Anthony Perez worked as an intern for Becky’s Fund since July. He was a blast to have around and will surely be missed!

Below is Anthony’s reflection on his time here:

Before entering Becky’s Fund, I remember imagining how my internship at the organization would be. I pictured myself in front of a crowd of students, even more, a crowd of people, talking about the issue of domestic violence and creating big changes. Of course, to myself, I knew my imaginations were too idealistic, but even then I could not have expected what I experienced at Becky’s Fund.

Knowing that I would take part in the Men of the Code program, I was ready and excited to start training and going over the lesson plan. However, as my first few weeks passed, I began realizing that my position and role in Becky’s Fund was much larger and important than just an instructor. Being an instructor is vital to the Men of Code program, but there are so many other critical pieces and steps at play and that is what I learned during my time here.

I was reminded about the importance that seemingly small tasks have in the grand scheme of things. My views about running a nonprofit organization before my internship were too black and white. I never realized that in order to run a successful run a non-profit one must run the organization as if it was a business. This meant creating a brand, learning how to properly spread the word of your cause, finding out what makes donators and sponsors interested in nonprofit organizations, maintaining public relations, partnering with other businesses, and much more.

I recall myself at times sluggishly making social media posts, writing letter after letter, or taking on various other tedious tasks. I mentally labeled the tasks as irrelevant and would try to get it done as soon as possible, but my way of thinking then was very flawed. I had forgotten to look outside of myself and realize that any work I produce on behalf of Becky’s Fund will represent not just me but the organization itself. As much as I want to help domestic violence survivors and spread awareness, I also needed to work hard in enforcing the image and structure of Becky’s Fund so that the organization can continue its mission long after I complete my internship.