GRIP, Internships Abroad Working in a Global Office Invested in Impact

Ashoka - Mexico City, Mexico

This summer, I had the privilege of working for Ashoka at the Impact Hub in Mexico City. What struck me, not only about the Ashoka, but the Impact Hub itself, was the international community that was existed there. At Ashoka, there were interns from the US, Colombia, Venezuela, France, Pakistan and more, and the office itself offered even more cultural diversity, with organizations that originated in France, Chile, and the US, and employees from all over.

What was so unique about the hub, was that it was a co-working environment full of people who were invested in enacting social change. This not only allowed us to foster community, but provided us with resources that we may not otherwise have had we been working alone. While Ashoka supports and develops social entrepreneurs, Sistema B next door is working on teaching corporations how to improve their business practices in order to more positively impact the world. Next to them was Bamex, on organization that creates food banks throughout Mexico, while, around the corner Make Sense was working on a multi-faceted approach to social change. The point is, all of these organizations were tackling social change from different angles, and seeing and participating the resource and knowledge exchange between them was inspiring.

Working in a space like this reminded me of the power of community and communication. While everyone had their own projects to work on, they were still available at the drop of a hat to lend a hand to someone else. On my first day, my boss sat me down and urged me to socialize. She pointed out that making the most of my internship would entail taking advantage of any opportunity to learn from others.

I was able to learn so much speaking to and working with people from different offices. The conversations I had helped me refine my interests and career goals, expand my operational vocabulary, and form relationships that will last beyond my time in Mexico. On top of that, being such an international community allowed us to learn about each other’s cultures and communities, exchange stories and experiences, and create a global network of change makers.