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Writer's pictureCatherine Batista

Finally.... a place for me: MAIP VEP

A story on how the MAIP Virtual Engagement Program made an over worked over-achiever feel like she could take a chill pill.



"Covid-19 had taken away so many things from me, but it didn’t take my ability to reflect."

My whole life I never felt like there were many spaces made for me. I’m a 1st generation Dominican-American and a Black Latina woman. To many people, this translates into viewing me as a walking dichotomy. I didn’t make sense… how could I be both Black and Hispanic? I spent a large chunk of my formative years explaining my existence, justifying my place in Black American spaces, Latinx spaces, shoot... American spaces! But, how could they understand me or my struggle? When was the last time you saw an Afro-Latina in a position of power? No one knew a person like me could exist. For a long time I adopted the mindset that I was alone, that most people wouldn’t understand me, and if something had to get something done, I would have to do it myself. Attending a predominantly white institution only cemented those beliefs.


"I feel seen, cared for, and most importantly prepared!"

I had just finished my 1st year of graduate school. Totaling to 5 years in my pursuit of higher education. As a child of immigrants, higher education was always praised as the right path to take. However, do you know how I felt after adding another year down the “right” path? Angry...confused...lost...and ultimately defeated. Covid-19 had taken away so many things from me, but it didn’t take my ability to reflect. So when I thought about all the emotions that I felt, I realized, they were a result of my needs as a student not being met. I wasn’t the well off white girl who didn’t need to work to survive. I didn’t have parents to tell me what grad school was like. I just jumped off the deep end with no life vest to prepare me for the trials I would face. Everyday presented a new challenge and with each obstacle I felt a piece of my well-being and self-worth erode along the way. It was as if I was in an ongoing battle to even receive what I needed to show up as a student.


"This experience turned out to be everything I needed."


Now, a few weeks into the MAIP virtual engagement program I feel seen, cared for and most importantly prepared! In the beginning, like many, I was distraught that I wasn't going to have my dream internship experience at an agency. I thought “Here we go again, I’m back at stage 1.” But oh, how glad I am that I was wrong! I wasn't back to stage 1, I was taking strides towards the finish line! This experience turned out to be everything I needed. Interwoven into the professional development was an acknowledgment of my cohort's humanity, to our identities as people of color and the realities that are attached to those lived experiences. For once, I didn’t feel like I had to explain myself, to justify why I deserved to take space. I didn’t have to fight nor struggle, and most importantly I wasn’t alone. This is the beauty of a program like MAIP. It gives the grinders the opportunity to rest, grants overthinkers the space to be present and let’s the planners relax because there’s plenty of time! To experience this, is to have a weight unbeknown to you lifted.

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