By Nadely Requena, VRG Intern

Hi there! My name is Nadely Requena and I am a Latina student journalist at the University of Texas at Austin. Most importantly though, I was a Summer 2022 virtual intern for the Eleanor Miltimore Wolff Internship organized by The Vegetarian Resource Group. Today, I am here to tell you all about my experience while embarking on the adventure that is working with VRG. If you’re thinking of applying, I hope my words and internship tasks will inspire you to go through with that decision.

Let’s see… Where do I even begin? One of the most life changing things that occurred during my internship was that I finally went vegan! I initially began my vegetarian journey in 10th grade after learning the appalling practices of the meat industry and its long-lasting effects on the environment. Now, four and a half years later and with the guidance of VRG, I’m very proud that I’ve made the change to become vegan in hopes of living and promoting a more eco-friendly lifestyle.

In more exciting news, I assisted VRG with their phenomenal restaurant guide, interviewed folks for the Vegan Action column in the Vegan Journal, and I reviewed a Korean vegan cookbook and also a newly opened Mexican restaurant in Austin that is 100% vegan. I also led two vegan cooking classes at Christopher’s Place, a residential program providing education, training, and recovery support to formerly homeless men of the Baltimore area. Adding on, I participated in the University of Maryland dietetic intern in-service and learned about the importance of obtaining proper nutrition and being well-educated to speak about different types of diets, avoiding common stereotypes and misconceptions.

Throughout my time with VRG, I have continued to combat the stereotypes that exist for Latino and Hispanic people, educating others on living a more eco-friendly lifestyle while still being budget friendly.

The kitchen has been my home this summer as I had the opportunity to experiment with recipes from different cuisines with ingredients I had never interacted with. It definitely helped me reconquer my confidence in the kitchen as I am now living on my own and not in the university dorms where I had a meal plan.

I have connected with people from all over the world in hopes to not only reconnect with my Latino culture, but to also seek out others who are promoting vegan advocacy through creative outlets.

My internship further established how journalism is the field I want to be in and environmental advocacy and education is vital. My conversations with others showed me how important it is to be well-educated in the field one is choosing to write about. VRG has allowed me to dabble with different types of writing styles and to meet others, further increasing my experience in the field.

Without this internship, I wouldn’t be here with these realizations and most certainly, wouldn’t be able to say that The VRG was a part of my story as a journalist. This organization is also incredibly helpful in providing financial support for their interns. This was ultimately a large reason as to why I decided to embark on this internship. It definitely comes in handy to people such as myself who are low-income college students and are financing their education and life by themselves.

What’s in store for my future? Well first, thank you for that amazing question. I will be beginning my sophomore year at UT in August and will continue my advocacy and education work for the environment, raising mental health awareness, and highlighting issues in low-income communities.

What about VRG you ask? Wow — another great question. I am proud to say I will be interviewing a Latino vegan activist in August for another Vegan Action column and will also continue to help with VRG’s restaurant guide even after my internship concludes. Be on the lookout for future articles as my time with VRG has not ended, it has only begun!

Thank you to the Vegetarian Resource Group, wonderful staff, and donors for giving me this opportunity! It really does mean and does a lot.

For information about VRG internships, see vrg.org/student/index.php

To support VRG internships, donate at vrg.org/donate

And join VRG at https://www.vrg.org/member/2013sv.php