Meet our Summer Interns.
You really can't help but smile when you see these faces. That's one of the best perks of having interns around the office. Beyond their youthful energy and positive outlook on the future, we also love just how different they each are. Their interests range from fashion to travel to art and education.
We sat down with them to find out more about what inspires them, worries them and the real challenges they face as young dreamers in Cleveland.
We have some work ahead of us, to make this city and our world a better place for this young generation, and those to come.
Brittany, 18
Brittany is shy and sweet. She loves art and is aspiring to run her own art business someday. She's thinking that she'd like to get out of Cleveland and see other cities where she's got family. She loves the idea that you can just start fresh in a new place.
What she loves about Cleveland: "It's not busy like New York, where it's loud and there's so much movement."
What she wishes would change: "I wish more people could stand up to gang violence. Kids bring guns to school."
D'Angelo, 17
D'Angelo is funny, sincere, and engaged. On his internship form, it stated that he wants to become a mechanical engineer, but after talking to him some more, he'd really rather do interior design and makeovers on cars, kinda like Pimp my Ride. He's got a real creative side to him and I can't wait to see what he ends up doing.
What he loves about Cleveland: "It's an underdog city, but we're still known."
What he wishes would change: "It feels like there's a focus in the city of making more money rather than helping people. A communication mindset and dialogue between diverse people would help."
Myiesha, 17
Myiesha is sweet, and is a totally good sport by modeling for our July Flea photo shoot, and answering our questions. She's got a creative side and hopes to design her own line of clothing some day. They recently went on a trip to Honduras with their after-school program, Open Doors Academy, and I think she got the bug for travel.
What she loves about Cleveland: "Everyone participates here. We're all a part of making things happen."
What she wishes would change: "I don't know. I just wanna leave and see the world."
Jemier, 17
Jemier is sweet, sincere and I can see that he's really committed to learning more, all the time. He wants to be a business owner of a salon + barber shop combo.
What he loves about Cleveland: "It's will to succeed. Even before we won a championship, we never gave up. And the RNC? Even of all these cities, they chose us. I think because they know we'll be calm for a week."
His favorite quote: "Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world." -- Nelson Mandela
Our interns are paid through an organization called Open Doors Academy. I'd encourage all business owners to work to bring energetic young people into their offices. It's not always easy managing a whole new set of people but just getting to know Jemier, D'Angelo, Brittany and Myiesha personally has been worth it. Having this crew around helps me be a better person. I've taken time to have conversations and connect with those that are different than me and have been able to step out from behind my to-do list and just be a human talking to other humans about things that matter.
