Reflections from PRA's 2005 Summer Interns

"I have been involved in political and specifically reproductive rights activism since my high school years as a research assistant, an activist, and even a sign-bearing protester, but chose to work at PRA because of its focus on nuanced analysis and mutual understanding. This summer, I wrote several op-eds, learned the ins and outs of the Bureau of Justice Statistics, and got very well acquainted with the international exportation of the American anti-choice movement. I also learned not to refer to the Religious Right as "the wackos." I know that a short report won't stop the anti-choice forces in their tracks, but I am optimistic."

--Diana Dukhanova

Diana, a senior and Russian literature major at Hampshire College, is a member of the Civil Liberties and Public Policy Program's Reproductive Rights Activist Service Corps. Her article on how the Christian Right invented and promoted "abortion cancer syndrome"—written while a PRA intern—will appear in the January Tikkun.

"In an attempt to formulate summer plans, I ran across PRA's internship listing while I was studying abroad in England at the London School of Economics, and was immediately intrigued by the nature and mission of the organization, and felt like it would be an against-the-grain experience to participate in. Sure enough, I have spent this past summer as the Development/Communications intern at PRA, working mostly on updating the organization's media list, researching sources of grant funding, and assisting with the Fall 2005 publication of the PRA's quarterly publication, The Public Eye. Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at PRA this summer, and hope that the knowledge I gained out of working here can be put to application in the future. My future plans are graduate school and pursuing a career working in the non-profit, international sector on "low politics" issues, such as human rights and conflict resolution."

--Katherine Jalbert

Katharine is a senior at Wheaton College (MA), majoring in International Relations, and minoring in Environmental Studies and Economics.

"Having long admired PRA's research and analysis, and aware of PRA's unique library collection of historical and current primary and secondary materials on the rightwing and social and political movements, I decided to spend the summer as an intern working with PRA's library. My main goal this summer was identifying and implementing ways to make the library more responsive to its users and its mission of supporting the research at PRA. To that end, books were rearranged and relabeled and recorded in databases. Library signage and labeling were improved. I also conducted a needs assessment for users and drafted a report with recommendations towards ensuring the continued utility and viability of the library. Nothing, so far as I could ensure, was bent, folded, mutilated, or spindled."

--Jonathan Rochkind

Jonathan is a student at the University of Washington Information School in the Master of Library and Information Science program.