Janaki internships Janaki Phillips ’14Whittie2o12 The Defender Association & People’s Harm Reduction Alliance, seattleINTERNSHIP SITE: anthropologyMAJOR: INTERNSHIP DESCRIPTION At The Defender Association, Janaki attends Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion project meetings and main- tains contact with LEAD case managers to schedule interviews with their clients. Some of the questions may feel intrusive, as they concern previous criminal history, but she must navigate these issues by making the cli- ent feel as comfortable as possible. At PHRA’s University District needle exchange, she sets up and takes down the exchange and stores all the supplies when it is closed. BEST ASPECT OF YOUR INTERNSHIP “The people I encounter though my internship make this an incredible experience. The people I meet and interact with are from a portion of the population that society tends to look down upon and walk quickly past. I find people’s stories of drug use and homelessness pretty incredible and believe all voices should get a chance to be heard, especially when they are excited about being listened to. I enjoy the time I spend at the needle exchange, because it’s a place with an inclusive family vibe where people know they will be welcomed despite their lifestyle. It feels good to provide a service people are grateful for. I also enjoy the LEAD project meetings and watching the shift in the police department’s attitude from a dogged belief that they could prosecute their way out of a drug problem to now seeing some people thrive when given a second chance and access to social services.”
2012 Whitman College Internships
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