From the Interns: How Independent Ambition Can Create Concrete Change

Hello everyone! 

My name is Faiza! I’ve had the privilege to serve as the CARE Intern at the Clarendon Public Library. During my internship, with the help of the staff at Clarendon, I have created a tangible resource for one of our communities most detrimental issues. Period poverty has been a topic covered with stigma and shame yet has been hurting some of the people we know best. 

My introduction to period poverty started in my sophomore year of High School where I conducted a 6 month research project on period poverty in New York City. One in six women and girls fall below the federal poverty line, leaving them vulnerable to period poverty, an issue that stems from the lack of necessary menstrual products. While conducting this research I lacked support from my teachers, leaving me to question the integrity of my research. I persisted because I knew this research would open the eyes of a society that has long silenced female voices. While conducting interviews, I realized one of the women closest to me had experienced period poverty during adolescence. Without first-hand accounts, her story would be lost, and so would the other millions of women who suffer from period poverty. 

This led me to create a personal care pantry at the Midwood Public Library with the help of Sarah, who generously took me as a mentee allowing me to connect with Grace at the Clarendon Public Library. These experiences have taught me independent ambition can create concrete change, but what was most important was the guidance I received from Grace, throughout 7 months Grace has shown unwavering commitment to help me advertise, run, and fund my pantry. She helped through my initial startup, to donations, to my final craftivism project where we made personal care bags with kids in the community. I aspire to carry myself with the same empathy, dedication, and intellect Grace embodies. 

I’ve spoken to countless patrons, the input I’ve received has shown how much the pantry has helped those who need it most. Though these conversations were brief, they were essential in reinforcing the goal I intended to achieve, and reaffirming my commitment to creating meaningful change through my work. Though small, this pantry has helped countless people, and though my internship with CARE is over, I will continue to support the pantry in ways I can, while maintaining support for vulnerable communities. Moving forward my dedication will persist, mirroring that of Grace, and the staff at Clarendon, I hope to implement a personal care pantry in my school to continue my initiative. This experience showed me how community level projects like my own are vital for minority neighborhoods, and I hope efforts like these can inspire those who were in doubtful positions like my own.

To Read Faiza's companion post go here: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/blog/2025/10/14/interns-setting