The 2011-12 Milano Bloggers Are…
Eulaila M. Brooks (NPM ’12)
I grew up in Philadelphia, 92 miles away from New York City, but in the long (very long) shadow of the city. While many of my peers spoke ‘early and often’ about moving to New York, I always assumed I would move to the nation’s capital – DC. After majoring in political science during my undergrad years I had my DC opportunity. I found myself working as a researcher for the Democratic National Committee during the 2000 presidential cycle and the subsequent recount, and had some surreal moments during my tenure at the DNC such as White House dinners, debate prep, and the constant fear that today would be the day I would go to work and find out I was going to Florida – like right now – due to the recount. After the 2000 election and recount, I along with many of my fellow DNC researchers decided to move forth in the world. A few went on to do research for cable-news networks (a burgeoning FoxNews and CNN), others went off to law school, and I decided to join the campaign trail again. After turning down an opportunity to work on the 2001 Israeli snap election, due to what I thought would be a ‘crazy’ environment, I ended up working on the ‘crazy’ 2001 mayoral election in New York City. September 11th was New York’s primary election, and like many in the City and the country by the end of the day the things I thought I knew I no longer felt certain about them.
For me politics was a way to bring about systemic change. I believed by working to elect individuals who could introduce legislation and use the bully pulpit of the office to effect policy shifts, would ensure the things I cared about (such as social security, Medicare, funding for higher education, et al.) would survive and thrive. But after September 11th I realized there were many nonprofit organizations that were carrying out and building the systems for those policies to be effective that were losing funding due to the priority shift towards national security. I began working as a fundraiser and saw how ineffectual leadership within an organization drove away programmatic talent and was unable to draw new talent. With the 2008 financial crisis I realized it was time to step up to the plate and so I applied to Milano for nonprofit management.
Growing up in a city of 1.5M and living in a city of 8.2M, I often find myself defining (and re-defining) what I mean by community and how I valuate the community I’ve defined. Politics taught me the art of crossing community boundaries. The nonprofit world taught me to give edges to the boundaries crossed as well as to see the spaces created by crossing those boundaries. It is the community of Milano that ultimately drove me to accept admissions to the program.
Kristen Demaline (URB ’11)
A May 2011 graduate of the Urban Policy Analysis and Management program, Kristen began the program as a part-time student, and has blogged here since orientation. She’d sum this story up as a tale of a coolly resigned entering student to one who became jaded, concerned, and (let us be honest) a little angsty during her second year in the program, ultimately enjoying a rediscovered sense of idealism and professional goal-setting by graduation. Kristen now blogs about post-grad life and her job search, providing alumni perspective.
While earning an M.A. in Women’s Studies at the University of Cincinnati, her primary research concerned women’s personal narratives and their relationship to the U.S. feminist movement and the LGBT rights movement, as well as the study of identity formation in the context of civil rights movements and critical race feminism. What This Means is that she’s been interested in how writing can be a mechanism for achieving social change for a long time, and her goal is to contribute to that effort.
In 2010-1, she served as an NYC Community Planning Fellow with the Fund for the City of New York and a student coordinator in the Office of Career Development and Placement at Milano.
Elsewhere, she practices yoga, is a volunteer mentor with Girls Write Now, runs, and loves to cook and explore New York. She offers some unsolicited advice to all grad school newbies (and new alums!): build a toolkit for the next couple of years that includes a sense of humor, flannel pants, a pet (for comfort and diversion), plenty of chocolate, a great bartender (even if it’s you) and Nyquil.
I’m a full-time student in my first year in the urban policy program. A native New Yorker, I spent just over a decade in Washington, DC, and now I’m returning home to have an impact where I grew up. I obtained my undergraduate degree in American Studies from The George Washington University, and while there, I caught a passion for politics, policy, and the workings of government. After college I worked at an association for economic development. I suppose once you combine my academic and work experience with my desire for a better world, coming to Milano just makes sense.
My primary area of interest is community economic development. I know there must be a way to revitalize neighborhoods through building people as well as the economy. When I’m not studying I love to watch the Knicks, play a few games on Xbox 360, check out articles on Politico.com, and tune into C-SPAN.
Bloggers Emerita
Tushar Gogia (NPM ’10)
How does individual and community development impact the ecological and financial sustainability of the organizations that serve them? (and vice-versa)?
Over the past ten years Tushar had the opportunity to live in four countries, study at various state and private school, and work in both the non-profit and the for-profit sector. From researching the impact of land reclamation on the pink dolphins in Hong Kong Bay, to organizing fund-raisers in upstate New York, benefiting Tibetan refugees in India, his experiences and interests are vast and varied.
After earning his degree in environmental science from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Plattsburgh, he worked as a facilitator for experiential learning initiatives with children from the affluent suburbs of Southern California, and later with marginalized youth from the slums of Bombay (India). In 2007 he was the logistics coordinator for a team which planned and delivered customized organizational development programs for employees at the India offices of Goldman Sachs and Deutsche Bank.
Such experiences, coupled with his education, have created his interest in analyzing the complex relationship between Human Development and Environmental Sustainability.
Kim Hurley (GPIA ’11)
A graduate from GPIA’s Media & Culture concentration (formerly Governance and Rights), Kim came to Milano straight from undergrad at Le Moyne College. She received her B.A. in Peace and Global Studies and Theatre Arts, which always prompted questions and weird stares. Her passion for theatre and politics, combined with a Jesuit education, fueled a desire to work on behalf of human rights with an artistic approach.
Apart from blogging here, she kept her hands in about 500 different things at once- student government (and maintaining the USS website), writing/editing for Contexts Journal, volunteering, making jewelry and hats, running her own blog, and of course, being a friendly computer lab aide (the thing she was recognized most for- “Hey, don’t you work in the computer lab?”).
LOVE this new pic of you, Kristen! So beautiful!
And did I never write a profile for myself?? Lol
Thanks, Laura, check your email. 🙂 I’ll hook you up! C’mon, there ARE still a few more months for you, lol!
Thank you.
I am interested in writing for this. Can someone email me the specs? korenfrankfort@gmail.com