Reflection is just the beginning.

Part of the Isa’s Corner series: reflections on belonging, identity, and community in Battle Creek.

January marks six months since I was onboarded to work at BCTRHT as a Social Media and Community Engagement Intern. With a foot in the professional world after offering freelance photography services for events and personal shoots, I felt confident in the skills I could contribute to my internship at BCTRHT. Taking the next step into the professional world alongside BCTRHT opened my eyes to the importance of purpose, intention, and impact when it comes to work.

In outlining my position and purpose within this role, I was meant to increase social engagement and presence. But beyond that, I was chosen to be a voice for the youth of Battle Creek, a representation of BCTRHT’s values, and a fresh perspective of a new generation. Purpose, beyond social media engagement, has been strategically embedded in my role by Elizabeth and Tha. This has greatly impacted my experience because it allows me to focus on more than just views, it allows me to focus on intentionality.

In the past six months, I’ve attended more community events and meetings than I had in the past five years that I’d lived here prior. And I’m not tired of attending them. Because my role isn’t just to show up, it’s to come into a space with intention, to observe, to document, to assist, and to share. Being able to fully lean into this intentionality has allowed me to immerse myself in this community further than I could’ve imagined. 

I’ve seen that this community is connected, which is the foundation, but there is work to do. Because of the purpose and the intention of my role as a Social Media and Community Engagement Intern, I have the chance to impact youth, community members, and a broad social media audience to learn more about the transformation that begins when a community is connected and rooted in love, care, and abundance. 

Within the time I’ve been with BCTRHT, I’ve been encouraged by both my bosses to support community organizations, use my voice to make a change, and amplify the voices of others. I’ve done this by attending events alongside Elizabeth and Tha, providing services to organizations in need, documenting BCTRHT’s impact, and encouraging strangers and friends to participate in our Battle Creek community.

Looking back on these six months, I have grown much more than I would’ve anticipated because I was shown the importance of purpose in everything the work you do, showing up with intentionality, and using your voice to have an impact. Looking forward to my future with BCTRHT, I hope to contribute more ideas, more time, and more love into the work that I do.

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Isa’s Corner is a storytelling series exploring belonging, identity, and community through the reflections of a young leader growing and learning in Battle Creek.