RAPP Leaders Go On To Be... Public Allies!

A couple of years back, we made a couple videos called "RAPPers Go On To Be..." to highlight how involvement in RAPP makes sense for all Bearcats regardless what career you might be headed toward.

In reflecting on encouraging people to apply for formal leadership positions in RAPP, we thought it could be similarly useful to highlight how people have contributed to RAPP and gone on to apply the knowledge they learned in a variety of impactful professions.

RAPP & Public Allies have long had a strong overlap in people given our shared work toward a just society and honoring that everyone leads!

Ashley shows off her artwork at the RAPPORT 2009 Retreat.

Ashley Bennet Gray (RAPP XXII) was a graduate assistant and student worker with RAPP XXIII and RAPPORT.  Ashley served in Public Allies in 2009-2010.

Kinsey (2nd from right) leads a group of volunteers in a joint role for Public Allies & RAPP.

Kinsey Brown (RAPP XXIII) was a Peer Leader with RAPP XXIV Sunday.  Kinsey served in Public Allies in 2010-2011 with RAPP.

Marjorie (far left) reps RAPP with several other RAPP alumni who served in Public Allies.

Marjorie Bledsoe (RAPP XXV) was a Peer Leader with RAPP XXVI Wednesday.  Marjorie served in Public Allies in 2011-2012 with RAPP.

Jojo smiles for the camera at Accelerating Racial Justice 2013.

Jojo Azevedo (RAPP XXIV) was a Peer Leader with RAPP XXVI Wednesday, facilitator for RAPP XXVII and Accelerating Racial Justice (ARJ) 2012, and process observer for ARJ 2013.  He is currently serving in Public Allies 2013-2014 with the Academy of World Languages.

RAPP Leaders Go On To Be... National Frame-changers

A couple of years back, we made a couple videos called "RAPPers Go On To Be..." to highlight how involvement in RAPP makes sense for all Bearcats regardless what career you might be headed toward.

In reflecting on encouraging people to apply for formal leadership positions in RAPP, we thought it could be similarly useful to highlight how people have contributed to RAPP and gone on to apply the knowledge they learned in a variety of impactful professions.

Un and her child Anouk at the RAPP XXIV Fall Retreats

Un Kyong Ho was facilitator & graduate assistant with RAPPs XXI & XXII before becoming the Program Coordinator of Diversity Education, coordinating & facilitating RAPP XXIII and coordinating the grant proposal that led to RAPP's restructuring in 2008. She also led the re-development of and facilitated RAPPORT.

Un Kyong is associate producer on the recent documentary Private Violence, which offers a harrowing account of domestic violence from the perspective of two survivors which works to disrupt the oft-asked question "why doesn't she just leave?"  She is also a producer on (and blogger for) the series A Chef's Life, which explores food issues through sharing the story of a family-owned farm-to-table restaurant in eastern North Carolina.

Private Violence Trailer (3 minutes) from Cynthia Hill on Vimeo.

A Chef's Life teaser from A Chef's Life on Vimeo.

RAPP Leaders Go On To Be... Lawyers!

A couple of years back, we made a couple videos called "RAPPers Go On To Be..." to highlight how involvement in RAPP makes sense for all Bearcats regardless what career you might be headed toward.

In reflecting on encouraging people to apply for formal leadership positions in RAPP, we thought it could be similarly useful to highlight how people have contributed to RAPP and gone on to apply the knowledge they learned in a variety of impactful professions.

Several people who held leadership roles in RAPP have gone on toward a career in law!

Steve's self-submitted picture for the RAPP XXIV roster.

Steve Succop was a facilitator with RAPPs XXII, XXIII, and XXIV.  He co-authored the current curriculum for the 9-month intensive.

Steve is currently a law student at CUNY Law School, the country's premier public interest law school. He is a legal intern at Main Street Legal Services in New York, which provides direct services related to citizenship, domestic violence, immigration, and legal services.

Sarvani waved hello to the camera at the RAPP XXV Tuesday fall retreat.

Sarvani Prasad wrote the grant proposal the reshaped RAPP's structure in 2008 as a graduate assistant. She also was a facilitator with RAPPs XXIV and XXV as well as co-authored the current curriculum for the 9-month intensive.

Sarvani is an alumna of UC College of Law where she earned both a JD and an MA in Women's Studies. She is currently a Legal Research Assistant with the Kettering Foundation and previously worked at Legal Aid of Western Ohio and Advocates for Basic Legal Equity.

Rachel showed her favorite pose at the RAPP XXVII Wednesday Winter Retreat

Rachel Berman (RAPP XXV) was a Peer Leader for RAPP XXVI and Facilitator for RAPP XXVII. She also served on the Working Group that created Accelerating Racial Justice.

