A round of applause for GLAAD's Summer 2013 interns! Talented thinkers, writers, and activists, these interns joined the GLAAD team in June and have since helped develop our campaigns, events, and programs. As they head back to school in the fall, we wanted to thank these young leaders for their incredible work.
This summer GLAAD's interns went above and beyond. Not only did they work and train in their areas of specialization – they also took time to work on GLAAD's Spirit Day campaign, building resources, videos, and anti-bullying materials for GLAAD to make available to the youth that need it most.
Katy Butler is from Ann Arbor, Michigan and is an incoming freshman at George Washington University. She worked as a Campaigns Intern at GLAAD this summer. Katy has earned multiple awards for her work in LGBT and anti-bullying advocacy, including a GMCLA and a GLAAD award.
Kevin Chico is finishing up his last semester at Stony Brook University, where he's working on an independent research paper. Majoring in sociology, he intended to become a researcher and an activist for the transgender community, and now would like to take a different direction in life, thanks to his internship here at GLAAD. As the special events intern, he focused on helping plan and work at GLAAD events, and is now considering a career in event planning/coordinating.
Sarah Giovanniello is a rising sophomore at Yale University, where she studies foreign languages and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. She worked as a Trans Issues and Campaigns Intern at GLAAD. In her free time she collects silk scarves, which she wears on her head almost every day.
Hannah Kreider is a rising sophomore at George Mason University in Virginia and is studying communication with a concentration in media production and criticism. She's a photographer with her school's news source, a lifeguard, and the president of her school's underwater hockey club. She grew up in a Christian household and has spent a lot of her time going to LGBT Christian camps such as The Naming Project, Wonderfully Made, and Camp Osiris.
Natalie Meier hails from Fresno, CA and now attends Mills College in Oakland, CA. She is majoring in Creative Writing with a double minor in Journalism and possibly Government, and worked with the entertainment media team at GLAAD. In her spare time, Natalie is either skating, playing guitar, or working on her screenplay.
Hannah Moch was born and raised in New York City and worked as a National News Media Intern at GLAAD. She is a rising senior in culture and media at The New School. Hannah absolutely loves to travel. She has ridden a camel in Israel and an elephant in India, explored the ancient city of Troy in Turkey and seen the world's tallest building in Dubai.
Stephanie Nieves-Rios worked as a Youth Issues Intern. She was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico and is currently a rising senior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill majoring in psychology with minors in creative writing and sexuality studies. Her passion for intersectionally led her to be involved in many fields of advocacy and activism work including issues of gender, sexuality, race, and class. Stephanie, though, finds herself most at home within community organizing, because of the overtly supportive and loving nature of the work.
Chloe Press, who worked as a Special Events Intern, comes to GLAAD from Atlanta, GA. She is a graduating senior at the University of Georgia, majoring in Finance with a certificate in Legal Studies. Chloe aspires to work in nonprofits, using her education to advocate for civil liberties. A former synchronized swimmer, Chloe is currently training for her first half-marathon.
Chelsea Shamy worked as a News and Faith Initiatives Intern, from the middle of a cornfield in Losantville, Indiana. She is attending Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana studying communications and public relations, and minoring in LGBT studies. Chelsea's passion for athletics and fitness inspired her to create a new student organization at Purdue, the Association of Queer Athletes (AQuA). Her main areas of interest in the LGBT world include religion and sports.
Calliope Wong, 18, is an incoming freshman at the University of Connecticut Honors program. She worked as one of the Trans Issues interns at GLAAD. When she's not busy with GLAAD or school, she can be found playing improvisational piano, working for various activist organizations (such as GLSEN Connecticut and the SPARK Summit), and playing DOTA2.
GLAAD's 2013 interns with GLAAD national spokeperson Wilson Cruz in a learning session at FIERCE!, a membership-based organization building the leadership and power of LGBTQ youth of color in New York City.
GLAAD's 2013 interns attended the 9th Annual Trans Day of Action with GLAAD staff in NYC.
Thanks to all GLAAD's summer interns for their hard work and committment! If you would like to be an intern at GLAAD, visit www.glaad.org/about/opportunities.