These events were open to the community and provided space for participants from diverse walks of life to share their experiences and learn from each other in a facilitated conversation format.

Finding Our Voice for Self-determination and Advocacy—in partnership with the Black Writers Museum

Our voices can serve as a means of empowerment, a means of advocacy and a means of moving the country forward. The dialects we use and the stories we tell through art, literature, music and other media hold power. Where can we find our voices, and how can we use them to uplift the communities that bind us?

Black Feminist Utopias: Alternative Space Holding—in partnership with The Colored Girls Museum 

The Colored Girls Museum was founded on the principle that “there’s nothing more perfect than an ordinary colored girl.” This session explored the theoretical concept of utopia and how The Colored Girls Museum space creates utopia in practice through preserving the experiences of colored girls. We then took these lessons to explore ways that each of us can build our own sense of utopia in our daily lives.

Congreso’s ESL program offers free classes to language learners from beginner to advanced levels. Their goal is to make classes accessible and to be a safe environment for students to practice their English. Historically, all classes have been given in-person in the Fairhill neighborhood. Since Fairhill is home to many people from Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, participating students are mostly Spanish-speaking. These classes are now virtual, which has allowed people from different neighborhoods and even in other countries to join. Congreso is excited to offer students the opportunity to learn in an exchange format in which they can be as much teachers as they are learners. 

If you are interested, please contact Heather Houde at heather.m.houde@gmail.com.

Young Chances Foundation (YCF) was created in 2012 to provide children in South Philadelphia with the opportunity to have fun, strengthen family relationships, build positive leadership skills through peer-motivated activities, and gain resources to assist with the transition to higher education. Since then, YCF has expanded its programming to provide a safe environment for youth, reduce teen violence and community conflict, and provide essential resources to address poverty in South Philadelphia and surrounding communities.

YCF is seeking a data specialist intern to play a critical role in building capacity and supporting daily operations for a rapidly growing, community-led nonprofit making a difference for South Philadelphia youth. The ideal candidate will be a highly driven, data oriented, self-motivated junior or senior who is interested in grassroots community outreach.

This is an in-person opportunity that will report for 15 hours each week. COVID-19 mitigation protocols will be observed in accordance with CDC, federal and local guidance. For more information, contact Heather Lewis-Weber at heatherlw@temple.edu.

For help finding and applying for other internship opportunities, check out the resources available at the Joyce K. Salzberg Center for Professional Development.