I am finally here in NYC, one of the most capitalist hubs on the planet, as an intern for a nonprofit - Grassroots.org. At first, I couldn't overcome the irony of it all. But soon enough, I walked onto the 8th floor of 15 East 26th Street where full profit businesses amalgamated with Grassroots.org seamlessly in full humor and courtesy. Madison Square Park couldn't be seen in eyes any clearer than the windows on the floor - I saw different sectors coming together in better practice with their own surroundings and those of others. Self-proclaiming capitalism did have a soft side; after all, most of the time they do fuel the accounts of nonprofit organizations.
A majority of my curiosity of this capitalist-humanitarian dichotomy stems not just from my underexposure to the American nonprofit sector, but also because of my studies back home in California at UC Berkeley. I'm majoring in International Political Economy, a division in academia which distinguishes the fine lines between government and markets, but also celebrates - and at times, ridicules - the overwhelming interdependent reliance between the two. And just to complete my circle of universal understanding, I’m pursuing a minor in Global Poverty and Policy to see precisely how capitalism and rule affect socio-economic equity in the United States and abroad. It’s a tangled web of complex relations where humanitarian efforts sometimes have ulterior motives, and where tough decisions, which seem too drastic and marginalizing at a surface level, in the end seem to aid the greatest number of people. Sometimes it’s simpler: People are genuinely nice and selflessly devote their time to the care of others.
In the midst of all the financial crises revolving our own worlds in contemporary day, I'm realizing the importance of having social safety nets – like nonprofits and transnational corporations that practice social responsibility – because no longer can we afford to just rely on governments and our jobs. They’re merging together especially when the stakes are too high. With people resorting to nonprofit aid, accessibility to the multitude of nonprofits is crucial. Hence, I’m impressed and honored to be working for a nonprofit like Grassroots.org – a nonprofit caring for other nonprofits.
Grassroots.org makes it accessible for different populations to find their respective nonprofits over the Internet. In turn, these nonprofits can be more organized, transparent, responsible and accountable via the Internet, too. It’s great. I’m excited to grapple with the different projects nonprofits like Grassroots.org participate in and the tangible change they provide to a world greater than their own. I’m onboard, or rather, I’m online.
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