After participating in a panel discussion with LISC NYC’s 2021 Cashin Community Development Fellows, Jacqueline Guzman, Program Officer on LISC’s Family Income & Wealth Building team, reflected, “Events and opportunities like this are so important for young professionals of color, so it was an honor to receive an invitation to participate in this panel.” Jackie was one of four panelists who took part in the Cashin Community Development Fellowship’s annual Mid-Summer Workshop Career Panel, sharing their professional development advice and insights The workshop consisted of resume sharpening tips for fellows to better highlight their experience; a networking and informational interview guide; and a panel of experienced community development professionals who shared their personal and professional journey and also their roles here at LISC.
Aiche Ba, a rising junior at Boston College who was placed with LISC NYC for the summer, stressed how valuable the fellowship has been for her. Aiche’s work at LISC has reinforced her goal of wanting to help individuals and businesses in underinvested communities like those in her own neighborhood of Harlem. Participating in meetings with LISC NYC’s staff, LISC webinars, and conversations with LISC’s partners has shown Aiche just how much work is being done in the field of community development. Originally planning on going to law school to implement criminal justice reform, Aiche now understands that she is “not stuck on one path” when it comes to working in criminal justice, and now sees a variety of strategies that LISC and its partners use to address criminal justice concerns. In reflecting on the Mid-Summer Workshop, Aiche shared that even though she had a variety of internship experiences over the last three years, the tips shared during the resume sharpening workshop helped her parse out essential skills to showcase for future employers.
Roberto (RJ) Maldonado, a rising high school senior at Collegiate School on the Upper West Side, has loved the opportunity to work with Hope Community in East Harlem. As a Harlem native, RJ appreciates the opportunity to be impactful in his own neighborhood. RJ shared that the most valuable thing he has learned so far this summer has been the value of communication, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Before this experience, he preferred in-person communication, but due to working remotely, RJ has realized the importance of following up on emails, seeking clarity when needed, and advocating for himself. These are essential skills that RJ hopes to hone throughout the rest of the summer as he begins to plan for college and future career goals. RJ reflected that he was grateful that the workshop covered a variety of materials in an interactive manner ensuring that he and other fellows remained engaged throughout the discussion.
The Cashin Community Development Fellowship was developed as a partnership between LISC NYC and Prep for Prep, a leadership development program for gifted students of color typically from disinvested communities in NYC, to receive exposure to the field of community development. Through this program, generously funded by LISC Board member Lisa Cashin, Fellows spend their summer working with LISC and our community-based partners across the city. While working at their summer placements, Fellows provide added staffing support to LISC’s community partners and build knowledge and experience in the field of community development. Since its inception in 2007, the program has placed over 160 Cashin Fellows at 15 local community-based organizations around New York City and at LISC. Over the summer, LISC NYC places an emphasis on building up each Fellow’s professional and personal development skills while introducing them to careers in community development. The program is designed to enable Fellows to understand career pathways related to community development and help them consider their ultimate career choices.
As a part of LISC NYC’s commitment to advancing racial equity and building the field, the Cashin Fellowship plays an essential role in cultivating professional skills for students interested in community development. The program is designed to help ensure that these students have all the resources at their disposal to grow and achieve their goals. Investing in talent of NYC’s young people has been key for LISC NYC as we continue our efforts to eradicate the racial wealth gap in our city.