I came to Bond Street, like many past interns, through Bard College’s Globalization and International Affairs program in NYC. In this semester-long program, all students get the opportunity to bridge the gap between their college lives and the professional world by interning at an organization in the city during the day, and taking classes at night for academic credit.
Prior to this semester, I have been studying at Bard’s main campus in Annandale-on-Hudson, NY, pursuing a B.A. in Global & International Studies in the College, and a B.M. in Piano Performance in the Conservatory of Music. Part of Bard’s curriculum is that all conservatory students double major in a field outside of music. This is part of their philosophy that musicians should not only have a fall-back option, but should also learn how their work as an artist fits into greater society as a whole.
This educational philosophy resonates very strongly with me. Classical music is one of my greatest passions, but it can also be incredibly isolating at times, especially as a pianist. I’m in a practice room for a significant part of my day, constantly working on perfecting my repertoire for the next performance. It is easy to become absorbed in oneself when pursuing this type of lifestyle. Throughout my musical studies, the question has always risen for me: “how can I use my musical passion to do good in the world?”
Bond Street Theatre provided a very strong answer to my question. When I was looking at internships to apply for, this organization immediately stood out to me. A non-profit organization that uses theatre and the performing arts for peacebuilding, healing, and empowerment around the world was truly resonated with my goal to find artistic purpose. Theatre has the power to connect communities, break language barriers, and help find what is truly human among all people. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to support this work.
I started by working on the grant proposal for a youth empowerment project in Mardin Province in Southeastern Turkey. Through my research on the region, I learned a lot about the social dynamics and persistent issues that the local population face, which include gender-based violence and a lack of economic opportunities for youth. Translating these issues into an effective needs assessment and project program for a grant was another challenge in itself, but an invaluable skill for me to develop.
As I was starting this work, the effects of the Trump administration’s new policies were quick to trickle down into the office. All DEI language had to be removed from Bond Street’s grant proposals. As much of an obstacle as this was to a nonprofit centered around DEI, this became a small issue in hindsight when BST received the news that their grant for a project in Jordan set to launch in April was going to be terminated. Nearly two years of hard work were reversed with just a few executive orders to cut State Department funding.
With the future of BST’s international programs uncertain, part of my work evidently became supporting the organization’s shift over to more domestic programming. I spent some time researching potential events, venues, festivals, and street fairs for the Shinbone Alley Stilt Band. This was an excellent opportunity for me to develop my marketing and communication skills, as well as event coordination. I also researched alternative international funding opportunities to government funds, which are no longer available for the time being. The amount of grant-making organizations that align with BST’s values and are continuing to do important work internationally gives me much hope.
One thing is certain: BST is not giving up on its mission to use the arts to make the world a better place, and the persistence and tenacity of every member of this organization through this tumultuous time has inspired me to do the same; I hope to support Bond Street’s work long after my internship ends. The past few months in the office have certainly been a roller coaster ride, each day being as unpredictable as the last. But I am grateful for the opportunity to support BST’s message of peacebuilding, community empowerment, and cross-cultural connection during this time of great uncertainty. This experience has given me hope for the future and that there is never room to give up the fight to do good in this world.
