Month: July 2014

I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to intern for Becky’s Fund this summer, it has been an amazing and educational experience that I will always carry with me. I never thought coming in that I would have the opportunity to gain as much experience and knowledge as I did. I learned so much about not only dating and domestic violence, but also about the inner workings of running a successful nonprofit organization. Being a nonprofit major, I had studied program implementation, fundraising, and grant writing, but to be able to actually put all that knowledge into practice was very humbling and educational. I was able to gain professional experience and better understand my strengths and weaknesses in a professional work environment. My time at Becky’s Fund helped me to develop not only my personal skills but also my future plans.

Because my work at Becky’s Fund was so multifaceted, I was able to get practice and professional experience in almost every area of nonprofit work. I experienced all of the hard work that goes into planning and organizing events, implementing programs, and the tireless work of grant writing. Having never had formal experience working for a nonprofit like Becky’s Fund, coming in I thought that I would be doing simple tasks to help around the office. That was not the case and I was able to gain more professional experience than I ever thought.

Becky’s Fund also opened my eyes to the world of dating and domestic violence. I have studied many women’s issues and I knew the basics of dating and domestic abuse, but after working at Becky’s Fund I see that this is an issue that needs a lot of attention. Seeing the different issues behind domestic violence and speaking with survivors gave me motivation to work hard to stop all violence against women, in the United States and around the world.

Although my time at Becky’s Fund is coming to an end, the one thing I will never forget is the amazing and inspiring women I was able to meet and work with this summer. In our culture, you don’t always see smart, successful women who are also beautiful and kind, this summer I was able to work with four women with all of those characteristics. All of my coworkers and my boss Becky Lee are amazing leaders who defy the typical stereotypes placed on women. I am so grateful for my time this summer as a Becky’s Fund intern and I will take everything I have learned and use it in all my future ventures.

It is no shock that America has a gun violence problem that is growing more prevalent as each day passes. The Brady Campaign is taking initiative to take a stand against gun violence and is pressing to create stricter policies on gun laws. The campaign has reported that most women murdered with a gun is from an intimate partner or family member. This has to change! How can we let our loved ones be murdered day after day because of a lack in something as simple as background checks? Those states that do require a background check show lower rates of women being murdered by intimate partners. This is why the Brady Campaign is pushing for change, to better protect our neighbors, sisters, children, wives and loved ones. Gun violence is also harming more and more youth. More than one in five U.S. teenagers (ages 14 to 17) report having witnessed a shooting and an average of eight children and teens under the age of 20 are killed by guns every day On

average, 32 Americans are murdered with guns every day and 140 are treated for a gun assault in an emergency room. Every day on average, 51 people kill themselves with a firearm, and 45 people are shot or killed in an accident with a gun. In comparison to other countries, the United States firearm homicide rate is 20 times higher than the combined rates of 22 countries that are our peers in wealth and population. Today, the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing to discuss strengthening laws to keep guns out of the hands of domestic abusers. The Brady Campaign will be there, urging the Senate to close existing loopholes, like the lack of background checks, that allow domestic abusers to easily get guns. The Brady Campaign does not suggest to take away the right to bear arms, but is pushing for stricter regulations to better protect the American people. Owning a gun is a constitutional right of every American but before purchasing a firearm a background check is necessary and will lower the rates of domestic violence leading to death. States with stricter gun policies show a lower rate of gun violence than those with lenient gun laws that don’t require gun permits and background checks.