Intern spotlight: Rukhsar Balkhi

One of the best experiences of my life! This Summer of 2022, joining Bond Street Theater was one of the best opportunities and decisions I have ever made. The year of 2021 was a tough one for most of us and it somehow pressured us mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. But, spending two months with the Bond Street Theatre team was so healing for me. Maihan (my friend and fellow student) and I had an amazing time with the BST leadership team, and extremely understanding and supportive colleagues in the BST Youth Council. I am a senior student majoring in Human Rights in Bard College, I have been working in many NGOs, INGOs and at the US Embassy back in my home country, Afghanistan. I founded my own organization named Women Empowerment and Growth Organization. While applying for an internship at BST I was really excited to start my work because I had a deep relationship with NGOs and their work, especially NGOs working for women, children and youth. I believe that combining the arts and human rights will be a great idea for my senior project. I learned how useful theatre can be for conflict resolution, empathy, understanding, awareness, tolerance, trust building and mental health. I had the opportunity to do research on social justice issues related to my major Human Rights, in many countries like Kenya, Kazakhstan, Africa. I have got to know so many things about new countries I barely knew. It helped me to have a better understanding of different countries and how art can be a solution for many pains and issues. During my internship I saw many programs, pictures, videos which were taken in my home country Afghanistan and I can truly feel the connection and understood how much positive effect it had on those youths, women and children of a war and conflicted country. I believe BST implemented programs which feed the soul. I had an amazing time with Joanna and Micheal in the office. I met Tim and Sidonie from the BST Youth Council in person, and luckily in the first meeting we felt like we have known each other for years - that is what makes BST and our team different and unique because it makes you feel at home. I met the rest of the members online and am looking forward to meeting them in person soon. This will be a lifetime experience and a great network with who I want to and will be in contact forever. I hope to be a part of BST always and I feel a deep connection with the organization and its members. Working at BST as an intern was more than an internship for me, I learned a lot more than my expectations. I will try my best to be part of future projects which changes people’s lives for the better. I wish I had all of this knowledge and experience, gained in the past two months at BST, beforehand. That way, I would have been more successful in 2019 when I founded Women’s EGO… even with choosing the name of my organization! But, certainly it will help me in the future as I feel that the dream of working for Women and Youth in Afghanistan was put on hold - but it surely will come true here in the US through BST.

Intern Spotlight: Maihan Naimi

Hi there, my name is Maihan. I am in my third year at Bard College in New York, where I study Computer Science. I am an intern at the Bond Street Theater in Manhattan. In the meantime, I participated in Bard's globalization and international affairs program. I had been a student for three years at the American University in Afghanistan. After the government collapsed, I transferred to Bard College. At the Science Olympiad, I took home two silver medals in chemistry, and at the Amity International Olympiad, I got a bronze medal in biology. 

If I'm not at my desk, typing away on my aging Dell laptop, you can find me browsing the racks at the local mall or strolling the streets of the trendy district of Midtown. During my internship at Bond Street Theatre this summer of 2022, I learned how theater can shed light on issues of international relations, peacebuilding, and women's empowerment.

 

 

 

Over the course of my internship, Michael and Joanna have among other administrative work showed me how to stand and walk on stilts! At first, I thought that it would be challenging to walk on them; but, after trying it for myself, I discovered that it was not only easy but also incredibly fun. In addition to that, they shared with me their own experiences of juggling multiple responsibilities while standing on stilts, such as giving performances or playing musical instruments, which is truly fascinating. Also, they shared with me stories of Afghan women who walked on stilts, including how much they enjoyed doing it and how quickly they mastered the skill.

My sister and I always watched orphan girls on TV doing juggling and walking on stilts that NGOs like Bond Street Theatre in Afghanistan were working with. When I was younger, I always wanted to experience these two things, which, thanks to my internship, I did!

In addition, I’ve been under Casey's watchful eye throughout my time at Bond Street Theatre. Casey has not only been an excellent manager, but also a remarkable mentor for those under her guidance. She walked us through the process of applying for grants, writing proposals, showed us exactly where to seek funds, and provided us with extremely helpful writing advice for project development going forward. She has taught me a lot, which I am very grateful for. Since she’s in the South Africa office, I wish to meet her one day in person :)

 

Now that I am a member of the BST Youth Advisory Council, I have the opportunity to get to know all of the other young artists and educators who have worked here in the past. It is very thoughtful of the leadership of this company to maintain regular communication with the interns they’ve employed in the past. 

 

 

Summer 2022

A delectable treat from Bond Street. On the last day of our internship, Joanna and Michael  took us out to dinner. I thoroughly enjoyed the meal, the company, and the opportunity to hear Joanna and Michael's beautiful stories of my homeland. 

I'd want to thank BST, the company that gave me my first taste of the American working environment. as well as packing my summer with exciting and memorable experiences.