Reflecting on the internship at Kota
By: Amanda Hekkala, Noémie Hueber, Sylvi Mäkeläinen & Eilis Prendergast
The Kota Alliance welcomes interns and volunteers from all over the world with different backgrounds. The internship can be both fully online or on site in New York City. Kota Alliance offers housing for the international on site interns at the Kota Nest. The internship for people coming to the US from overseas typically lasts up to three months. For local interns the internship is encouraged to be 6-12 months.
Interns have the possibility to tailor the internship to follow their own interests and skills. In this blog post our four international interns from Finland, France and Ireland reflect on their experience from their Kota Alliance internship. Our previous interns have backrounds in different college majors such as political science, gender studies, international relations, literature and human recourses.
Amanda Hekkala:
My internship at The Kota Alliance has felt meaningful and encouraging thanks to the calm and safe environment at the Kota Nest, and the people that work and collaborate with The Kota Alliance. Colleagues have eased my adaptation to the work as well as provided guidance and feedback letting me learn about a non-profit-organization. Organizing and participating in various events, such as Healing trauma through writing and the weekly yoga classes, has been an interesting way to meet new people, learn from them, and see local life in New York City.
I have gained skills especially in event management - all the steps from planning and marketing to the actual event organizing and final reporting. Additionally my tasks have included preparing and participating in meetings as well as writing and creating marketing material for various projects. Living and working locally in Harlem has offered the opportunity to learn about the history of West Harlem and its people, to meet many inspiring women with different backgrounds and interests building connections and networking.
Noémie Hueber:
As a French person coming from a big city, I was used to living with a mixed community, but I learned a lot by living within Harlem’s black community and often being the only white person in the room, a situation that I had never encountered before. Listening to locals taught me a lot about what it meant to be a person of colour in the US, and especially being a woman of color. Events such as the Harlem Queer Walk were occasions to discuss the history of this neighborhood, listen to people who spent their whole life here and witnessed major fights for Black people and LGBTQ people’s rights. This journey was an occasion to discover classic authors such as Toni Morrison or Audre Lorde, but also local artists and activists such as Wilhelmina Grant-Cooper, Laura Bowman and Betty Pierre.
Sylvi Mäkeläinen:
My internship journey with The Kota Alliance has offered me diverse experiences and new skills that I gained during this time. I had the opportunity to contribute to various facets of our mission through organizing events, crafting blog posts, managing social media, and writing newsletters. This role honed my technical abilities with a range of digital tools.
One of the highlights of my internship was participating in interesting events aimed at raising awareness and promoting our mission. The best part was that the events focused on different topics. I gained valuable knowledge about Black people's history in the US and issues that women are facing all over the world. Coordinating the logistics of events, I developed my skills in using different tools like Eventbrite and Canva.
I fell in love with New York City—the iconic skyline, the bustling streets, and the incredible diversity of people and experiences. It’s a city that never sleeps, always offering something new to discover around every corner. The Kota Nest is in a very good spot; transportation is easy, and Harlem, where it is located, also offers a lot to do. I always felt like I was at home. The intern rooms have ample space and offer a nice place to relax after a long day.
I am grateful for the experience, mentorship, collaborative environment, and meaningful projects.
Eilis Prendergast:
Although I've only been at The Kota for two weeks, I have had a fantastic time so far! The environment is very welcoming, and living in the house with the other interns has made it easy to feel at home in a new city. So far, I have helped run several events, participated in meetings and DEI trainings, and managed our social media. The work is very varied, and one of the highlights has been that even as an intern, your voice is heard and your opinions are respected.
Beyond work, exploring New York can sometimes feel like a full-time project! The city is so dynamic, with so much to do and see. I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about moving to a new city alone, but I've found that if you're willing to put yourself out there, New York and its people are very open and easy to make friends with. I still have the rest of the summer ahead of me, and I am excited to participate in and work on our upcoming events, and to experience the famously vibrant New York summer.
Eilis in her room at the Kota Nest.
Special thanks to Farrow and Ball for renovating intern rooms!
Farrow and Ball: https://www.farrow-ball.com/us/?gad_source=1
Interns Sylvi, Noémie and Mirja having a brunch before work.
