This summer, I interned for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), a humanitarian agency that provides assistance, protection, and advocacy for some 5 million registered Palestine refugees in the Middle East. Following the 1948 Arab-Israeli Conflict, UNRWA was established by United Nations General Assembly resolution 302 (IV). In the absence of a solution to the Palestine refugee problem, the General Assembly has repeatedly renewed UNRWA’s mandate.

As an intern with the UNRWA Representative Office in New York, I was given the tasks of attending General Assembly, Security Council, and UN coordination meetings on behalf of the Agency. I also monitored the political, economic, and social situation in the Middle East and researched and prepared position papers on a variety of topics, as well as briefing notes and speeches for senior UNRWA staff for important meetings and discussions.

My experience expanded my interest and understanding of a group of people with legitimate national rights, as defined by the resolutions of the United Nations. Learning about the difficulties Palestinian refugees face on a daily basis has motivated me to dedicate my legal education and career to promote and defend the rights of these people whose suffering is one that has gone on for far too long. Despite these difficulties, I met some of the most inspirational and triumphant individuals that just wanted their voice to be heard, and being a Wolfe fellow allowed me to be that voice for a summer. I hope to be that voice in the future, and find a just solution to people that have been ignored by the international community for far too long.

I spent my summer in Washington, D.C. interning for the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE). NCTE is a social justice organization that focuses on national policy issues impacting the lives of transgender people. During my internship with NCTE, I was able to work on a wide range of issues. I drafted legal and policy memoranda to help NCTE advocate with federal agencies to improve healthcare access and eliminate healthcare disparities for transgender people under the Affordable Care Act. I also worked on issues affecting transgender seniors, such as resident rights in long-term care facilities, and the opportunities for the Administration on Aging to reduce discrimination against LGBT seniors. In addition, my colleagues and I worked on drafting a comprehensive memo regarding discrimination faced by transgender employees who work in the areas of security and law enforcement. I was continually impressed by how much NCTE is able to accomplish, and I learned a great deal during my time there. I am very grateful for the support of the BHRC Summer Human Rights Fellowship for making this experience possible.

This summer I had the honor of interning with Amnesty International USA, headquartered in New York City. I have been a member of this human rights organization since high school, and was further intrigued after taking a class with former Secretary General of Amnesty International, Irene Khan during her tenure at the University of Buffalo last Spring. Her class on poverty and human rights helped me decide that I had to be at Amnesty this summer.

Receiving this Fellowship truly allowed me to pursue my dream in New York City. Without the financial support, it is unlikely that I would have been able to live and work in New York City this summer. The Fellowship provided me the opportunity to experience the mass member driven organization that is Amnesty International, as contrasted to my other experience in small non-governmental organizations. I got to combine my passion for equality and human rights with my interest in activism. My days were spent researching and writing assignments that I was passionate in pursuing in my career, along with attending events to raise awareness around the New York City area. We held demonstrations calling for the release of prisoners of conscience, the close of Guantanamo Bay, and clemency for Troy Davis, a death row inmate. I have always known that I am not made for a desk job, and this summer surely increased my expectation to be able to combine advocacy and activism with human rights.

I spent summer 2011 interning for the United Nations Development Programme ("UNDP") in Pristina, Kosovo. I worked in the Justice and Security division, which is managed by Chris Decker '96. I worked on projects in both the Rule of Law project, and the Access to Justice project.

For the Rule of Law project, I researched and wrote a report that compared Kosovo's law on the bar examination with the laws of neighboring countries (especially former Yugoslav republics), other Balkan states, the European Union, and the United States. The report both offered an encyclopedic comparison of the laws, and a recommendation on how to improve Kosovo's law.

For the Access to Justice project, I developed a four-part assessment instrument to measure the efficiency of national Legal Aid Offices supported by UNDP. The four-parts looked at the question of efficiency from objective and subjective perspectives from former clients, Legal Aid Office employees, and the larger legal community. I was able to help begin implementing the instruments during my time in Kosovo. It was great to travel within the country and to meet Legal Aid Officers and former clients.

Interning abroad this summer was a fantastic opportunity to learn about another system of law, to make national and international contacts in the Human Rights field, and to be able to contribute to the burgeoning legal system in a post-conflict country." I am grateful to the Wolfe Fellowship for the opportunity.