The end is not the end

 Good morning all

I have thoroughly enjoyed perusing through your documented journeys amid field placement. I utilize emails more, so I opted to remain in contact with Professor Lopez via that platform instead.  With this being the final day of field, I thought it would be most fitting to close out with a post everyone could see.

First and foremost, it was a pleasure to be a part of such a phenomenal cohort. I appreciate the faculty and commencement committees who fought so hard to gift us with an in-person ceremony. I cannot begin to express the immense joy it brought to my mental wellbeing. Those of you I had the pleasure of seeing in person, it was beautiful to experience that moment with you. To those who've I've shared classrooms, breakout discussions, presentation projects, and peer support, I could not have made it through this program without you.

An internship that began in an emotionally uncomfortable space, blossomed into that valuable, "in the trenches", learning experience EVERY globally-concentrated social work intern should have.  I learned about acknowledging my own privileges, navigating through shared spaces with multiple language and perception barriers,  as well as understanding the dynamics of how the "black experience" in America looks and feels when you are BLACK AND UNDOCUMENTED in this country. 

To work with an organization who is the epidemy of the term "community-based", operating well beyond its own capacities, and never within a 9am-5pm framework, I had the opportunity to practice the firm assertion of boundaries, necessary in the prevention of burnout.

Though I would have enjoyed completing a global internship this summer, being nominated as the student speaker for summer commencement, (thank you), and walking across Hill Auditorium's stage, were two events I was proud to be a part. 

Through the collective experiences of field, undocumented spaces, mental wellbeing, the climate of pandemic isolation to the race towards nationwide immunity violation, my closing reflection is: embracing HUMILITY while granting yourself the grace to process it.

Thank you all.  Please remain connected. As UM Alum and change agents, we may find ourselves in  positions to challenge systems and collaborate in the future!