Post summer tales...

I know this is not supposed to be how blogs work, but due to the fact that I felt the city of NY consumed me, added to the fact that I was restricted to one hour of internet during the two weeks that I spent in Dominican Republic, this is my attempt to make up for the lost posts.

The Cornell Urban Scholars Program (CUSP) was an amazing experience. I have to say that I have learn many things that will be useful for me, professionally and personally. For once, I am not scared of the city anymore: I can take the subway, I know more than one entrance to Central Park, I can tell the difference between midtown and everything else, I even know how to get to the Apollo Theater in Harlem.

However, more important than all this, I have made connections with people I will continue to communicate with and who will be amazing resources in the career that I envision for myself in the women's health arena. The organization I was working with opened doors for me to understand who works on issues of reproductive health and justice and in which ways, what the most important issues related to this topic are, and who cares about them and will open the door if I knock.

Maybe the most enriching part of my experience was the opportunity to participate in brown bag discussions held in different offices of organizations doing reproductive justice work, like the Center for Reproductive Rights, the Reproductive Health Access Project, and National Advocates for Pregnant Women. I loved these sessions because they allowed me to learn about different topics and the different approaches these organizations take. I also met other students my age who interned at these organization, students who in a future I will be working next to. I also had the honor of meeting some great leaders, like the executive director of National Advocates for Pregnant Women, Lynn Paltrow, who turned out to be a Cornell Alumna!

The program ended with a reception where the participants shared their experiences and the things they learned during through CUSP. Most of us were willing to talk about the great benefits we've earned through the program because there is the concern that the department will not have enough funds for this AMAZING program to happen next summer. I hope our communities will care enough so that CUSP can continue to enrich the experiences of college students interested in social justice and public service.

More on Dominican Republic soon, very soon...