My name is Celine Li and I will be entering my second year of undergraduate studies at 捆绑SM社区 in the fields of Economics, Political Science, and Sociology. Throughout my first year, my diverse academic interests in social justice, international development, and politics pushed me to get involved in student-led initiatives across campus, such as the Women in House Leadership Summit and the Arts Community Engagement Council. My active participation in these organizations shaped my desire to get a slice of professional experience in the non-profit and NGO sectors.
In pursuing my studies in the city I grew up in, I constantly sought to challenge myself by leaving the comfort and familiarity of home behind to see how I would adapt to a novel environment. That is why I was immediately drawn to apply to Alternatives鈥� International Youth Internship Program, which presented me with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that was situated at the crossroads of my academic aspirations, personal curiosities, and professional goals.
Alternatives is a solidarity organization advocating for economic, social, political, civil, and environmental justice in Quebec, Canada, and beyond. The NGO is dedicated to amplifying voices at the heart of social movements by fostering grassroots activism in collaboration with international allies. I was selected as a Strategic Communications Officer for the Women and Information Communication Technologies (ICT) Program for the Foundation for Media Alternatives (FMA), one of their partners located in Quezon City, in the Philippines. This initiative focuses on empowering and educating the Filipino civil society to better support marginalized groups, especially girls and women, through more strategic and safer use of media and ICT. My main objectives when taking on this role were 1) to improve my adaptability in a setting with new standards and norms, 2) to translate what I鈥檇 previously learned in my courses to an organization aimed at making a societal impact, 3) to gain a more profound understanding of the inner workings of an NGO in an international context.
Before my departure in early June, I participated in Alternatives鈥� four weeks of mandatory pre-departure orientation, which included workshops, training in ICTs, first-aid courses, and presentations led by professors and previous interns. This preparatory period equipped me with the knowledge and confidence to tackle my responsibilities as an intern, and more importantly, raised crucial reminders of my positionality as a foreigner 鈥� related to security, cultural sensitivity, awareness of privileges, adaptability, and openness to difference. Additionally, the AIO鈥檚 support was instrumental in giving me the tools, information, and advice I needed to thrive in the context of an internship abroad.
Following the month of training, I, alongside two Canadian interns, arrived in the Philippines. The first few weeks spent in Manila were riveting as every day presented an opportunity to learn, challenge my expectations, be surprised by the similarities I shared with locals, and notice our differences as well. At the FMA鈥檚 office, I was given the freedom to choose between three focal areas of work: gender and ICT, privacy and data protection, and internet rights. I selected the first of the three since I鈥檝e always been inclined to analyze social issues from a gendered lens. I was then introduced to the gender and development department鈥檚 ongoing projects. I was tasked with drafting a research-based guidebook addressing the growing prevalence of online gender-based violence due to artificial intelligence. This project was incredibly exciting as the topic seamlessly aligned with my interests and simultaneously allowed me to directly apply the knowledge I had learned in a sociology course to a professional endeavor. Initially, I struggled with the amount of flexibility, time, and control I had for such a sizable project since I had been used to tackling smaller projects with strict guidelines in an academic context. In response, I made a plan by breaking down the project into smaller, more manageable tasks and set respective deadlines to help pace myself for the duration of my internship.
My role was multi-faceted: I conducted research for the Observatory of Violence Against Women 鈥� a center generating, studying, and analyzing the patterns of violence against women in politics in the Philippines. Then, I created a list of gender-sensitive AI policies based on policymakers鈥� recommendations to regulate AI from different countries. Finally, I interviewed specialists in the field of AI ethics to gain greater insight into my topic. Throughout this process, I explored the ethical principles of various applications of AI in public and private sectors and examined the multi-dimensional societal impacts of emerging technological advancements. The main takeaway from my project was understanding that artificial intelligence presents a double-edged sword. On the one hand, AI can be leveraged to combat digital violence and on the other, it can be weaponized to inflict further harm, most frequently targeting already marginalized communities via deepfakes, algorithmic biases, and the dissemination of misinformation and disinformation. My favorite part of the research process was discovering how current initiatives were designing AI-based innovations with the purpose of 鈥嬧�媐ighting against online gender-based violence.
One of my most treasured memories from this internship was speaking to Jacque Manabat, an award-winning multimedia journalist, recognized for her pioneering approach to digital storytelling and audience engagement in the Philippines. Interviewing Manabat allowed me to gain a profound understanding of Philippine politics, economics, and society from a journalist鈥檚 perspective. Our conversation also gave me an insider view into how her personal experiences helped her overcome the barriers she faced as a female journalist and pave the way for others to follow in her footsteps.
Reflecting back, the most rewarding part of interning in an international context was that sources of newfound knowledge did not solely come from reading articles and reports written online, but also from real-life interactions with local communities. In fact, my work allowed me to pay more attention to my surroundings, which helped me notice details that I otherwise would not have and thus take maximum advantage of my time on the ground. Living in a new environment that is drastically different from what I am used to also taught me to adapt and build resilience, from learning bits of Tagalog to navigating the complex transportation system in Manila.
Overall, this intercultural opportunity not only allowed me to transfer theoretical knowledge from the classroom to a professional setting but also challenged and enriched my perspective on the role of media and technology in societies across the globe. Working on an interdisciplinary team, embracing new cultural norms, and developing new friendships in a foreign country pushed the bounds of what I believed I was capable of, which helped me grow tremendously as a person. Although I am not receiving academic credit for this internship, I look back on the past months as a complement to my studies at 捆绑SM社区 as well as a bridge in my journey of pursuing work that is truly meaningful for me. I gained practical experience in a non-profit organization within a global context and solidified my passion for global advocacy, especially in the area of women鈥檚 rights. As an addendum, I would like to thank my mentor, Karlee Thomas, assigned to me through the AIO mentorship program. Her unwavering support and trust in my potential was invaluable throughout my search for an internship. I am also extending my heartfelt gratitude to Martine Vanasse and Randall Edwin Wilbert II, whose generous financial support afforded me the opportunity to complete an internship in the Philippines with Alternatives.
