So far everyone in the office has been extremely kind and generous with their time. I am learning a lot about office culture. I do think my office is an exception to the rule because there are so many Black Women in my division. This really adds a sense of familiarity to an unfamiliar place. I can’t imagine of different the experience would be without them. I imagine most divisions are very close but mine feels especially close. To name some of the very kind things that have happened:
I have been invited to lunch with a group of people
I have been complimented countless times. (which has definitely boosted my confidence)
Someone came back to grab me for an office party( apparently these happen often. Next week will be brunch)
Multiple people with advanced degrees have offered to meet me unsolicited and some have even lent me 15 minutes in informal conversation
Overall, the office has treated me like a permanent member and not just a temporary intern.
I was also able to meet with Dr. Fay Cobb Payton. She is another extremely accomplished Black Woman in STEM who works to combat inequality in STEM. She has several books and studies… I think you get the point but meeting with her hasn’t necessarily made me any more or less sure of my future but she definitely has inspired me and given me lots of tools to use on my journey.
This week I also went on a cultural enrichment excursion. For my culturally enriching experience, I decided to go to the African American Civil War Memorial and the National Museum of African Art. Originally, I wanted to also go to the MLK memorial and the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site but as I toured the Civil War Memorial I decided I would not look at the time and I would allow each place to take as long as they needed to. I think this really allowed me to immerse myself in the museums I was able to go to. My experience made me really want to explore some more Black historic sites. Next, I may want to look at places that celebrate Black Women in technical fields. I’ll need to keep an eye open on events like the one celebrating Katherine Johnson. Hopefully, I can leave DC having gone to all the places on my ever-growing list.
