Introducing our New Intern - YVONNA SMOTHERS!
Hello friends! We have some exciting news to share with YOU, our community. We would like to introduce our newest member to the team! Her name is Yvonna Smothers and she will be interning with us for the duration of the summer, helping with organization, projects, and other needs involved in making this organization run magnificently. Get to know her through this week’s blog and drop her a HELLO in the comments!!
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
My name is Yvonna Smothers. I am a Human Health and Economics major from Emory University with hopes of breaking into the business of healthcare consulting and healthcare management. I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois where I’ve had many opportunities to engage in activism, one of my many passions. I’m also a poet and an advocate for equity in education and healthcare.
How did you hear about Restore More and why did you want to join this team?
I heard about this internship through the Black community at Emory. I will be forever grateful that the community is open to sharing opportunities that can better the Black students' experiences here at Emory. I wanted to intern at Restore More specifically, because the work that they do is very important and I loved that they wanted to mentor me as well as give me a good experience. I also did work with restorative practices and anti-racism in my high school, so I was so excited to continue the work I was passionate about and have a broader reach. Plus, I loved the fact that Restore More had amazing Black women in positions of power, I mean how could you not love Claudine and Kim!
How do you hope to contribute? Gain?
I hope to contribute my previous knowledge in anti-racism and restorative practices, as well as innovative ideas from a younger generational perspective (though the team seems very hip to Gen Z culture!) I also think my adaptability and curiosity will help me contribute to this amazing team as well as help me gain new knowledge. I hope to gain an understanding of what it takes to run a successful consulting business. I also hope to gain information from Claudine, Kim, Naraffy, and Jessica that will help me in my future career endeavors.
What are three things people are surprised to learn about you?
I’m (basically) conversational in Mandarin Chinese. I’ve been taking the language since elementary school, but I’m always looking for ways to improve!
I originally wanted to be a doctor! However, after I did an internship at a hospital, I realized that the hustle and bustle of clinical life was not for me.
I am a combination of an introvert and an extrovert! Many people around me would describe me as an extrovert; however, I often change my personality type based on the environment I am in. But when my social battery is out, it’s time for me to head out and recover!
