Six months...a revel's reflection

I haven't written in ever so long, mostly because I've been unbelievably busy and partly because I am not entirely sure how I could condense everything I've been feeling into a blog-ready, condensed entry. I've been at my job for six months.

Doesn't seem that long, does it?

I feel like I've grown a lot in that time. I'm still marvelling over the fact that I'm there. For those of you who don't know, I'm working at the rape crisis center where I interned a few years ago. I figured that when I entered the "Real World" it'd most likely be at a non-profit, preferably a women's organization like a crisis center but not necessarily this crisis center. I've learned so much in this short period of time: how to write grants and proposals, how to analyze budgets and audits, how to improve my public speaking skills (I was good at public speaking before, but I think I've really improved), and what it means to represent my cause. All that and more. I feel like I'm really making a difference in the lives of women and children.

Being at the flagship agency in the state also really has made me aware of everything that goes into being among the best. I remember that I studied the history of crisis intervention back during my senior year, and I had made the case that advocates needed to get back their grassroots approach to their work. I still agree with that, but I see the current state of crisis intervention as the next phase in that grassroots movement. No matter how much a center can be sophisticated and polished, the fact is that we still need to advocate for victims of violence. And the kinds of things that we do help bring advocacy and the horrifying subject of violence against women and children into the public consciousness. As much as some of our popular fundraisers may seem like a far cry from the grassroots days of yore, they represent the next stage on our journey because they show that anyone can advocate for a victim, in the largest or smallest of ways.

Being at such a big and multifaceted agency also has made me wonder how the small centers do everything they do and still stay strong. I remember during my days at Rape Crisis/RACES (they go by RACES now but are still as fantastic as ever), all the employees did direct service as well as all the administrative and fundraising tasks. I remember when I'd go there after hours, many of the staff members would be there until 7 or 8 PM. I know that there are agencies that are even smaller and more pared-down, and I really have gained a greater respect for the way that they can do all of that hard work and still stay on top of their game.

Well, I'm sorry I kept you all waiting to hear about my updates, but I think this sums it up well. Happy 2010, everybody!