Community Partner : United Workers Intern : Tarah Fitzgerald Site Supervisors : Rachel Cutler
What is United Workers ? The United Workers is a non‐partisan poor people ’ s multi‐racial and bilingual human rights organization fighting to secure the human rights of everyone , everywhere . We do this by organizing low‐wage workers around human rights values of respect , dignity , and sanctity of human life , and by developing leaders from the ranks of the poor .
Today I attended a church service held by my dear friend and now , fellow United Worker , Pastor Alice . This is not a regular occurrence . Truthfully , I embraced my teenage anarchist years , and happily followed my divergent peers to jump off the great heavenly bridge into the murky atheist waters years ago . In fact , the ease in which I was able to repress back into my sunday-best this morning was enough to trigger a mid-youth crisis . At 9 AM I found myself , not just receiving the holy eucharist , but receiving it for a second time at my second service of the day . I think it ’ s safe to say this is not where I pictured myself a year ago . I am reminded of the diverted path I chose , not too long ago , as I stare down at the foreign words I once had memorized . I stood isolated in a room I had been in a countless number of times ; I volunteer at the homework club that meets there every Monday , I attend the community meetings hosted there every month , and yet today I felt like a puppy treading water for the first time . What drew me back into the house of faith ? It wasn ’ t the fear of God or of what happens after death . It was my job . I voluntarily went to church at 9 in the morning in order to petition , on behalf of United Workers . As you can see , I love my job . I love it enough to not only agree to go into work at 9 AM on a Sunday , but enough to even look forward to the service . Don ’ t get me wrong , United Workers didn ’ t turn me religious . However , working as a community organizer I learned the importance of connecting with the community on their terms , and in their settings of comfort and trust . Pastor Alice , is the pastor at the Guardian Angel Church in Remington , where I have spent the last 8 weeks canvassing and organizing in order to cultivate community engagement and assess the need or want for community driven development . I never thought I would find a job so in tune with who I was . I can ’ t imagine a better placement . I have become so devoted to my work that I feel as though I too , am a Remington resident , and Remington ’ s future is as important to me as the prospects of my hometown neighborhood in Brooklyn . I never thought my dedication to community service and my extroverted friendly nature would prepare me so well for my career . I can ’ t wait to continue my path as a community organizer and can only hope to again experience a job that motivates me enough to make such sacrifice and challenge myself in order to progress and succeed in my work . I am privileged to have experienced an internship at United Workers and I promise to do everything in my power to bend this privilege in the direction of justice . - Tarah
Tasks :
● Assisted in a petition dri Affordable Housing Trus Baltimore City Budget .
● Canvassed Remington re housing concerns .
● Worked on uniting the R Neighborhood through c community events to fin address these housing c the creation and implem driven solutions .