My name is Maya Garfinkel and I am a rising third-year student in the Faculty of Arts at 捆绑SM社区. I am majoring in Political Science and minoring in Environment and Geography (Urban Systems). I am very interested in environmental politics and wanted an internship that would help me explore this subject in a hands-on, concrete way. Being home in the United States for the summer, I was interested in exploring environmental politics in the American political sphere. Green Team fit the bill; Green Team is an on-the-ground advocacy effort founded by two American environmental organizations - EDF Action and the NRDC Action Fund. These two major U.S. environmental groups founded the project last summer as the stakes for true climate action have never been higher. Green Team organizes public support in seven key districts for vulnerable members of Congress who champion meaningful climate policy to fight climate change. Green Team works towards this goal by connecting NRDC Action Fund and EDF Action supporters and activists, with advocacy opportunities, holding members of congress accountable through grassroots advocacy activities, and providing constituents with helpful information about the climate crisis, among other things.
Green Team鈥檚 typical advocacy efforts have been adapted to accommodate the current circumstances of the pandemic. Recently, Green Team has hosted several public webinars, including some with congressional representatives such as climate champion, Congressman Sean Casten. The Green Team Summer Activist Fellowship (this internship鈥檚 official title) is also a key part of the Green Team鈥檚 ongoing efforts. The Fellowship program aims to build strong young climate activists in the seven congressional districts that the Green Team focuses on.
As a fellow with Green Team Action, I have learned a lot of about myself as a professional and the climate activism world as a whole. My responsibilities included participating in bi-weekly trainings, phonebanking Illinois voters, and pursuing an independent research project. A highlight of the internship has been developing a close relationship with my supervisor and regional organizer, Elizabeth Bean. Our weekly check-ins have become one of my favorite parts of the program. Our conversations cover my independent research project I am working on for an organizing event, personal politics, and addressing struggles I am facing during the internship. Another highlight of the internship thus far has been talking with Illinois constituents. As an intern, I regularly phonebank and come into contact with many Illinois residents with varying levels of political involvement and interest. This aspect of the internship has been challenging as many people I talk to are not initially receptive of my message or call to action. Other times, I have spent 10 minutes talking to an elderly voter who was just excited to talk with a young person about the issues she cares about. These experiences have pushed me out of my comfort zone and helped me become a more confident, seasoned communicator.
I am not receiving credit for this internship. However, this internship has helped me hone what career paths I am interested in. I have learned that I enjoy speaking directly with voters about local issues; however, I do not have the social energy that it takes to have this skillset be the focus of my job. Instead, I felt like my skills were best used during my independent research project. This project consisted of researching voter behavior of 鈥渃limate voters鈥� and why prioritizing climate issues in elections makes a difference. I consolidated this information into two comprehensive, informational graphics that will be used in future volunteer trainings to inform and motivate volunteers as they get started with the important work of fostering climate voters.
The funding I received for the internship helped me pursue topics that are relevant to my career and education path, rather than be forced to find a paid job that is not relevant to my interests. Without it, I would have not felt financially stable enough to pursue the internship and other career-focused programs I completed over the summer.
Adapting to a remote internship was a challenge; however, it was made easier by having a clean workspace, keeping a tidy Google calendar, and staying active during breaks. Even though the internship was remote, I made a concerted effort to participate in calls with other interns, staff, and volunteers in order to maintain contact and keep up my motivation.
Thank you to the Arts Undergraduate Improvement Fund for funding my Internship Award. This experience has been so rewarding and I am very grateful for the financial assistance I have received.
