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This summer, JPAP had the honor of working with two wonderful undergraduate interns, Nora Rosario (She/Her) and Jaliah Smith (She/Her)! Our interns worked with the JPAP team and ULS’s Communications Associate, Cami Bianchi (They/Them). Throughout their internship, Nora and Jaliah executed two research projects on topics related to the criminal legal and mental health systems and accompanied team members on client visits at the DC Jail, among other tasks. They also helped Cami craft social media content and newsletters for ULS and JPAP. Get to know them below!
Nora: “I am a DC native and rising junior at Wellesley College studying Psychology and Political Science. At Wellesley, I am involved with the Wellesley Centers for Women as a research assistant. I have worked on projects related to women in Liberia and West Africa (specifically on topics ranging from human trafficking to deforestation). I also do research in Psychology on the behavioral, cognitive, and neurobiological mechanisms of psychiatric symptoms in children and adults. Outside of academics, I love to read and take walks around Wellesley’s Lake Waban. Despite the heat, I am happy to be back in my hometown for the summer.
I am so grateful for Natasha, Cami, Robert, and Curtrice’s insights and support. From collaborating with Jaliah to every icebreaker in the JPAP team meetings, I have truly enjoyed my time working with the team. I am passionate about JPAP’s work because of its mission, its understanding of the unique reentry needs of DC residents with psychiatric disabilities, and its trauma-informed approach. One of my favorite parts of the internship was meeting clients and witnessing the impact that JPAP’s work has on the community. I am very much going to miss working with the team!”
Jaliah: “I was born in Brooklyn, New York but raised in Palmdale, California. I am a rising junior at Cornell University studying Philosophy and Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies with a minor in Law & Society. At Cornell, I am currently Co-Captain of the Cornell Speech and Debate Society, which has won national championships. I am also part of the Cornell Parole Initiative, which helps incarcerated individuals with their parole packets in the hopes of getting them paroled sooner. During the school year, I was also an active member of the Cornell Law and Society Review and the Cornell Anti-Detention Alliance. In the past, I have worked for the Department of Justice in the Office of Legislative Affairs, which is what got me interested in JPAP’s work!
Spending the Summer in DC with JPAP has been an absolute pleasure. The city is as vibrant as everyone makes it out to be. Not only because of the museums and historical artifacts but also because of the people. Specifically, the JPAP team. Natasha, Robert, Curtrice, Cami, and my co-intern Nora, have all influenced me. I got to witness them support JPAP’s clients day in and day out. But even more rewarding than that was being able to listen to and learn from JPAP’s clients. I look forward to applying what I learned this summer and continuing this work in other areas.
