Written by Reina Gonzales
Example of Program Flyer
This semester I had the opportunity to intern with Latinitas, a nonprofit organization that encourages young girls – especially girls from low income communities and communities of color – to explore technology and media in hopes that they might go on to pursue a career in tech and media industries.
In order to achieve this goal Latinitas has created several different programs to help girls from elementary to high school. For instance, they have free after school club programs where girls are able to complete projects and use technology that they would not normally have access to such as robots, drones, synthesizers and media programs. There are also 1 and 2 day conferences that focus around topics such as coding, or starting a company and certification programs in areas like journalism and coding. There are even programs for parents to help them with computer proficiency and understanding the college application process, especially if their daughters are first generation students.
I came across Latinitas and their Graphic design intern position this summer through LinkedIn. I had not heard about the organization before, however, I was immediately drawn to their mission because I had been in a similar program when I was in middle school and high school and it had a very positive impact on my life. I thought that it would be great to work for an organization like the one that helped me when I was younger. Another reason why I was excited about the internship position is because I am currently studying two majors, Graphic Design and Global Studies, and my goal after college is to find a job that allows me to combine my interest in global studies with my graphic design skills. I thought that the graphic design internship at Latinitas would a perfect fit for this goal.
Throughout my internship, I have had the responsibility of designing and editing promotional materials for the organization as well as working on event specific design projects for the conferences and programs that have been held so far. A day at the office usually includes working or several different design projects at a time sometimes specific to an event or program and sometimes more miscellaneous projects like updating business cards. I usually use illustrator or Canva to create flyers and designs so I am always on the computer. Although I like being able to create so many different designs, another aspect of my internship position is helping out with special events or promotional activities. I have been able to work in several different capacities for Conferences like Startup Chica where I helped to make sure things ran smoothly with registration and the parent program, as well as tabling opportunities like HopeFest where I tabled for the organization and let community members know about the awesome opportunities Lainitas has to offer.
Example of some of the work I have designed for Latinitas
The one aspect of the internship that surprised me most was the communication style of the office. Because so much is going on and at such a fast pace assignments and are usually given through email. This was something that I was not used to because in my previous internship experiences if I was in the office, I would in the be given the assignment verbally. When I first began the internship this fall, there were a lot of projects that were assigned to me and getting used to the new communication style was a bit overwhelming. However, I think that this experience has most definitely helped me grow as a graphic designer and as a person who will be entering the workforce soon because I now have more practice thinking on my feet and working through assignments at a fast pace.
Overall I am pleased with how my internship has gone so far! I really appreciate the experience and skills I have gained. Although I enjoy the design aspects of the internship, I would have to say that some of the most fun I have had at this internship has been when I have had the opportunity to help with events and tabling because I was able to interact more directly with the girls that Latinitas is helping and with my fellow interns.
