My name is Autumn Nieves and I am excited to share information about my experience as an intern for New York State Assemblyman Brian Barnwell. I just completed my junior year at Tulane University, studying Political Science and Environmental Biology. I am studying these subjects because eventually, I would like to advocate politically for social issues with an emphasis on climate change. I am excited to work for a state assemblyman and cultivate the skills necessary for effective political communication.
Brian Barnwell represents District 30 in Queens, New York. Since taking office in 2016, he has become a strong defender of public issues, particularly affordable housing. When I interviewed for his office, I was captivated by their commitment to social equality. One thing that stood out to me was their commitment to giving interns the independence to research issues of their own interest and communicate policy solutions. During my time, I hope to expand the discourse about environmental issues in New York City.
The encouragement to explore ones’ own personal interests during the internship stands out to me because it underscores a commitment to promoting leadership. I am given institutional support to explore my interests professionally and pushed to achieve productive objectives. I’ve learned through experience and my work as a Newcomb Scholar that women are often given positions that stifle personal growth.
One of the reasons that I chose to accept the offer for this internship is because I felt that this role incorporates working for something bigger than myself while still achieving individual objectives. For instance, I am would like to learn about how to write legislation and my supervisor was enthusiastic for me to work employees who are particularly concerned with this.
Some of my other learning goals are learning how to organize community outreach, improving my ability to work in small groups, learn who the most important non-governmental actors are in New York, and learn what the most pressing issues are for minority communities in the New York City area to be an ally. In preparation, I’ve been doing my own research on these topics so that I can generate questions to ask when I arrive. Brian Barnwell’s office does a lot of community outreach truly engages with his constituents to advocate for them more broadly, so I have confidence that I can learn a lot from this experience.