Izvor: Megafon.co, 26.Jun.2023, 21:52

Šta sam radila u Americi

Februara 2022. godine dobila sam vest za koju ni sama nisam verovala da je istinita. Od skoro 8.500 ljudi iz zemalja širom sveta, našla sam se među 120 odabranih da učestvujem u programu Community Solutions koji sprovodi IREX, a finansira Stejt Department. Proces prijave trajao je od oktobra prethodne godine sve do, maltene, samog polaska u Ameriku, krajem jula. Iako ja volim da mislim da sam realista, ljudi bi ipak rekli da sam pesimista, tako da, do trenutka dok avion, posle presedanja u >> Pročitaj celu vest na sajtu Megafon.co << Frankfurtu nije sleteo u grad Vašington tog prvog avgusta, ja nisam verovala da se to stvarno dešava i samo sam čekala trenutak kada će nešto da se izjalovi.
Posle zdravstvenih pregleda, polaganja TOEFL testova, i procesa dobijanja vize, u Vašington je stiglo nas stotinak od 120 prvobitno odabranih.
Program funkcioniše tako da svaki kandidat odlazi u jednu američku organizaciju gde će razmenjivati iskustva sa svojim domaćinima u oblasti kojom se bave – i organizacija domaćin i kandidat u svojoj organizaciji kod kuće.
Foto – IREX Da biste dospeli u neku američku organizaciju, pre dolaska u Ameriku se sastajete sa zainteresovanima i ako se dopadnete jedni drugima dogovarate četvoromesečnu “razmenu”.
Ja sam imala neverovatnu sreću da sam sa predstavnicama moje organizacije-domaćina kliknula na prvom intervjuu. Tako da je moj izbor bio Boston i organizacija Girls’ LEAP.
Na svakom koraku upoznavala sam neverovatne ljude svih rasa, polova, vere, seksualnog opredeljenja, ali kako je moja oblast feminizam, u ovom i narednih nekoliko tekstova fokusiraću se na žene. Lin i Sintija su od samog početka, kroz celo iskustvo, pa i do dan danas bile i ostale neverovatna podrška i prijateljice za ceo život. I nisu jedine, ali o tome kasnije.
Alkija, Lin i Sintija, Foto – Privatna Arhiva Lin Linn Carberri Masterman je ko-izvršni direktor Girls’ LEAP. Pre preuzimanja ove uloge 2018. godine, Lin je 15 godina služila kao viši potpredsednik u kompaniji Fideliti Investments i bila je odgovorna za odnose sa zaposlenima, operacije i globalne usluge za preko 50.000 zaposlenih. Lin je radila za Community Newspapers (Fideliti Capital) 10 godina kao predsednica i izdavač više novinskih grupa, i na poslovima odgovornim za onlajn izdavaštvo i novinska partnerstva i akvizicije. Lin je započela svoju karijeru radeći za TAB Newspapers, napredujući do glavnog operativnog direktora pre prodaje novinske grupe Fideliti Capitalu. Lin je bila u odboru Girls’ LEAP od 2010. do 2015. i 2017. do 2019.
Sintija Cynthia Maltbie je ko-izvršni direktor Girls’ LEAP. Pre nego što je preuzela ovu ulogu 2018. godine, Sintija je od 2011. do 2018. radila kao glavni službenik za ljudske resurse za Partners In Health, međunarodnu zdravstvenu nevladinu organizaciju. Sintija je radila za Fideliti Investments 17 godina, gde je završila karijeru kao izvršni potpredsednik za ljudske resurse za Fideliti Emploier Services Corporation. U ovom svojstvu vodila je ljudske resurse, obuku i razvoj i interne komunikacije za diviziju od 12.000 ljudi. Sintija je tada osnovala i vodila People Logic, konsultantsku firmu za ljudski kapital, sarađujući sa raznim organizacijama, uključujući neprofitne. Sintija je predsedavala Odborom LEAP-a za devojčice od 2008. do 2021. Radila je u odboru posetilaca The Guidance Center, odeljenja Riverside Community Care. Cynthia je osnovne studije završila na koledžu Konektikat.
Girls’ LEAP Girls’ LEAP je neprofitna organizacija koja se bavi osnaživanjem devojčica i nebinarne omladine kroz psihološke i radionice samoodbrane. Moj zadatak bio je da im vodim i unapredim društvene mreže, snimam videe o iskustvima nekadašnjih i trenutnih polaznica, fotografišem radionice, ali i učestvujem na njima.
Girls’ LEAP trening, Foto – Sonja Urošević Lin i Sintija širom su mi otvorile vrata organizacije koju vode i pustile me u svaki deo koliko god sam želela. Učestvovala sam na sastancima sa donatorima, na internim programskim sastancima, na sastancima o finansijskom vođenju organizacije sa računovođama, na sastancima borda direktorki.
A zahvaljujući predsednici borda direktorki – Alkiji (još jednoj prijateljici koju sam tamo stekla), za manje od mesec dana života u Bostonu, upoznala sam gradonačelnicu i šerifa.
