My time with Becky’s Fund

It’s hard to believe that my semester with Becky and the rest of the interns at Becky’s Fund has come to a close. It has been an informative and affirming experience to take ownership over my projects and see the products of my hard work—whether it be the lessons planned for an upcoming Becoming Your Own Heroine workshop, a presentation on IPV for a group of college students or the success of this year’s Gold Cup.

One of my favorite projects to work on was the development of curriculum for an upcoming Becoming Your Own Heroine workshop. I loved the opportunity to reflect on what I, as a middle or high schooler, would have benefitted from learning about in such a setting. I believe that the inclusion of lessons on identity, gender norms and media literacy will only improve the BYOH curriculum and make the workshop an empowering experience for all involved. There is such a lack of positive, supportive spaces for young girls to exist in these days—so much of media and popular culture teaches young girls that they must always be in competition with each other for the attention of others. I love that the BYOH workshops allow young girls to escape these expectations and carve out a positive space for themselves and their peers.

Additionally, I appreciate the opportunity to work with a new client of Becky’s Fund. My time with this client was short and not much came of our time together but I found it incredibly affirming that Becky was confident in me to allow to perform the client intake and follow-up. My time speaking with this client was also affirming in my belief in the importance of the direct client services that Becky’s Fund provides. This client was so appreciative of my willingness to follow-up and just talk with her on the phone. Even though I didn’t provider her with any “tangible” help, I do believe that even lending an ear to listen is important.

Becky believes in the abilities of each of her interns and this shows in her expectations. From the very beginning, I had a lot of independence and was expected to produce results without a lot of instruction. This allowed me to develop confidence in myself and my abilities. I was (and still am) in awe of Becky’s energy and determination. It is truly incredible that she has built this organization by herself and continues to be the heart and soul of Becky’s Fund. I know I echo all those involved when I saw how inspiring she is. Thank you to Becky—and the rest of the interns—for a wonderful semester!

Helen Conway, Programs and Communications Intern