Reflections and Takeaways from our Fellowship Experiences

To start off I would like to just say not just for myself, but I am sure for my fellow fellows as well, being able to visit the Vera Institute of Justice was truly an honor and we are all very lucky to have been afforded the privilege to be guests there. It is one thing to read about Vera or talk about it in class; it is another thing to be at the place where all the magic happens.

This past week has been truly exceptional for me personally. Along with the visit to Vera, this week my mentor Danielle and I were able to attend a workshop through a partnership of ThoughtWorks, Parsons School of Design Strategies, and Blue Ridge Foundation that helps non-profits develop a vision of how technology can help extend their program’s reach, lower costs, or add significant new capabilities to existing models. There were around 70+ different non-profit organizations represented at this workshop and it was really exciting to simply be in the room with so many ambitious people striving to achieve so many admirable goals with their respective organizations. It was also eye opening to see the sheer number of non-profits represented in that room alone.

I had a conversation with Professor Waterston as we were leaving Vera on Thursday about how it is truly incredible the amount of exposure we are gaining to the non-profit world through this fellowship, a world many of us knew little to nothing about prior to becoming fellows. Between the visit to Vera and my experience at the workshop I attended, it seems to be becoming more and more apparent to me that there is so much more opportunity for us in this world than I could have ever known before. The biggest takeaway I therefore have from this fellowship so far is that an entire world has been opened up to us through this program and, as Nick Turner said, it is vital that we make the most of these opportunities. Recognizing how incredible the opportunities this fellowship is providing us are, I am thrilled to continue to move forward in this program and ultimately see where these opportunities take each of us.

With this being said, I would like to ask you all what have been some of your biggest takeaways from this fellowship so far? I feel the visit to Vera yesterday provides an excellent opportunity for reflection and I am very interested in any particular lessons you have all learned so far, whether it is through your internship, at the visit to Vera yesterday, or in the classroom. I look forward to hearing from you all.

Thank you,

-Michael Segnan

Today's class was fascinatingly uncomfortable (as were the articles leading up to today). While reading, I faced an internal dilemma: the  capitalistic norms and values developed  throughout my lifetime clashed with the intellectual curiosity within me probing deeper into each authors ideas. As a Vera fellow, I'm sure I do not speak for myself in saying I get excited when everything I know gets shattered because of a new and innovative idea. 

The video about the unsustainable neoliberalism system in which we currently live was truly the icing on the cake. When the system finally does implode, and everything we have ever known become remnants of a system that failed, what do we do? When future epochs of human civilization reflect back on capitalism, what will they say? Is there anything we can do to change the status quo before it is too late? As depressing as it may seem, thinking about these questions excite me, and I hope the responses to my post show that the feeling is mutual. 

Hello Everyone,

During this week's seminar, we touched base on leadership through a simple but thought-provoking exercise. I personally felt the exercise highlighted the roles individuals assume in society. For instance, I quickly associated the leadership roles with individuals who push toward change and making an impact to one community or another. By making the effort and taking the first steps, the leaders accumulate followers and move towards achieving the proposed change. Of course, this is an ideal sort of relationship between the two because there are instances where it is simply not that easy. Most importantly, during our conversation, Simmone said something that really stood out to me. She stated, "Sometimes being a good leader is knowing when to follow". I agree with her statement because as it was evident in our exercise, assigned roles can potentially hinder and take away from the natural rhythmic relationships societies possess.

On another note, while reading the testimonies of "In a Grove," I could not help but associate the scenario with our criminal justice system. I envisioned the actors of the system and the hardships they encounter when trying to solve cases. How are we supposed to know who is telling the truth, for instance, in a criminal case? Who are we supposed to believe and why? What should our outcomes be based upon, evidence, mere testimony, etc.? As any lawyer would say, "It is not what you know, but what you can prove". But is that the way in which we should base our decision? How does subjectivity and objectivity come into play?

One last thing, while reading the testimonies, I could not help but re-read paragraph two of page seven which stated, "You kill people with your power, with your money. Sometimes you kill them on the pretext of working for their good. It's true they don't bleed. They are the best of health, but all the same you've killed them. It's hard to say who is a great sinner, you or me". (-Tajomaru's Confession) It was such a powerful statement and always goes back to the same question, what are the motives of those who push for social justice?

I look forward to reading your comments.

-Ana