As my internship comes to a close, I am proud to look back on the time I have spent and the impact I have had at the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. I have taken part in a number of projects ranging from grassroots and social media outreach to camp counseling, market research and drafting bylaws. During my work with social media outreach, I was able to create a promotional video using footage I had gathered from the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union Leadership Development junior and senior camps. I also created a number of small handouts and fliers for distribution at tabling events. My greatest challenge was creating a design that would most effectively convey the intended message to each audience. At this point, two of my designs have been approved for circulation. I was also involved in projects with two outside parties- Live Well Colorado and the Queen City Housing Cooperative. Live Well Colorado gave me the opportunity to participate in market research with farmers markets around the state of Colorado and the state’s local food incentive program Double Up Food Bucks. The greatest challenge in this project was working from a remote location. I created a survey and followed up with the markets in hopes of gaining their feedback. Out of the eight farmers markets contacted throughout the state, we heard back from six within 48 hours. The markets showed a great deal of interest and cooperation in our research and made the entire process much more enjoyable. The Queen City Housing Cooperative allowed me to assist in drafting a set of by-laws for their cooperative. This project demanded a great deal of reading and editing. My strategy was to learn as much as possible from the bylaws and operations of housing cooperatives of similar size and mission. The cooperative business model allows for a great deal of variation between organizations, allowing every community to enact policies that best fit the needs of their residents. My goal was to draft three articles overviewing the name, place, mission, values, and membership in a clear and concise format. All of my projects were viewed through the lens of a commonwealth. I first learned the concept of a commonwealth at the Ogallala Commons Orientation Retreat and have looked at communities differently since. Every community is the sum assets of its inhabitants and their environment. I am very grateful to have been connected with likeminded young interns and it is my hope that our relationships carry on into the workforce. I accomplished my goal of gaining real-world work experience in an office environment. The most valuable asset that I will bring away from my internship experience is the connections I have made with the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union. I have met counselors, farmers, researchers and non-profit workers all striving to increase the quality of work and life in their workplaces and communities. The sum of our assets is our commonwealth- it is our responsibility to cultivate and contribute to the commonwealth for the sake of ourselves and generations to come.
