Dear fellow interns (Wuthea, Teddy, Freddie, Darby, Gabi, Chau, Polly), future interns, and friends of interns,
First, let me make sure we’ve been formally introduced. I know many of us have met in passing at Inclusion Center events, but that’s a sad substitute for a proper introduction. My name is Josh Newbury and I, like you, am an intern for the Inclusion Center. My particular internship is a requirement for my Bachelors in Social Work, but once upon a time I too was a high school intern. You better believe I miss it, and would do it all over again if I had the chance.
As you know from your own experiences, your own struggles to create inclusive schools free of segregated lunch rooms and oppressive bullying, being an intern can be tough work. Don’t get me wrong, it certainly rewards endlessly -- from the numberless opportunities you have to meet people from all over Salt Lake City, to the close-knit friendships that you form among each other and with your coordinator (in this case, Home Skillet Biscuit Maria Gasper). Being an intern rocks the Cashba, and it puts the smeds and the retah’s to shame.
Nonetheless, interning can be rough work, and you balance it with sports, friends, school, and your post-high school aspirations. What amazes me most about Inclusion Center interns is that they choose - when they could choose otherwise - to get an early start on building community through profound love and a commitment to fairness. This is a significant choice when you consider that so many of our peers, and even our superiors, have decided to opt out of instigating opportunity and justice for all us, not just some of us. You know and do so much so early, and for those around you your actions and your words are liberating and inspiring. As your fellow intern, I am not immune to your influence.
With the utmost sincerity I want to thank you for being with the Inclusion during The Arts and Activism. It would not have gone down as smoothly as it did without you or the friends you brought. I hope you know that bringing 25+ together to do a kind of social justice works speaks volumes about who you are and what you can do. You, your friends, and the future interns, changed the space and energy inside the Public Library. Your excitement, your willingness to give up your Friday evening, your passion for learning about the art made that building feel like a place we all love/will soon have the chance to love: Camp Anytown. Bringing the spirit of Anytown down to the valley is a challenge we’ve all been charged with as Anytowners, and when it happens it deserves proper recognition and praise.
With so much admiration and respect I want to thank you for your help, your passion, and your ability to inspire even your slightly older intern counterpart. You’ve taught me that change, undoubtedly, is coming quick.
In solidarity and love,
Your fellow intern Josh
P.S. I’ll be seeing many of you at camp!
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