Inauguration weekend!
My name is Rajwinder Kaur and I’m a senior at UC Santa Cruz. I am currently interning for the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund and came to D.C. through the UCDC program which is an extension of the University of California system and gives students the opportunity to live, work and study in our nation’s capitol. Before I had even been admitted into the UCDC program, I was sure of where it was I wanted to intern. It made perfect sense for me to work at SALDEF, an organization that has been busy working hard to make the lives of Sikh Americans like myself a little bit easier in a country that often sees us as foreigners. Fast forward a couple months and I’m in D.C. Everyone at our living facility, the Washington Center, is asking where I’m interning and telling me about their placements and it’s getting a bit overwhelming. I hear my peers say they’re working for the DOJ, Senators, the Federal Reserve and I know exactly where they’re working but I constantly have to explain what SALDEF is and what we do. To be honest, I did get a little worried that I hadn’t made the best choice and maybe I should have applied at a more well known organization. The first week put all my worries to rest, however, because the internship met all of my expectations and then some. I was given case law to study, access to everyday operations, and informed of what everyone else was working on. I had a front row seat to all of SALDEF’s endeavors, past and present. I wasn’t shut out from the main operations, in fact, I felt very much included. I wasn’t just a minion part of a large office doing minimal tasks, I was sitting two desks away from my immediate boss and was asked to participate in almost all of the cases she worked on. Part of my reasoning for wanting to work at SALDEF was knowing that the workspace will be smaller and more personal than an internship in a larger organization where I would be shuffled around along with the other hundreds of interns. While my peers come back from work every day complaining of blisters from running around and how tired they are, I never have any complaints to share. Instead, I go back to my apartment every day with a reaffirmation in the work I’m doing and the work I hope to do one day. Before coming to D.C., I had began to doubt my plan to attend law school but with only three weeks at SALDEF, I feel rejuvenated and excited to pursue a career in law and policy once again and this is all because I am given meaningful projects and cases that affect real people, right now. The cases may not be making the news but I am satisfied to know that my work counts for something and is helping to make someone’s life just a little bit easier. Of course, being in D.C. doesn’t hurt either. It’s my first time living in such a large metropolitan area which means everything is within walking distance. I can walk to work, go grocery shopping, and find great restaurants all within a couple of blocks. Weekends are spent exploring the sights, visiting friends at Georgetown, enjoying street music, and most importantly looking for great places to eat. I have also been fortunate enough to attend President Obama’s inauguration and other inaugural festivities. A few of my friends and I were actually able to land front row seats to the California State Society’s Inaugural Fashion Show and Luncheon, right next to Senator Feinstein! It was the cherry on top to a great weekend. In just three weeks, I have already acquired memories that I will cherish for a lifetime yet I still have seven more weeks to go! –Rajwinder Kaur
