Community Fellows Blog Posts

When I walked into the Sobrato Center for the first day of my fellowship, I joined my very first staff meeting with little understanding of what the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits (SVCN) truly did, and even less of an idea of what work I would be doing as a Nonprofit Policy, Research and Program intern. While I’d studied SVCN’s website inside and out and had my onboarding calls, nothing would prepare me for the unique whirlwind of local policy and governance in Santa Clara County or the insight into how the gears of our community turn. I was immediately thrown into my responsibilities: monitoring county and city government functions, tracking important policy items, and beginning my journey to learn what the nonprofit landscape in our county truly looks like – and how an organization like SVCN uplifts and supports many nonprofits working to improve our community. 

Having grown up in Silicon Valley, and having gone to school at SCU for the past three years, I have always been aware of the issues that arise from the income and wealth disparity that residents experience. What I didn’t expect, however, was how different it would feel to analyze these issues up close. For instance, homelessness and housing is one issue that SVCN tracks closely and gives special attention to, due to how prevalent housing insecurity is in this area. For the past few weeks, it has been really interesting to look at initiatives proposed by our local public and administrations to mitigate the effects of homelessness, especially policies that I would never have given a second look to if doing my own research. While there has definitely been a learning curve, reading through policy memos and watching hours of City Council meetings has (hopefully) sharpened my attention to detail and grown my ability to digest and communicate important information in our city and county’s meeting agendas. 

Throughout my time at SVCN, I am so excited for the opportunity to practice more civic engagement and gain a deeper understanding of the impact that local government has on our community. Moreso, I hope to be an asset to SVCN by applying an economic lens that I’ve developed throughout my major and contributing a fresh perspective from a Bay Area resident and student. I’m also looking forward to the chance to connect with the nonprofit environment that SVCN is embedded in, and there’s no better place for that than at a nonprofit that oversees and unites other nonprofits. Recently, volunteering at SVCN’s annual luncheon to host hundreds of nonprofit members and allies was a great way to meet so many inspiring people doing impactful work in their respective communities. This embodies who I want to be: someone who is taking steps to enact change on issues and people I care about – both during my time as a Fellow at SVCN and beyond!

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