GWSS Internships often offer more than just professional experience—they provide opportunities to work as catalysts for change in organizations that are at the cutting edge of movements for political, social, and economic transformation. For Kelen Tamurian, the journey to becoming the communications and marketing intern at Queer Joy Collective (QJC) was serendipitous. She explains that QJC learned about her accomplishments as a published author and her robust background in GWSS and reached out to her to offer her an internship position. As Tamurian reflects, “I was entirely flattered and decided to work with QJC for my internship because I really resonated with their mission of propagating queer joy.”
As QJC’s communications and marketing coordinator, Tamurian is in charge of its bimonthly online newsletter that has the goal of “sparking joy” by advocating for the “liberation of queer bodies across differences of race, class, gender, sexuality, ability” and by building “a safe, respectful online community for queer bodies across the globe.” Tamurian’s own initiative in the organization, the Queer Career Exploration Fair, which will take place in mid-May, is particularly noteworthy. It is designed to introduce the job-seeking queer community to a network of thriving queer professionals. As such, it’s more than an event; it’s a celebration, as Tamurian puts it “of diversity, inclusion, and the limitless potential of the queer community in the professional world.” Tamurian’s dynamic approach and diligent organization of the fair illustrate how her GWSS foundation is integral to her work at QJC. She notes that in organizing the fair, she “leveraged my strong time management and group communication skills” in ways that will serve to “break down barriers queer individuals face in their professional journeys, challenge biases in the workforce, and create a more equitable and accepting workforce for all.”
As an intern, Tamurian is grateful for the profound lesson that she learned at QJC. “So often we see queer joy repressed,” Tamurian observes, “QJC’s mission to hone, spread, celebrate, and leverage queer joy...is so inspiring to me and serves as a beautiful model for how we should go about dismantling systemic oppression/injustices in other sectors.”
To see more of Kelen Tamurian’s social justice-focused writing and artwork, check out her website. And don't miss out on the Queer Career Exploration Fair in mid-May, where you can connect with thriving queer professionals and celebrate diversity and inclusion in the professional world!