Meet Abby English (she/her/ella), a 2019 Penn State University graduate with a B.A. in advertising/public relations and a minor in Spanish, whose journey in social justice and communications began as a student intern at the Penn State Center Philadelphia.
Our counterparts in Philadelphia talked to Abby about her journey from a Penn State intern to a full-time advocate for change, and she offered advice and inspiration for students who aspire to follow a similar path.
A few questions they asked her:
How did your internship experience shape your understanding of social impact work? Were there specific projects or moments that stood out to you?
Abby: [It] let me see firsthand how movement work gets done. From an outside perspective, it can be hard to understand how we go from protesting in the streets to enacting policies. Being on the internal side of things allowed me to learn how coalitions are formed, how connections are made with elected officials, and how we advance policy that benefits our underserved communities. Back in the early days of the pandemic, I watched our team win paid sick leave so that all restaurant employees could take care of themselves and their family members as needed. Seeing how multiple organizations can come together to put pressure on elected officials and enact policy change was rewarding, inspiring, and motivating — and further solidified in my mind the importance of working together in coalition to get things done.
Social justice work can be challenging but rewarding. What keeps you motivated in this line of work?
Abby: The people, the people, the people. "Doom-scrolling" is a very real, very isolating thing. Being in community with other folks who are deeply aware of the issues we are facing but deeply motivated to find workable solutions is incredibly inspiring. One of my favorite abolitionist authors, Mariame Kaba, says, "Hope is a discipline." I apply this quote to my own life daily — hope is not a feeling, it is a conscious choice we make to see a better future and continue the fight our ancestors have passed down to us.
Do you have any advice for current students or recent grads who are interested in pursuing careers in social justice, communications, or community organizing?
Abby: Seek out extracurricular opportunities. Find organizations that are fighting for issues you feel aligned with and begin reaching out to them about volunteer opportunities. Community organizing is a world of its own, and the sooner you begin learning its framework from the ground up, the more prepared you will be to step into any community organizing team.
Check out the full interview at the link below. cc: Penn State Outreach
