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Interning with the Climate Reality Project Canada was an incredible experience that complemented my academic background in international development and profound interest in the intersections of climate justice and social equity. I am immensely grateful for Ms. Marylou Cronin鈥檚 generous Arts Internship Award that made this internship possible for me.

The Community Climate Hubs Coordinator intern position initially piqued my interest as I am deeply committed to climate action, social justice, and grassroots organizing that mobilizes climate change initiatives into action. My experience coordinating educational and fundraising events as the president of the 51吃瓜网Students for Wildlife Conservation Club taught me how social networks are critical to sustainability advocacy, key components of the Climate Reality Project Canada鈥檚 mission.

I wanted to intern with Climate Reality Project Canada to learn about the processes involved in grassroots organizing, how Canadian municipalities are engaging in climate action, and gain experience working in the non-profit sector. The organization seeks to establish and connect strong networks of empowered peoples across Canadian municipalities while equipping them with the required resources and knowledge to lead a sustainable, climate resilient future.

The internship included a wide array of assigned tasks, providing an enriched and dynamic learning experience. Some tasks included researching possible grants to support the operations of Community Climate Hubs, determining potential areas for Hub expansion, updating the national website with Hub events, conducting an operational audit of the 鈥渃limatehub.ca鈥� website, and interviewing key figures of Community Climate Hubs to gain insight on their initiatives and challenges.

My academic background in International Development complemented the internship鈥檚 focus by providing me with an understanding of the dynamic intersections involved in climate justice, how global climate targets relate to municipal actions, and how local climate action connects to broader global movements. Furthermore, the research and academic writing skills I developed in my major鈥檚 courses were transferrable throughout the internship as I assisted with drafting blog posts and researching background information.

One of the main highlights of my intern experience as a Community Climate Hubs Coordinator was having the opportunity to interview key members of Community Climate Hubs to learn about their experiences, challenges, and initiatives. Meeting the powerful voices and actors that are mobilizing climate justice in their communities was an incredible opportunity. Moreover, hearing and learning from their stories is integral to expanding our understanding of climate change, environmental equity, and the importance of community.

A challenge I faced during the internship was developing a comprehensive list of grants for Community Climate Hubs. Grant applications often include an exhaustive list of requirements for funding eligibility. At times, finding both grants that the hub qualified for and met their desired monetary needs was challenging. In cases like these, I focused primarily on meeting the grants鈥� eligibility criteria to increase the possibility for a hub to receive funding. At a certain point, there was a small community group that needed immediate funding for their operations. Despite my thorough research and success in listing possible grants, very few grants were accepting applications for the same time frame. This challenge was disappointing since lack of funding is a critical barrier to the operations of grassroots community groups.

In the end, my experience interning with Climate Reality Project Canada has ignited my passion for work in the climate justice and non-profit sector, where I hope to focus my career on once I graduate!

Thank you to my incredible manager, Sherry, who supported, encouraged, and inspired me in every step of this internship. I am very grateful to have received funding from the Faculty of Arts Internship Award funded by Marylou Cronin that made this opportunity possible for me by allowing me to stay in Montreal and complete the internship, thank you for your generous support!