07/26/2016
Since this is my final blog, I thought I would write a bit about my internship—what it's like and what I do. I intern for the Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the largest Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) in the United States. In the last eight weeks, I've gotten a good...
06/21/2016
On June 13, I attended the USC-SCAG 27th Annual Demographic Workshop as part of my internship at the Southern California Association of Governments. More than 100 planners, policymakers, and academic researchers attended to discuss how we can better plan and adjust policy to the urban preferences...
06/14/2016
At the Los Angeles Mayor’s Office of Public Engagement, they really emphasize advocacy. On my first day in City Hall I was asked to think about a problem that I see in the CIty of Los Angeles and figure out a way to fix it or make it better. Myself, along with the other interns, were asked to...
06/09/2016
Summer 2016 has been and will continue to be one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences thus far. I was given the opportunity to simultaneously work for the San Francisco Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs and for the Office of Oakland City Councilmember Noel Gallo,...
07/30/2015
While mapping social trails on the American River Parkway in Sacramento, I am often approached by curious walkers, cyclists, and other Parkway users. They’re interested in what I’m doing with my GPS and maps, and when they learn that I’m interning for the County of Sacramento, the main governing...
07/29/2015
Writing my final blog, I sit staring at my computer screen in reflection. In reflection on not only the surprises I’ve had over this summer, but also the unexpected journey I’ve experienced to be here today. Graduating from the University of California, Berkeley in May, this internship has been...
07/28/2015
Time is flying by here at the Alameda County Office of Education. It’s amazing to think that in less than a month I have been able to shadow, converse, and learn from such impactful leaders in the educational community. They have all provided vast insight into how the County functions and deepened...
07/01/2015
After my first week at the West Oakland Environmental Indicators Project (WOEIP), I was eager to start my work and excited that it was so strongly related to my Sociology major. With my initial task of researching existing literature on ‘social cohesion indicators,’ I assumed there were studies...
06/24/2015
The slim ribbon of dirt I'd been following for a quarter mile skirted the edge of a bluff, ducked under a low oak and then dipped out of sight as it followed a precipitous line down the edge of a dredge tailing. I made my way down the steep slope of rocks that had been excavated from the American...
06/17/2015
There’s a ton to reflect on even though my internship with the Superintendent’s Office at the Alameda County of Education started less than two weeks ago. I have already met dozens of people and begun to sink my teeth into the projects that I will work on this summer. So far I feel a sense of calm...