Selena L. Chaivaranon is honored to have worked as a Programs and Communications intern at Becky’s Fund for the fall semester of 2017.

There are occasions upon which one finds themselves struggling to the surface, to breathe, to walk, to see the beauty of the world in decadent detail. We’ve reached a point of darkness–we’ve all navigated past these points in our dreams, in our waking memories, through the stories that we tell. Searching for meaning, for the reasons, the will to live. The visions are here, slipping through our fingers, shifting in our veins, and we reach–each holding out our hands: empty, or clasped, or chained, or joined together with the warmth and glow of many others in our midst.

Dare to dream. Dare to change. Dare to rise.

We’ve done just that. Throughout the course of this internship, I have been most privileged to have been able to produce artwork and graphic design materials for Becky’s Fund, including the backdrop for the 2017 Walk This Way fashion show, and brochures, signs, magazine advertisements, and social media posts. In addition to assisting with creating and managing promotional materials such as check-in sheets, documentation spread sheets, and updating the organization’s WordPress websites, I encountered various opportunities in which I could hone my existing skills, learn to use new programs, and innovate strategies and solutions in order to see my work all the way through to completion.

I was further able to offer my services researching various statistics related to domestic violence, and compiling data in order to directly aid clients (such as searching for ways to remove key loggers from phone and computer devices). As an artist and a scholar of sociology, it was an honor to put my time and labor to a cause which I truly believe will better humanity, and prevail in helping to create safer, healthier, meaningful, and more just relationships. These past few months were tremendously busy, but fulfilling, momentous, and productive for the organization, and for my own self-development as a person. It fills my heart with warmth and with happiness to have worked with such a wonderful team of dedicated and passionate individuals, and for the chance to push myself and balance a number of different tasks at once.

For sharing with me the most noble of goals, and allowing me to work together with a wonderful organization, dedicated to aiding those in need, the wonderful people who together make up Becky’s Fund have my eternal thanks.

And to all those who have lost sight of the light, to those who need a hand to hold, you never walk alone.

With much love, Selena.