[jobsthatareLEFT] Happy Labor Day! Here's an end of summer update from KS Appleseed's 2016 Summer Fellows

A Note from Maslyn & Kenneth, Kansas Appleseed's Summer 2016 Justice Fellows: Good morning, Happy Labor Day! As the summer wraps up, we wanted to take a moment to update you on our 2016 justice fellows and reflect on their hard work these past few months. With your important support, Kansas Appleseed created the Justice Fellowship Fund this year to make meaningful advocacy work possible for new justice advocates in Kansas. Thank you for building up our rising generation of Kansas leaders! We asked Maslyn and Kenneth to answer a few questions about their experiences and to share some advice with their peers. Here's what they had to say: What are the top three things you learned this summer working with Kansas Appleseed?  Kenneth: "More than anything, I learned the value and fulfillment that comes from deeply engaging with your local community. Interacting with the politics and community groups that make this community thrive gave me insights into the way my town works, and that kind of education is one that you simply cannot get without first-hand participation. I learned that people generally do care about what is happening in their local governments when they understand the issues, and I've seen that effective organizing can help put the power of change and advocacy in the hands of the people whom political and legal institutions affect most. Working at Appleseed gave me hope that those processes can still work." Maslyn: "I definitely learned how to better navigate the line between social work and legal advocacy. I also learned the importance of communicating with the populations served by your advocacy. Working with Kansas Appleseed gave me the opportunity to experience what policy work looks like on a day-to-day basis." What advice would you give to classmates about pursuing a career in public justice? Kenneth: "It's always about allowing communities and their citizens to define and enact justice themselves. Justice is about autonomy, not about imposing one's ideas on others, no matter how good the intentions." Maslyn: "I think I would tell them to follow what they are passionate about. Public service work is very challenging, so it is super important to be working on social issues that you truly care about. I also would tell them to remember that when you’re working for social change, you may not see great progress every day. But talking to people who will personally benefit from your work definitely helps keep you motivated and positive. One-on-one conversations give you the opportunity to clearly see the impact and need for the work you are doing." What was the most meaningful project you worked on this summer?  Kenneth: "I was thrilled to design a curriculum for advocacy around juvenile and criminal justice issues that will be implemented as an after-school program at Highland Park High School in Topeka. It's designed to give students information about effective advocacy and the processes of the criminal justice system and allow young Kansans to fight for the issues they care about." Maslyn: "I actually have two: Summer food and KanCare expansion. Visiting summer food service program sites across the state gave me the opportunity to see the direct impact this important program has on kids and families. It was incredible to see how Kansas Appleseed’s mini grants through the Kansas Health Foundation have allowed sites to feed more kids and adults this past summer. Working on KanCare expansion was another meaningful project for me. I couldn’t believe some of the personal stories I heard from Kansans directly affected by the state's decision not to expand KanCare." Maslyn and Kenneth made a difference in Kansas this summer, and work like this would not be possible without you. Thank you for your support of the Justice Fellowship Fund. Together, we are building justice for all in Kansas. Sincerely, Benet Magnuson Executive Director, Kansas Appleseed     Thank you for supporting future justice leaders like Maslyn and Kenneth!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kansas Appleseed
1611 St Andrews Dr
Lawrence KS 66047 United States

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