Sophie’s First Report: Introductions, Metro Adventures, and Ayuda

My name is Sophie Leruth and I am a rising junior at Wake Forest University. I am a Presidential Scholar for Distinguished Achievement in the Arts (Music) and a double major in Politics and International Affairs and Spanish. Next year I am most looking forward to serving as a President’s Aide, playing in the Wake Forest University Symphony Orchestra’s annual Halloween concert, and studying abroad in Chile and Argentina.

This summer, I am working as a language access intern for Ayuda, a nonprofit organization that provides language and legal services to non-English proficient immigrants in the Washington D.C. area. My first day is Tuesday, May 30th and yesterday I visited the Ayuda office for the first time. I was reminded of why Ayuda’s mission is also my mission when I approached the front door and saw the following message (pictured above); “No matter where you are from, we’re glad you’re our neighbor”. Access to language and legal services is essential in providing immigrants with access to protection and opportunity. I am the daughter of a French immigrant, and I feel a deep connection to those who may feel unwelcome and unrepresented in strange, new places.

My goals for this summer are to explore all that Washington D.C. has to offer. I want to visit as many museums as I can, attend a variety of cultural events, attend conferences, and go anywhere the metro can take me. My goals for this internship are to better understand nonprofit management, learn about the responsibility that comes with having a direct impact on someone’s future, listen to the stories and struggles faced by immigrants today and compare my direct experiences to those I have had in the classroom, attend interpreter training sessions, and speak to Ayuda staff about their career paths and experiences. Interning for an organization like Ayuda will give me valuable insight into challenges that continue to shape the histories and daily lives of immigrants.

This internship is an incredible opportunity to learn and grow. I am greatly looking forward to my first day working with Ayuda.

– Sophie Leruth (Class of 2019)