This fall, THC hired our very first Communications intern. Since the Communications intern supports the Development team by helping to tell THC’s story, we invited our intern Christine Janumala to tell us her own! Learn more about her history and her goals in this interview:

Tell us about yourself:

I’m originally from Orange County, California, but I moved to NYC soon after I graduated from the Orange County High School of the Arts. I am now a sophomore at NYU studying Politics, Rights, and Development.

This semester, I am studying at our NYU DC campus in order to experience our nation’s politics firsthand.

What motivates you to do this kind of work?

I am deeply drawn to advocacy and activism, so working with THC has been a perfect fit. I can use my passion for writing to help others making my work both challenging and rewarding.

What do you like to do for fun?

I love activities that are fun and relaxing, like running outdoors, practicing yoga, and baking or cooking challenging dishes. A night-out usually involves live music, a gallery opening, or a movie screening.

Talk about an inspiring or transformative moment in your life.

I spent this summer working in India with slum and brothel communities. Living alone in Calcutta was a daunting process and unlike many other foreigners, I had not traveled there with a charitable organization. Instead, I had academic interests in learning what these women experienced and how they had created their own solutions. It was incredibly transformative because I had expected the poverty and despair to be overwhelming, but instead I found myself brightened daily by their humor and light-heartedness even in the face of great obstacles. It taught me so much about human resilience.

What do you enjoy most about working at THC?

I’m so excited to be working again in an area that has always interested me. THC is a community and a family working together in the service of others, so I’m constantly supported but also challenged to be the best team member I can be. The most enjoyable and motivating element of my work here is the knowledge that what I do is not only personally fulfilling but also making a larger difference.