Yellow flowers have sprung up all over my front lawn. Tiny bursts of the most vivid dots of sunshine are scattered all over the vibrant green of the grass. I love this time of year for that—and this spring they’ve been especially evident because of the rains.
I know that if these flowers survive the lawnmower, they will eventually morph into whispery dandelions. And then one day, those delicate puffs will all be gone, blown away by the wind to seed new plants. It’s a beautiful cycle, one that many overlook because, of course, dandelions are classed as “weeds” and their amazing propagation strategy is often cut short by brutal blades, digging, or nasty chemicals.
They are, nevertheless, still everywhere, delighting those who look with their miraculous lifecycle and staying power.
I’ve been thinking a lot about dandelions of late as my semester of teaching at City College comes to a close. As someone who not only mentors English majors but those going into political and labor organizing, I’m having to say goodbye to so many of my beloved students and interns as they fly off into the world and into their lives.
If I’ve helped ease any of their journeys, I’ll have done my job—since my philosophy of what I do as a mentor is not necessarily to be a substitute parent (though sometimes that also happens), but to provide a steady, respectful base of support and experience, to be a sounding board, a nudge, a last-minute letter of recommendation writer, and an advice-giver (when asked). For so many of my working-class students who are floating in the unfamiliar environs of college and/or activism, the role I’ve played in their lives has meant they have someone they can turn to at any moment when they’re confused by something that they have no experience dealing with.
I think of this work, this labor of love, as helping to plant seeds in the future.
Even as dark clouds amass on the horizon and hope can seem foolish, when I lock into the work at hand, the young people I teach also teach me.
I’m buoyed by the energy and fierce optimism of those I’ve nurtured in the American Federation of Teachers Guild, Local 1931 internship, the Students for Economic Justice summer program, or the Arts and Humanities mentorship initiative that I’ve helped create in the San Diego Community College District.
These folks are the dandelion seeds, parachuting off into the future and landing, germinating, growing roots and shoots, and themselves flowering with promise.
Mentorships, however, are never a one-way street. I have my role but the students I’ve worked with have done so much of their own work that I always learn from them. With that in mind, I asked a few of my current and past mentees and interns about their thoughts on their experiences and on mentorship itself. They had some wonderful insights.
Kai Cachupe, Cal Byrd, and Kelly Ports are all City College students and AFT interns. Kai is in her last semester at City and will be transferring to UCLA next year. Celeste Clerk, Dylan Bradley, and Nick Robbins are all former AFT interns and my former Honors students. Celeste and Nick both transferred several years ago—Celeste to Smith College in Massachusetts and Nick to UCLA.
With these last three, it's moving to see how much the mentoring they received from my colleagues and me helped them find their way in life as they try to navigate their future. I’m proud to see how all of them believe in the value of advocating for others. As Celeste puts it, we show folks “how to be a person among people.”
From Kai Cachupe:
The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) internship has changed my life to say the least. Through this internship, I have been able to educate and involve myself in social issues and be part of a larger community that seeks to restore justice to those who have been neglected for centuries. I have found my calling as a social justice activist and have found my strength in advocating for the communities I grew up in. As an environmental and social psychology major, I will take this experience of being an intern with the AFT for the rest of my life. I am so grateful to have had access to this amazing opportunity!
From Cal Byrd:
The AFT internship has given me a sense of direction like nothing else. I've been able to connect with people that are doing the work to make their community a better place for everyone, which has been incredibly motivating in a world where it's very easy to feel hopeless. I feel more confident in my future as a student, and as a member of a much wider community because of the mentorship I've received as part the internship.
From Kelly Ports:
I’m in my second year at City College, I’m a history major. I plan on transferring to UCSD in Fall 2025 (I have one more semester left at City). I want to get my Master’s in History, and then work as a high school history teacher.
The AFT internship has changed my life by showing me what it means to be a good citizen - continually showing up for communities, getting politically involved, learning, and educating others. It's introduced me to real-life educators, activists, and organizers who have dedicated their lives to things I am passionate about, and who haven't given up or lost hope even through seemingly hopeless times! Being a young person who wants to be an educator can feel hopeless at times, but being mentored by people who are doing what I want to do has given me confidence and hope for my future.
