After serving three years at my nonprofit job, I left my post exactly one month and six days ago. The end was a closing to a chapter that I had only fantasized about but never thought would be a reality so soon. Of course, the experience was not without challenges and a handful of difficult moments – because the work is hard – despite all of it I wouldn’t have changed a thing.

I had worked tirelessly for three years for a wonderful organization doing dope social justice work in the community. I often worked late nights, early mornings, and weekends either drafting posts for our communications platforms, working with local artists, and pretty much anything and everything in between. And I loved every single minute of it, even the hard parts.

I have written in previous posts about the many experiences I had working in my previous organization, such as seeing the value of my work as an activist that supports community organizing from the sidelines to my passion for cultural work and its role in movement building for social change. My work at this nonprofit, and working with the API community in Oregon, has ultimately shaped my thinking on the real impact that we can make in our communities and in the world, even with the restrictions of the nonprofit industrial complex. And of course, the job was even more amazing because of the talented, sharp, and passionate staff and members that I had the honor to work with. It’ll be hard to find a group like them anywhere else!

Now in my new role at a women’s organization that supports and advocates for pro-family policies, I’m excited to see where this job takes me. My bachelor’s degree was in Women and Gender Studies so in a way, I feel as though my new position has brought me back to my roots where my interests lie. I’m looking forward to the new experiences and challenges that await with an already amazing and dynamic team – of all women (a first for me!).

I’m also starting to work on some side projects that will, hopefully, propel me forward in working towards my creative pursuits. It’s exciting and I’m simultaneously loving the panicked and slightly freaked out part of me that has no idea what she’s doing or if it makes sense. It’s a good place to be, I think.

It feels good to be able to look ahead and see some goals that are possibly attainable. It feels good to be in control, for once.

– Luann