20 Questions with Intern Jenn Hall
By Christopher Edwards on 08/02/2010 @ 12:30 PM
Each season Immigration Equality offices welcome interns, legal fellows, and volunteers. Beginning this week, we will be introducing you to some of them with 20 questions. Want to work with us? Find out more here.
If you missed last week's 20 Questions with Albert Chen, it was posted to our legal services-focused blog.
Jenn on the Capitol steps
Name: Jenn Hall
Age: 23
School/Major/Year: Syracuse University / Public Diplopmacy Graduate Candidate ‘11: M.S. Public Relations, M.A. International Relations
Position: Communications Department Intern
Office: Washington, DC Policy Office
In one sentence, what do you do all day?
So far, I've primarily been researching potential binational spokescouples and contacting them to gauge their interest so as to match them up with particular media placements.
How is that going?
Great!
What are you hoping to accomplish while here?
- To familiarize myself more with current immigration law and how its deficiencies negatively impact LGBTQ and HIV+ people.
- To learn more about international laws and norms that persecute LGBT and HIV+ persons, leading them to seek asylum in the United States.
- To investigate how current deficiencies in U.S. immigration law affect U.S. public diplomacy efforts.
[ed note: Yes, she actually speaks in bullet points. Seriously, I’ve seen it.]
Where are you from?
I grew up in Victor, NY which is a suburb of Rochester, New York ... home of Wegmans. (The best grocery store in the world!) I stayed in Rochester for my undergraduate studies (Nazareth College), and only traveled a slight distance for graduate school to Syracuse, New York.
Who did you root for in the World Cup?
I ... honestly did not follow it.
What do you like most about DC?
The breadth of organizations. I love that there are so many people to meet from so many types of companies, all with their own focus and expertise. I say this not necessarily from the standpoint of networking, but just as an opportunity to meet people who are making real change and listening to them talk about what they are passionate about ... whatever that may be!
The least?
Getting groceries. Not having a car is never bothersome to me in the city except when it comes to getting groceries. I hate not being able to go to the grocery store to buy EVERYTHING that I need to stock up my kitchen in one fell swoop. It's just not possible with the closest grocery store (to Woodley Park) 2 metro stations away. I don't have a grocery cart big enough to cart everything I want/need that far (on the metro or walking). It may just take some time to get into the mindset of buying a couple bags of things more frequently and as I run low...but for now I caved and ordered Peapod grocery delivery instead.
What neighborhood are you living in?
Woodley Park — red line; near the zoo.
Any suggestions for interns trying to live in Washington?
In terms of housing ... while finances certainly control a lot ... if possible, try to find something close to the metro. Not only is it nice for the work week to be able to just hop onto a (hopefully!) airconditioned traincar (so you're not gross by the time you walk into your office), but it's also great to just just be able to hop on to go out or to visit with friends instead of trying to find time to allot in your busy life for extensive walking, bus transfers, etc.
What do you do in your free time?
I'm a big TV addict ... so a lot of my down time goes to watching a number of great shows. I'm making my way through Bones season 2 right now. Other than that I read and spend a lot of time on the phone with my husband who just moved to Daytona Beach, Florida for a job. We just got married on May 30th, and the first year of our marriage will be long distance ... so my phone is almost always at my ear.
What are you currently reading?
The Stuff of Thought: Language as a Window into Human Nature by Steven Pinker
Favorite TV show?
All time? Buffy the Vampire Slayer! ... Current? Being Erica
If you had one superpower what would it be?
Omniscience.
What's the most surprising part of your internship?
How well all of the interns get along with each other.
What's the hardest part?
Navigating the policy and legal end of the work ... I still have a lot of vocabulary and general background information to catch up on (but I'm working on it!).
What's your interest in immigration rights?
My primary interest stems from the current deficiencies in U.S. immigration law as it pertains to sexual orientation and gender identity.
How did you learn about Immigration Equality?
For my M.A. I am required to do an internship with an international focus. I still wanted to do something LGBT focused, and Immigration Equality was one of the organization’s that popped up in my initial search (and I noticed that Steve worked here — who I interned with two years ago!)
Are you at immigration Equality just for the summer?
Yes
To whom would you recommend an Immigration Equality internship?
Anyone who is interested in the intersection between immigrant rights and broader social issues like LGBT equality.
What are you planning next after your time with us?
I have one more semester in Syracuse (fall) and then I will be back in D.C. for my final semester (spring) to take a few classes and complete one more internship before I graduate. After that, the plan is to move to Florida and hopefully find a job (that actually interests me!) in the Daytona Beach area! *fingers crossed*
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