Cultural Survival's community includes people from all walks of life, with beautiful stories to tell of your own about why you decided to become an advocate for Indigenous Peoples' rights. Sharing these stories further connects our community, provides much-needed solidarity and validation to our staff and partners on the ground, and helps us inspire others to join our movement. We are excited to spotlight members and former interns of our community and highlight your contributions and perspectives through our Cultural Survival Spotlight series.
Olivia Bradley, Cultural Survival Former Advocacy Intern (2017)
When were you a Cultural Survival intern and what program did you work with?
I was an advocacy intern from January to August of 2017, where I worked with Danielle [Danielle DeLuca, current Cultural Survival Senior Development Manager] to write treaty-body reports. I also worked with Agnes [Agnes Portalewska, current Cultural Survival Senior Communications Manager] a bit on a few pieces for the blog and magazine.
Olivia at the Cultural Survival office during her Advocacy internship in 2017.
Where are you currently in your career, and how do you see your internship experience connecting to your present work?
I'm currently an Executive Assistant at the Bridgespan Group (a nonprofit consulting group) where I frequently chime in on Indigenous rights when it is relevant to a case. But the biggest way CS shaped me was in my graduate education - I ended up completing a master’s degree in human rights and I wrote my thesis on Indigenous rights. It's an area I hope to do more work in in the future!
Do you have a particularly memorable moment, interaction, or experience from your internship that had a lasting impact on you?
Learning the whole treaty body system and how to write those reports was super interesting to me! And now, when I go to the Bazaars, I know a bit about all the work that goes into it. On a personal note, I remember meeting Danielle's adorable baby, who was only a year or so old at the time, but the cutest, happiest little kid.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your intern experience or insights for future Cultural Survival interns?
You might not know it now, but you're doing real, impactful work as an intern (which is more than some interns at other organizations can say.) And you're gaining valuable insights into how NGOs interact with the international human rights and international legal sphere.
Are you a former Cultural Survival intern or a passionate member of our community? We'd be honored to hear and share your story!
