In this blog, Fall 2023 Fellow Kayla Santiago discusses her transformative journey from uncertain college years to becoming an advocate for youth. From internships at a nursing home to discovering a passion for nonprofits through unexpected opportunities, she describes the evolution that led to her meaningful role as a Fellow with South Bronx United.
Staring out my office window on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, I was reflecting on the FLIA fellowship. I only had a couple of weeks left and I was recalling my trepidation and excitement when I arrived on my first day. Three key phrases came to mind when I thought about the past months: time management, rejection, and exploration.
As a fellow with YSS, I knew I was going to be working in a new environment and learning skills. I had very limited proficiency with technology and frequently relied on my bioinformatics friend in college to fix my various computer issues. Now, I was supposed to design a website to provide information about human trafficking to the public as well as encourage Teens Against Human Trafficking teams to form. Due to changed circumstances, I did not have firm guidance and imposed expectations. Throughout my entire life as a student, I had clear deadlines, expected daily tasks, and a roadmap for advancement. Without that continued guidance in my fellowship, I felt like I was floundering, but not enough to ask for help.
The heading of the section of YSS’s website that Roslyn worked on this fall.
After about a week of researching more and more obscure information with a less direct connection to human trafficking and my task at hand, I knew that I had to take initiative on the next steps and not wait for approval. Gaining access to Wordpress and learning how to use it was like stepping through a portal into a new, and sometimes frustrating, world. Working on a shared computer network in an organization was also new, and learning how to operate depending on what I had access to posed a unique challenge. With relatively limited guidance, I had to set personal goals for my projects and manage my time in such a way that I would not burn through all of my tasks at once.
Perhaps the activity I am most proud of and the most educational was organizing a FLIA fundraising event. I enjoy large community events and from my days as a treasurer in a college organization, I knew that events can bring community spirit and make good fundraisers. This event required me to make a lot of asks in Ames and after around the 5th rejection for silent auction donations, I lost my fear of asking. While each rejection forced me to reconsider my plan, it made the generosity of donating store owners all the more impactful. This fundraiser allowed me to plan out my weeks and taught me how to balance my time, expectations and asking for help. When the event finally arrived, turnout was less than impressive. I was hurt for about a day, but with the support of some of my coworkers and my partners, I was able to reframe the event as a learning opportunity. The next time I host a fundraising event I will work harder on turnout and the willingness of people in my community to put their trust in me was inspiring.
This fellowship was an eye-opening opportunity in many ways. I learned how to train my body to work in an office setting, constructive time management techniques, how to handle rejection, and that exploration leads to a deeper understanding of myself and my capabilities. My website will be a jumping off point for people who are seeking to understand human trafficking in Iowa communities and I hope that as we understand more about human trafficking and the connection to almost every part of our lives we can eradicate it.
In order to be a nonprofit, one must be a tax-exempt organization that is defined in different sections of tax-code. At the core of these different tax-exempt codes, the organizations cannot pay out profits to any private shareholder or individual. Nonprofits can pay individuals reasonable compensation to those providing services, such as employees. A common misperception is that nonprofits cannot have a positive revenue. In fact, nonprofits should try to have a reserve fund to help ensure sustainability.