Rachel is currently a student at Emory University School of Law.  She currently doing an externship with the Fulton County Public Defender and previously was an intern at Georgia Capital Defender.

Lessons Learned: Checking In

Checking in with each other when we need it during meetings can have great value and positively impact our confidence moving forward. During meetings it is possible for us as participants or facilitators to be triggered or otherwise hindered. Oftentimes when I hit these roadblocks during a meeting, the first thing want to do is react negatively. One of the best strategies I have learned to avoid this kind of reaction is to check-in with my peers.

In RAPP, this usually involves me spending some time going over issue with our Program Coordinator, Rebecca Lehman, or my fellow facilitator, Jamieson Williams. It is amazing how venting for a few minutes with a colleague can really change your mindset and allow you to move forward constructively. Sometimes after venting, I am presented with advice or constructive criticism. Sometimes I am presented with nothing but an open ear. Regardless, I find these moments to be invaluable, both for my in-the-moment reactions and my confidence moving forward.

Lessons Learned is a RAPP Blog initiative intended for folks who hold formal leadership positions in RAPP programs to share what they're learning through their process

Lessons Learned: Challenging Perfectionism

“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor.” ~Anne Lamott

Keep challenging ourselves around perfectionism - we can still be successful without having followed the plan %100. This idea is not always easy to remember in everyday life, but when we do we can save ourselves from a lot of unhelpful thinking. 

As a self-professed perfectionist, I tend to determine my self worth based on my ability to achieve often unrealistically high standards.  Since achieving extremely high standards provides the basis for my self worth, I tend to pay careful attention to any evidence that I can take to mean I am not achieving. This way of thinking completely neglects the fact that I might have done some good work, though it might not be my BEST work. Though a B+ is not the same as an A, it is still not an F.  

I'll share few helpful tips to discourage this type of thinking. First among them is known to the Japanese as "Wabi-Sabi." This notion promotes authenticity by acknowledging 3 truths: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect. Embrace your mistakes and turn them into growth. The second tip is to weigh the benefit of negative thinking vs. the positive. If you only focus on the negative, is it helpful? Does it make you a better student/employee/friend to focus solely on your shortcomings? Probably not, but please conduct your own analysis. Lastly, don't take yourself to seriously! People make mistakes and NOBODY is perfect!

Lessons Learned: Energy is Contagious

Our energy affects the group - if we role model high energy, the group will follow. I am sure many of us as students have experienced that class/workshop that we just couldn't stay awake through. Maybe you had a professor with the voice of Ben Stein or the material covered in class was so boring that everyone around you seemed tired. Regardless of the reasoning, I have an insight for you!

Energy is contagious!

As a student, try livening up a class discussion with something controversial and see how people's reactions change. As a professor/facilitator/trainer, demonstrate positive body language and bring your voice up a notch or two. The changes can be almost instantaneous. I know in RAPP, when our group appears to be running out of gas, I am no stranger to dancing across the room, singing, or setting up a photo booth for silly poses. 

If you "go there" with your energy, your group's will likely follow!

Lessons Learned is a RAPP Blog initiative intended for folks who hold formal leadership positions in RAPP programs to share what they're learning through their process

Lessions Learned: Frustating Foods

Food has been my best friend for many and plenty of years as seen by my increasing waist size. I have the privilege of eating whatever I want, whenever I want, however I want due to the fact that I don't have any dietary constraints that require me to take special precautions when eating nor any other health problems (that I know of) that stop me from eating this way. I'm allowed to be extremely picky whenever for absolutely no reason, which brings me to my biggest point:

Ordering food is hard!

First hand experience has allowed me to see what happens when you order food for masses without taking into count dietary concerns or allergies. This evidenced by seeing someone have an allergic reaction to nuts in the room at the MLK event and PAC preparing 3/4 of the main items for Tim Wise with meat, although he's vegetarian.  And I can easily place blame and say, well why don't you just ask folks? It's easy to know what to prepare for! And that's the easy part... Asking. Following through takes massive amounts of planning, prepping and effort in execution.

Never will I be this excited to pick foods.

Honestly, of all the tasks I've completed in my two years of facilitation, ordering food has been the most frustrating and hardest to manage. Maybe I'm just whining or complaining about something simple. But no, I'm not. And I know why it's hard. Whoever said inclusion was easy? No one in social justice has, that's for sure. So as I head into future work of coordinating and organizing, I have to remember, to cover bases, and don't exclude people just because their needs are different than my own.

Lessons Learned is a RAPP Blog initiative intended for folks who hold formal leadership positions in RAPP programs to share what they're learning through their process