I collaborated with a nonprofit organization in Minneapolis called TCR (Twin Cities R!SE). The mission of TCR is to transform the lives of those impacted by racial or socio-economic barriers through Personal Empowerment, career training, and meaningful employment. TCR envisions a community where all individuals, especially people of color, have attained financial independence through employment success. From my first day with TCR to my last day, I found myself inspired by the way each team member of TCR works cohesively with each other to meet a collective goal. I was moved by the way participants are the center of each conversation, and every decision is made with them in mind.
While I am a Chuck Green Fellow, I was also referred to as the Innovative Outreach Intern at TCR. The goal for my summer was to increase the participant retention rate and come up with creative ways to draw new participants and engage with the community. I spent the first few weeks developing my understanding of TCR’s programming and learning the ways they strive towards fulfilling their mission. I mainly worked with their outreach team where I attended and contributed to tabling events at libraries and other community spaces. Once I had a solid understanding of program operations, I began planning key events for TCR. The first thing I planned for TCR was their sponsorship of Juneteenth Minnesota 2022. I was able to get the Minnesota Vikings and St Paul Saints to support TCR on Juneteenth. This was a great way to get people walking by interested in our booth and the services TCR provides. The other event I planned was a Community Celebration for TCR that was meant to bring neighbors and Twin City residents together. I reached out to Black Owned Businesses, nonprofits and other community partners who were great at interacting with families. The other highlight of the event was the DJ, UNL Drill & Dance Team, bounce house and ongoing raffle. The St Paul Saints also had their mascot make an appearance which was a great time for children.
Overall, I enjoyed my experience with the Chuck Green Fellowship because I was able to learn more about nonprofits and grow my professionalism which is harder to do in a classroom. The other members of my Chuck Green cohort also made the experience enjoyable and I have to give Professor Dolan so much credit for being the best support system and making the whole process the best it could be.