The biggest challenge I have faced thus far at the ACLU has been one that I did not foresee: sitting in front of a computer every day for hours. I thought that since I work so much with the computer at school, it would not even phase me to sit on a computer all day at work. But it is draining. The work is interesting, speaking with people who contact the ACLU is rewarding and enjoyable, but the constant presence and use of the computer is exhausting. One of the great things about my office, however, is that I work in the same room as three other interns. The social interaction breaks up the day and has allowed me to make some new friends in Philly for the summer. All of the other interns plan to attend law school and they are all incredibly intelligent. I enjoy listening to and engaging in their various conversations, ranging from the Star Wars saga to prison reform in the United States. The coworkers and clients I have met and socialized with this summer have certainly broken the monotony of computer work that drives each day. This has made me realize that a typical 9-5 office job behind a desk may not be the right job for me. I think I need social interaction in order to enjoy my work and in order to see the results of that work. Speaking with clients and knowing they are receiving some kind of help from our services is the best part of my job. Hopefully the career path I ultimately pursue will allow me to interact with and help people regularly, rather than simply reading their words through a screen and processing the information.
Week 3
The legal intake department of the ACLU can sometimes feel a bit frustrating. Very few calls and letters we receive fit within the confines of a case that would interest the ACLU, so there is little that we can do aside from referring the cases to other resources. This week I sat in on ACLU case review for the first time and felt some of that frustration subside. It was empowering and exciting to hear about the real work that the ACLU is doing and the potential impacts that work could have on policy in Pennsylvania. This week I learned that even one of the most effective and influential non-profits in the country cannot take on every case and certainly cannot help everyone that contacts their offices, but the strategic decisions that they make in taking on their cases are crucial in ensuring their success in accomplishing their mission.
An Exciting Day for the ACLU and America!
Hi everyone!
This past week- and today in particular- was very exciting! The ACLU had been planning a rally for the release of the SCOTUS decision regarding marriage equality. Our office had expected the decision to be announced on Monday, but instead it was announced today! We live-streamed the SCOTUS blog in the office on a projector and then went to the Constitution Center to hear the opinion read aloud. The rally took place from 5-7 and featured awesome speakers, all of whom were incredibly emotional about the decision, the long journey it has taken to get to this point, and all of the work that still lies ahead. Seeing my office and so many Philadelphians come together to celebrate that love won was truly moving and made me so happy to be working for the ACLU.
First Blog Post
Hi everyone! My name is Renata O’Donnell. I am from Scranton, Pennsylvania, and I am a rising senior at the University of Pennsylvania. I am very fortunate and incredibly excited to be working at the Philadelphia branch of the American Civil Liberties Union this summer.
Of all the emails I have received from my summer supervisor thus far, the one that excited me most was the one with the subject “March with Us at Pride Parade!” I marched in the DC Pride Parade last year with Planned Parenthood and found the experience incredibly exciting and empowering. We marched through the streets of DC, and threw condoms and candy to the cheering crowds. I have not begun my work with the American Civil Liberties Union yet, but I know that any workplace that wants to give employees the experience of being in Pride Parade is the kind of place where I want to work.
I begin work at the ACLU on June 15 and could not be more excited to get into my schedule. I know my title is that of a Legal Intake Intern and that I will be reviewing letters and incoming calls, acting as a sort of first level filter to see if the complain constitutes the sort of issue that the ACLU would take on. This vague idea of my work makes me a bit nervous, but also very excited. I know that the Philadelphia ACLU is the only branch of the ACLU that places every case with some kind of professional, so even if the case is not a Constitutional violation, the Philadelphia ACLU does the legwork to get the case into the hands of someone who can do something about it. I am very excited to see what that looks like and to see if it is truly feasible. Do cases get sorted out in a timely matter? How much can people be helped once their case is passed onto a different office? I am looking forward to uncovering the answers to these questions and I am most looking forward to helping people with issues that truly mater to them and to our country.
renataod 