news sites and blogs to find out what kinds of research is being conducted on the Millennial Generation. My favorite thing to do at work is check Facebook, which I must do frequently because we use the site for a great deal of networking and event planning. I know a lot of people who sneak onto Facebook at work, but how many people can actually say that Facebook is included in their job description? And as if that’s not cool enough, in the next couple of weeks we are moving to share an office space with THE Facebook! I’m really looking forward to that.
On my way to DC for this internship, I was already really excited about the work of my organization, but the description I was given over the phone and from the website could not even begin to scratch the surface of everything the organization actually has a hand in. Almost weekly, I attend conferences of our partner organizations, during which I have opportunities to sit in on some amazing panel discussions with people who have led distinguished and successful lives and careers. These leaders talk about ways in which individuals can be effective in impacting policy and ways to hold people in power accountable. I’m really excited, because I think it’s so important that people our age wake up and realize that we are the future of our government. “We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for,” as a discussion panelist phrased it. Mobilize.org is incredibly innovative--any time they think of idea that hasn’t been thought of before and it has no name, they just make up their own.
Outside of the office building
About to go to work
At my desk working
One of our offices
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