While working in D.C. as a summer intern, it can be very easy to lose your sense of identity. You often become defined by the organization where you are interning and the issues on which that organization advocates.
I have learned so much in these past two weeks, and I am grateful to everyone at my internship and everyone at the RAC for teaching me. However, I am beginning to feel that I am only seen as the intern working on reproductive rights, not as Leora who cares so much about equality for all people and also enjoys being silly and goofy. It is important to realize that as one person, you can only do so much. It is even more important to remember that you are not only the issues you stand for. You are still a person who has many different interests and hobbies, and not all of them are related to politics.
In the Machon Kaplan program, we do a great deal of activities that aren't necessarily political, but because of the nature of this program, the conversation always turns to some hot-button topic. Sometimes we have to take a step back and remember that we are in our late teens and early 20s and we should probably be discussing Harry Potter or where to go shopping at some point each day.
What we as Machon Kaplan participants are doing here this summer is very important, and we are taking in all the city has to offer. I feel that many of us will go home with a different perspective on politics and on ourselves. I think we also need to remember that we are not quite all grown up yet, and that we still have plenty of time to play around and have fun.
Leora Cohen-Rosenberg is a participant in the Machon Kaplan Summer Social Action Internship Program, interning at the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice.
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