Al-Furqan Islamic Center, Boston, MA
As an incoming freshman, I felt like I had a purpose. I knew that I wanted to be premed, and once my trajectory changed my outlook on education seemed to shift as well. I became extremely disillusioned by Williams, and I felt extremely overwhelmed without any idea on my future. Many times, institutions like Williams, provide you with volumes of access that can be difficult to navigate. Thus, my purpose this summer was to work in a field that, I thought, I felt comfortable in. I have a strong love for both children and Arabic, so the ability to combine those passions seemed like a safe and successful summer. Interestingly, upon completion of this internship, I gained a better sense of my own goals, strengths, and weakness. Moreover, I procured a better understanding of the things I need in a career setting in order to prosper.
While interning at Al-Furqan, I spent most of my time working with children between the ages of 5 and 10 teaching them introductory Arabic. In this role, I was to provide them with a better understanding of a new language, especially since language programs are highly inaccessible to poor black youth. My job entailed teaching youth, helping sign kids in when they were dropped off, making sure that all students were signed out before they left, taking them outside for recess and snacks, and helping plan their weekly field trips. I also attended training sessions every other Friday to gain more knowledge about childhood education and safety. As a pre-law student, I know that the advocacy skills, creativity, and patience that I gained from this internship will improve my chance at being a lawyer that works with and for the disenfranchised.
My daily interactions with the students enabled me to recognize my shortcomings and work to my strengths. I recognized that I was not great at keeping the kids calm, thus I introduced music into the classroom to create a cohesive and peaceful atmosphere. Rather than focusing on tiny little details I needed the kids to learn, I began designing an objective that was easier for them to attain. By structuring each class around a single linguistic rule, I began to see their understanding of Arabic grow at a rapid rate. Furthermore, during the first few weeks at Al-Furqan, I began to notice that my patience was not as strong as I had believed it to be. Although I was very composed, I struggled to recognize why some kids could not pick up on lessons that seemed simple to me. If a child could not answer a question, I moved on to the next in hopes that the other child would know. I quickly recognized that moving too quickly from child to child can hinder their educational and emotional growth. Rather than working to find the answer, the child would look for the answer in other students, the same way I did. Thus, I began to work through the questions with the students, providing each student with the attention and support they needed to succeed. As I continued to work with these incredible kids, I came to realize that my adoration and patience for them began to soar. I gained a deep need to see ‘my’ students succeed because I began to recognize the sheer level of their intelligence.
Moreover, as I connected with them on a stronger level, I quickly gained the trust of the kids. I went from being just their Arabic teacher to someone they could confide in and seek advice from. Many children discussed being bullied for their religious background, race, disability, or a combination of both. These daily conversations showed me the importance of empathy and working on the confidence and strength of youth. My ability to empathize with them allowed these children to be vulnerable in ways that might have been difficult for them, and it invigorated my need to advocate for disenfranchised youth who feel hurt or forgotten by others around them.
Outside of class, I worked with the director for community outreach to draw more teens into our organization. Although I did not design new programing that would make youth feel more comfortable and understood, I did help improve current programs in order to better serve children. I truly believe that my experience at Al-Furqan made me realize the importance of connecting youth to the larger community. This internship furthered my aspirations to become a lawyer because I came to recognize that the black community, specifically the Somali community, needs more advocates. This aspect of my job provided me with the organizational skills necessary to foster improvements within my community. Although it is easy to say that one day, I will create change, it is much harder to make sure that black youth are not being incarcerated, surveilled, and killed. I know that by learning what it takes to organize programming and provide resources for this community, I will be able to create similar initiatives in Williamstown, Pittsfield, Boston, or any other location that I might live in.
These children, although so young, showed me the importance of patience, empathy, communication, and creativity. As someone who is more rigid rather than creative, I began to flex my muscles, increasing my creativity in order to gain their attention. Although the internship was difficult, I loved every second of it because of the kids who surrounded me. I became invigorated to work towards a better future for these children. And I will take the lessons they taught me into new spaces.
I am indebted to the Kraft Family for this amazing experience. Thank you.