Sunday 16, 2024
Today was a pretty chill day. I woke up, made some lunch, and asked my roommate Bryan how his experience in New York went. Later in the afternoon, I doordashed Panda Express for dinner. I also met up with CHCI interns to complete our community service hours. We made cards for the kids in the hospital to brighten up kid's days. I felt good doing this because sometimes we forget how blessed we are to wake up each day and be healthy when others do not have this opportunity.
Monday 15, 2024
Today was different from every Monday morning because my roommate and I overslept a little. When we got to CHCI programming we did a check-in activity with our roommates to have more like a one-on-one conservation. Today’s GW topic was “Current Policy Debates: Reproductive Justice, Abortion & Transgender Rights.” It was an interesting topic because we were able to see different points of view regarding this. After our GW Topic, we had lunch provided by CHCI. In our CHCI leadership session, we learned several cybersecurity tips. They were helpful tips to help protect our online accounts and bring awareness to others. After this topic, we jumped onto the next one which was “Engaging in Challenging Conversations.” This was an interesting topic because it was informative on engaging in challenging conversations by making them safe for all involved in these challenging conversations. Making conversations about difficult topics safe is important to make it comfortable, to show respect towards each other, and to have the confidence to express yourself.
Tuesday 16, 2024
Today was busy just like every morning I attended the intern morning Check-In where I was glad to be hosting over a topic I listened to at CHCI on Monday. I asked the other interns what would they do when they had to have challenging conversations such as having to let someone go or with roommates when issues come across. I told them that sometimes we let our feelings get in the way but we need to learn to stop that and get straight to the point. You get to the point but in a professional way to understand each other and also prevent the situation from getting out of control. After the check-in, I went to get some coffee and headed back to my office space to send some emails and schedule potential meetings. The interns in the office and other agencies had the opportunity to tour the USDA Museum which is one of the hardest museums to get a tour of. I was fascinated by all the information on how the USDA started and the history of the building itself. In the afternoon I was able to see a new employee swearing into the office which was very cool to watch since some of us may be coming back to USDA or other federal agencies--you never know where the future will lead you.
Wednesday 17, 2024
Today, I attended the HEP/CAMP annual directors meeting where I and the other 5 interns gave a 2-3 minute speech about our internship experience. It was great to see all the directors who came together to make us achieve our dreams. Being able to express yourself as an intern is rewarding because you get to tell others about your experience that many others do not get to experience. I was able to see my directors which was cool after not seeing them for a while. After the meeting, me and Bryan went and got coffee and spoke about our experiences within USDA and shared each other's connections so we could further connect with people. Once I got off from work I headed back to my room to change and got ready for dinner. It was awesome to see Pat and the executive board who do all the work behind the scenes for HEP/CAMP.
Thursday 18,2024
Today was busy! Just like every morning, I attended the intern check-in and afterward I went to get some coffee to get my day started. Today one of my tasks was to complete the agenda for the 1890 Scholars Program. Once I completed the agenda, it was time for lunch. Today the other interns and I were able to have lunch with the CEO of CHCI, Marco Davis. It was a good lunch because we had the opportunity to ask him questions and listen to any advice he had for us. When I got back to work I finished setting up some bookbags for the 1890 Scholars Program and had a final meeting with my supervisor regarding the agenda.
Friday 19,2024
Today was a very exciting day because I got to see the White House. I woke up early in the morning and got ready. Once I arrived at the White House, we had to wait outside until our scheduled tour time. There were a few security checkpoints we had to go through, but once I was inside I was amazed at the interior. It means a lot to me to go inside the White House because I am a first-generation Hispanic student and my parents came to the United States to give me a better future. After touring the White House, I met with the HEP/CAMP staff inside the white house to talk about how the CAMP program has impacted our lives. Once the meeting concluded, I went back to the USDA and ate at the farmer's market for the first time. Later in the afternoon, we had a small recognition for one of the interns in my office because today was her last day. In the evening Anton gave me tickets to go meet the D.C. United soccer team. Although I am an Atlanta United fan, it was still cool to meet MLS soccer players in person.
Saturday 20,2024
Today was a calm day. The other interns and I went to see the Library of Congress and went to eat some barbecue after visiting the library. All of a sudden Anton--one of the supervisors in my office--called me and told me he had two tickets to the D.C. United game and wanted to give them to me. I could not turn down the offer, so Bryan and I went to go watch the soccer game.
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