Mišel Vu, gradonaćelnica Bostona, Foto – Privatna Arhiva Stiv Tompkins, šerif, Foto – Privatna Arhiva Nastaviće se…
What was I doing in the USA In February 2022, I received news that I couldn’t believe was true. Out of almost 8,500 people from countries all over the world, I was among the 120 chosen to participate in the Community Solutions program run by IREX and funded by the State Department. The application process lasted from October of the previous year until almost the moment of departure for America, at the end of July. Although I like to think of myself as a realist, people would say that I am a pessimist, so until the plane, after a layover in Frankfurt, landed in Washington D.C. on that first of August, I didn’t believe it was really happening and just waited for something to go wrong.
After medical checkups, TOEFL testing, and the visa application process, around one hundred of the original 120 chosen arrived in Washington. The program works by having each candidate go to an American organization where they exchange experiences with their hosts in their respective fields – both the host organization and the candidate in their home organization. To get into an American organization, before coming to America, you meet with interested parties and if you like each other, you arrange for a four-month “exchange.”
I had the incredible fortune of clicking with the representatives of my host organization on the first interview, so my choice was Boston and the organization Girls’ LEAP. At every step, I met incredible people of all races, genders, religions, and sexual orientations, but since my field is feminism, in this and the next few texts, I will focus on women. Lin and Cynthia have been an incredible support and lifelong friends since the very beginning and throughout the whole experience, and they are not the only ones, but more on that later.
Lynn Lynn Carberry Masterman is Co-Executive Director of Girls’ LEAP. Prior to assuming this role in 2018, Lynn served as Senior Vice President at Fidelity Investments for 15 years with responsibility for Employee Relations, Operations, and Global services for over 50,000 employees. Lynn worked for Community Newspapers/Fidelity Capital for 10 years as President and Publisher of multiple newspaper groups, and in roles responsible for online publishing, and newspaper partnerships and acquisitions. Lynn began her career working for TAB Newspapers, rising to Chief Operating Officer prior to the sale of the newspaper group to Fidelity Capital. Lynn served on the Board of Girls’ LEAP from 2010 to 2015 and 2017 to 2019.
Cynthia Cynthia Maltbie is Co-Executive Director of Girls’ LEAP. Prior to assuming this role in 2018, Cynthia served as Chief Human Resources Officer for Partners In Health, an international healthcare NGO, from 2011 to 2018. Cynthia worked for Fidelity Investments for 17 years, finishing her career there as Executive Vice President of Human Resources for Fidelity Employer Services Corporation. In this capacity she led HR, training and development and internal communications for a division of 12,000 people. Cynthia then founded and operated People Logic, a human capital consulting firm, working with a variety of organizations, including nonprofits. Cynthia chaired the Board of Girls’ LEAP from 2008 to 2021. She served on the Board of Visitors of The Guidance Center, a division of Riverside Community Care. Cynthia received her B.A. from Connecticut College.
Girls’ LEAP Girls’ LEAP is a non-profit organization that empowers girls and non-binary youth through psychological and self-defense workshops. My task was to manage and improve their social media, record videos of former and current participants’ experiences, take photos of workshops, and also participate in them.
Lin and Cynthia opened the doors of the organization they lead to me and allowed me to explore every part of it as much as I wanted. I participated in meetings with donors, internal program meetings, financial management meetings with accountants, and meetings with the board of directors.
And thanks to the president of the board of directors, Alkia (another friend I made there), in less than a month of living in Boston, I met the mayor and the sheriff.
To be continued…

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