Empowering Change: My Transformative Summer as a Communications Intern with Lift Louisiana
By Pietra Sablic
During the summer of 2023, I had the opportunity to work with Lift Louisiana as a Communications Intern, collaborating with the team to implement a targeted strategy focused on improving the health and well-being of Louisiana women, their families, and their communities. Engaging in the development of compelling messaging, the elevation of social media engagement, and the education of diverse audiences, I discovered a deep passion for advocating for others and catalyzing positive change that delivers tangible impact.
My main responsibilities revolved around creating content for our social media platforms. Three times a week, I was tasked with creating informative and visually-appealing posts to share on our various social media accounts. Each day, I scoured the internet and all social media platforms, delving into the state of reproductive rights locally, nationally, and globally. It was fascinating to read the news each time, tracking the shift and dramatic shifts over the course of a short period of time. This practice not only provided me with a deeper understanding of the nuances of the reproductive rights battle, but it also highlighted the differences in the struggle between cities, states, and countries.
Furthermore, this experience provided me with an entrance into the professional world, teaching me how to communicate effectively, collaborate with diverse teams, and navigate complex challenges with confidence and self-awareness. As part of this dynamic collaboration, I came to appreciate the importance of adaptability as well as the true value of an individual’s role in a group setting. No matter how seemingly small, each person’s contribution plays a crucial part in promoting a collective effort. Although I previously leaned towards individual rather than group work, this experience has transformed my perspective by showing me the merit of having various sources of input when brainstorming and making decisions.
My responsibilities, however, extended beyond content creation. Engaging with our audience was a large portion of my daily duties, allowing me to communicate with our followers by responding to comments on posts and addressing questions posed through direct message communication platforms. Such interactions honed my abilities to connect with others in a balanced manner, creating my own style infused with empathy, approachability, and professionalism simultaneously. Working diligently to answer any queries or requests, I developed an acute ability to perform quick and succinct research and translate this knowledge into easily digestible content. These practices provided me with insight into the impact of mobilizing a group to take action for a critical cause, emphasizing how such joint efforts contribute to meaningful, large-scale change.
With these experiences in mind, I am eager to continue my internship with Lift Louisiana during the 2023 fall semester. I hope to continue sharpening my skills in research, communication, and community engagement while concurrently exploring more effective strategies for audience engagement on our social media platforms. Whether this entails trying new hashtags, initiating collaborations with other influential content creators within the field of reproductive justice, or utilizing new social media platforms such as Threads, I am excited to continue this journey and gain even more invaluable knowledge as I take another step into the professional world. Combining my love of learning with my extraordinary passion for reproductive justice, I am confident that my work in the upcoming semester will unlock new forms of advocacy and engagement with this important cause.