From Celeste Clerk:
I was an AFT intern almost 10 years ago, and I still think about it. I’ve thought about it as I’ve chased meaningful work, looked for sure footing in the world, and tried to be intentional about my relationship to the places I’ve lived in. In less woolly terms, its lessons have served me in those (almost) ten years as I: interned with a workers’ rights coalition on the east coast, interpreted for people at risk of detention with an ACLU program, graduated from a four-year, worked as a paralegal and hated it, washed a lot of dishes in the back of the house, had a moment (hello 2020), became a program director at a nonprofit, and moved into state work.
What I got from being mentored by both a program with a deep political history and by two professors earnestly committed to the belief I (we, you) are capable of a meaningful and impactful life was a compass. It's one thing to feel lost and another to be lost. The values and truths of my experiences and relationships under that mentorship have been as present with me when I was washing dishes as when I was in the jail as when I first sat in my new agency’s office chair.
Distilled into more concrete terms, here are some of those lessons:
· Practical principles of community organizing. Or, how to be a person among people.
· Values of working in and with community. Or, the ability to ground how to move, and how to think about your job, from a place of integrity and some purpose.
· A respect for the role of history in the present. Or, the importance of the stories we tell about ourselves to who we are and where we’re going.
It is no small thing to find yourself a compass, and while I can’t pretend to guarantee you will find yours here, either the whole of it or only a needle or two, I can guarantee you this: this experience has something to teach you.
From Dylan Bradley
In my experience having a mentor is incredibly valuable especially for students entering college. Having someone who cares and can help you feel empowered to follow your dreams and goals can change the trajectory of every student’s college experience for the better. There is so much doubt that can enter one’s mind when beginning college, thoughts of, am I good enough? Can I make a career out of this? A mentor can help you navigate this doubt and empower you to follow your dreams and not give up on yourself.
The internship I had the pleasure of being a part of was the best aspect of my college experience. You get to meet so many other students that have different backgrounds, and unique life experiences, that can in my experience, become friends for life. In today’s technological age where the only “community” one finds is on their phone, getting to experience the love of true community firsthand, in person, was life changing. It pushed me to fight harder for those around me, to learn more from people I meet, and helped me seek out community in other places instead of falling back into isolation. Every student who feels like they are alone in their struggles, who feel isolated and unsure of their path, should seek out an internship that shares their values and passions. The people you get to meet, and the experience of working towards common goals together is invaluable in this world, the experience will change your life forever.
From Nick Robbins:
I got out of the Navy as a disabled veteran and wasn't sure what to do next. I have always loved to learn and had access to the GI Bill, so going to college seemed like a great idea with one issue: I had no idea what to study; no idea what I was striving for in life. I started taking general education classes, hoping to find inspiration.
What I found was even better; I found my passion. During my second semester at SDCC, I took English 205 with Professor Kelly Mayhew. At some point during the semester, the topic of the AFT Internship came up in class, and because I wanted to be as absorbed in the learning process as possible, I threw my name into the internship hat, and was lucky enough to be hired. From there, an entire new world was opened up to me and I found my real passion in life, which was social justice/community organizing.
The AFT internship threw me headlong into invaluable real-world experiences in social justice and political activism. During my time in the internship, I attended solidarity events, rallies, marches, and seminars with dozens of community groups and unions, where I had the opportunity to gain hands-on experience. At the same time, the internship provided me with the education to understand what I was doing conceptually. Not only was I learning how, I was also learning why. Being able to study the subject academically, while also gaining first-hand, practical experience, allowed me to gain a firm understanding of what it takes to make a difference within the community.
The guidance and mentorship that was provided made me a strong candidate in the job market. Post graduation, I was hired as a political organizer with the League of Conservation Voters and eventually a union organizer with SEIU-UHW. Neither of those opportunities would have been available to me without the AFT Internship and the mentorship it provides. The program was truly life changing for me and I can never fully show the depth of my gratitude for it.
If you are even thinking about applying to an internship, stop—just do it. It might be the best decision you ever make. It was for me.