A group of outstanding young people recently completed internships at the Initiative.

The interns were Larry Brown, Jr., N.C. Central University School of Law; Bianca Gomez, University of North Carolina School of Law; Matt Pridgen, Duke University; and Chris Turnau,  N.C.  State  University.

Each of these interns brought his or her own brand of intelligence and energy to the Initiative office in Raleigh. Each         made important contributions throughout the summer — from helping monitor activities at the General Assembly, to crunching numbers and doing research, to making the Initiative’s online services  run  more smoothly.

Pridgen said he gained enormously from his time at the Initiative.

“It is impossible to briefly describe how much I have learned during my three months with the Initiative. Each day

brought an interesting mixture of new challenges and opportunities for  growth,”  he said.

“This opportunity has been a blessing from day one, and I am thankful to the entire Initiative staff for all that they have done for me.”

Among other things, Pridgen said he learned a good deal about how unevenly wealth is distributed in the United States —  and how community development organizations can help.

“We live in the wealthiest, most prosperous nation in the world, perhaps in the history of the world. And yet the majority of this wealth and prosperity is hoarded by a select few. Somewhere in this country's timeline of getting ahead, we have left countless men, women, and children behind. This is where CDCs enter the picture,” he said.

Gomez agreed, adding that she saw for herself that there is an acute need  here  in North Carolina.

“I was able to view first-hand the communities we serve,” she said. “Seeing some of the living conditions in North Carolina greatly disturbed me and made me realize how fortunate I have been. I always felt a sense of satisfaction that I was working to make a difference — even though I understood that there was so much more to be done. I formed several lasting relationships with many wonderful people, and I learned how dedicated they are to the goals of the Initiative.”

Abdul Rasheed, CEO of the Initiative, said each of the interns made lasting  contributions.

“This was one of the best groups we’ve ever had,” he said. “I want to thank them for their service. They’ve certainly set the bar high for the future.”

Those who wish to nominate interns for next summer can contact Ebonie Alexander at (919) 835-6000.