“Sometimes opportunities will tell you when you’re ready.” ~Graciela Gomez
It has been an honor and a privilege having Graciela Gomez on our team here at FuturesNW. She is smart, kind, thoughtful, compassionate, easy-going, highly organized, hard-working and an incredible teammate and human being. We feel like the luckiest folks to have had almost 7 months together and want to send her off with a community high five.
As we celebrate Graciela and cheer her on as she takes her next professional step, we wanted to get her thoughts on a few things before she goes.
Q: What is the thing you are most proud of having done in your time with FuturesNW?
A: For me, the greatest accomplishment has been launching the Afternoon workshops on Tuesdays and Fridays which youth can register for here. The Tuesdays are meant to help with any tutoring or pathway support students may need and the Fridays are dedicated to creating community and simply having fun in a virtual setting especially in a time when it can feel hard to connect with others. This of course would not be possible without the beautiful teamwork that is created with our interns!
Q: What are some of your fondest memories either working with students or with our team?
A: Going off of the topic of community, for me, one of the fondest moments was when we as a team we made space to mourn the loss of Trula. Trula was a real inspiration to a lot of us in the Human Services program and having the moment to recognize her and honor the fact that we didn’t need to immediately get back to work was really refreshing. Another fond moment was just spending time with the students at OHS, I am so grateful they welcomed me into their classroom. I am so proud of the work they have put into their class and am excited to see where their future leads them to.
Q: What advice or resource would you give/recommend to fellow community members as we all navigate through these uncertain times?
A: The biggest resource we have during this time is our community because it is essential for us to feel connected to other human beings in a time where we are meant to isolate. I think connections can look very different and every form of it is super valid. One of the many reasons why I think the community is super important right now is because we can see each other's needs and uplift one another through that. Our community best knows where we hurt and how we suffer and only we can uplift each other.
I am so grateful to have been a part of FuturesNW for the last seven months. This internship has really solidified the work that I want to continue to do in the future. The skills that I have gained and strengthened while being a part of this team will definitely serve me in my future endeavors. To this day I am so grateful to have been a part of this amazing group of people that work so hard every day to provide current high school students with all the information and tools that not only do they need but they also deserve during a time like this. I hope that if you are a current high school student you are not discouraged by this pandemic. We are currently living in a time where we can really create our own futures and I hope that you take the opportunity to do this for yourself. To my fellow interns, I am so excited to see you all grow and the changes that you will bring to this community. I am so lucky to have had awesome teammates such as you and I'm really grateful for the community you brought into our spaces. To Ashley thank you so much for the care and kindness you bring into the team and to our spaces. We are so lucky to have you as our team leader and we couldn't do this without you. Lastly, to Megan welcome to this amazing team you are going to do amazing. Our team is so lucky to have you!
My next adventure will be as a case manager at the Whatcom Goodwill Job Training and Education Center and I am so excited to begin my professional career helping students and families get the support they need and deserve.
If you would like to get more information about the work Goodwill does please give us a call at 360-738-0483, or check out our website.