My time as a Karel Fellow has been eye-opening. Things started quickly, and I was immediately thrown into the fire as soon I arrived at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. In my first week, I sat on calls with organizations that routinely make national headlines. I heard people use all sorts of abbreviations I didn’t understand and deliberate over dollar amounts I was not accustomed to hearing. That first shock was scary—but it was also exhilarating.
I met my peers at orientation, a radiant and warm group of people, and we learned about the importance of Public Interest Communications. To be completely honest, I had no clue that this field existed before that day. I pursued the Karel fellowship to learn how to turn my passion into action, and to effectively communicate my ideas. I’ve learned quite a bit about how to do that, but I’ve learned equally as much about other things I didn’t know existed.
Ironically, it’s these unexpected learning experiences that have contributed the most to my growth. I learned about a project on reparations in New Jersey, social impact investing, a documentary about people traveling across the US in search of healthier eating habits—the kind of work that broadens your horizon of what’s possible. The people around me have opened up my aperture and inspired me to think more creatively about how I can make an impact in my communities.
I was quietly moving under the assumption that I could make a difference only after I racked up more credentials: a master’s degree, a PhD, a law degree, whatever. While those degrees certainly can help, they do not dictate my ability to make change. I am a change-maker now, and if the Karel Fellowship has taught me one thing in my esteemed 5-week tenure, it’s that I’m beyond capable of making that happen.