Work has really started to pick up. My tasks have been modified a lot from what I thought I was going to be doing when I first got here, but I don’t mind the change because I think I am doing more useful work anyway. The office joke is that I am always looking for more work! Here are the projects I am working on:
- Researching brownfield redevelopment funding (mostly done)
- Researching makerspaces and how they make a profit (in process)
- Researching innovative public space ideas (not started)
- Writing an Request for Proposal for a streetscaping project (done)
- Researching the feasibility for how Southwest could have a music festival and creating a plan of how we can organize the event (in process)
- Helping coordinate the Open Streets event that will come down Vernor this fall (in process)
- Create a pamphlet about the Vernor Crossing Development (done)
- Organizing a networking event for business association members, find funding for the event (in process)
- Recruiting new business to the association (not started)
- Write spotlight stories about local businesses (not started)
- File a bunch of papers when I have free time!!!
I love the work, and I don’t mind the monotony if I feel like the work is useful. The rest of my office is always incredibly busy, we have our feet dipped a little bit into everything that is going on in Southwest. I would love to be able to follow my projects along after this internship program is over, fingers crossed that I could extend my job a little bit.
A weird part of the job is how much I stick out when I leave the office. Being a 6 foot, white female makes me pretty obviously different from the rest of Southwest, so I get a lot of comments wherever I go!
I posted the photo below last week, but I will post it again because I think that it is really significant of SW. You can see both the American and Mexican flags in the photo, and a significant part of SW is how multicultural it is. Then you can see the mural in the background, there are a ton of artists and entrepreneurs trying to grow their businesses in SW, and my organization is doing their best to help them.
Hey girl! Thanks for sharing this picture – I love it!! I think it has something really authentic about it, but also speaks to the merging of many cultures in SouthWest. It looks like you’re super busy at work with all of those projects, but the work you’re doing also sounds really impactful. I’m interested to hear more about the spotlight stories about local businesses – it sounds similar to what I’m doing with food entrepreneurs at FoodLab! Would definitely love to hear more about that project and the stories you gather once you start that project!