Meet NVRDC's Quarter 3 Interns!

We are very grateful for our interns! The passion and hard work you put into your projects will forever be remembered due to its direct supportive impact on NVRDC staff and clients. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors!

Kathryn Cogan - Special Project Intern (Trauma-Informed Practices Among DC Gynecologists)

Selma Newbill - Case Management Intern

Bianca Ybarra - Legal Intern

Why did you choose NVRDC for your internship? What drew you to NVRDC?

I chose to apply to NVRDC because before law school I worked at my local rape crisis center supporting survivors of sexual assault. I applied to law school for the sole reason of furthering survivor–based justice. Prior to NVRDC and writing my law review comment, I was unaware that crime victims had a right to be heard within prosecutorial proceedings. That this right was protected by State and Federal laws. Many survivors of crimes walk around without this knowledge and I wanted to be part of the solution. NVRDC does just that, they are a part of bridging the gap between the all too confusing legal system and helping survivors have their voice heard. I knew NVRDC was the organization I wanted to work with because they cared for survivors of crimes, and truly wanted their voice to be represented in the legal system.

What was something you learned at NVRDC that you will take with you?

The most valuable thing I learned during my summer with NVRDC is that my work as a future attorney, no matter how small it may seem to me, can make a difference. Taking the time to talk with crime victims and explain the legal options they can take will open up a world of opportunities they did not know they had. While this is a small thing to me and most in my profession, it gives crime victims the information to feel empowered in their decisions. This lesson will make me a better advocate and person. Often times as law students we get caught up in the small inconveniences, the cold calls, the reading, and forget that our education has the power to make the world a better place. Being able to sit with someone, truly listen to them, and provide options they can take is the smallest role as an attorney, but the most powerful. I am so thankful for NVRDC empowering me with the legal knowledge I can share to support crime victims.

Gabrielle Vance - Intern

(She / Her)

Why did you choose NVRDC for your internship?

I was drawn to the NVRDC internship because of the mission to serve and assist DC crime victims. I went to law school after interning for a prosecutor's office and helping with a domestic violence case. I thought working with NVRDC would be a fantastic opportunity, especially during COVID, to assist victims of crime and bolster my pro bono legal skills.

What’s your favorite TV show to binge watch?

I have spent quarantine binge watching way too many old seasons of Survivor.

What was your favorite moment at NVRDC?

My favorite moment at NVRDC was learning from Bridgette and working with Selma. Even after a few weeks, Bridgette became a mentor to me. I felt very comfortable talking to her. Bridgette is inspiring in the work she does and how knowledgeable she is. I have never met someone more passionate about the work they do. I also loved working with Selma, another intern. I see a lot of Selma in myself, and having the opportunity to know her and support her was a highlight of my summer. I see so much potential in her. I love and appreciate how much NVRDC values mentorship.

Kathryn Cook - Legal Intern

(She / Her)

What is your vision for the future of the crime victims’ rights movement?

I would love to see survivors of crime have a variety of avenues outside the criminal system to pursue justice. For instance, I think restorative justice has a lot of potential and I’d love to see it implemented as an option more widely.

What does self-care mean to you and what do you do for self-care to sustain your ability to do this work?

Self-care to me means giving myself grace. Sometimes that means taking a nap when I’m stressed or buying myself flowers. Recently, I’ve been into romance movies. I never liked them before, but after a long day of working with cases that often involve interpersonal violence, I think it’s nice to see some sweetness-- even if it verges on cheesy.

What is your most overused emoji? 🤠 yeehaw

Which one of NVRDC’s core values resonates with you most and why?

I appreciate that NVRDC emphasizes a holistic approach to survivor support. Too often I think attorneys get caught up in “sticking to the legal stuff” and don’t appreciate that victims of crimes can experience a lot of other issues. I believe a holistic approach to supporting survivors of crime is more helpful to the survivor and allows attorneys to provide better legal representation.

What is one thing you’d like people to know about supporting survivors of crime?

I think the most important thing someone can do to support survivors of crime is let them take the lead. Survivors having control of their fate is so important.

Kathryn Cogan - Special Project Intern (Trauma-Informed Practices Among DC Gynecologists)

(She/ Her)

Why did you choose NVRDC for your internship?

I chose to work for NVRDC because I saw the positive impact their services had on the survivor community in the District. I was familiar with NVRDC because they had a track record of assisting and promoting violence prevention events at American University which directly supported on-campus advocacy organizations. The Special Project Internship: Trauma-Informed Practices Among DC Gynecologists, was of interest to me because it aligned with my passions for health research and anti-violence advocacy. This internship provided me with opportunities to research barriers and solutions in health care for survivors. In the future, I plan on pursuing a dual degree in Medicine and Public Health (MD/ MPH) and to work with survivors in a clinical context.

Selma Newbill - Case Management Intern

(She / Her)

Why did you choose NVRDC for your internship? What drew you to NVRDC?

I did not immediately choose NVRDC because I had something else lined up at the time; circumstances helped NVRDC find me. I knew Ms. Bridgette from a summer I spent interning in DC at the National Legal Aid and Defender Assiciation (NLADA) two summers ago. My boss at the time encouraged me to go to this panel, and that is when I saw Ms. Bridgette speak. After she was finished with her panel, I went up to her and told her I would love to talk to her about her work and about any suggestions she may have for me going forward. She gave me her card, and we ended up going to breakfast together to talk about her work and about my work. As a rising sophomore in college, meeting her and hearing her validate me and what I was doing was something so powerful that I cannot fully describe it. I had another internship this summer that got cancelled because of COVID-19, and I had Ms. Bridgette on LinkedIn, so I messaged her. I had no intention of her messaging me back or giving me an internship because it was such a long shot, but she did. I wanted to work for NVRDC because the work I do with my on-campus organization has everything to do with NVRDC’s work. I have done research on NVRDC and have always followed them on social media and LinkedIn, so I knew the work I would be getting into and wanted to take it on. I knew I would learn more skills and do different types of research, and as a person and young professional, I am consistently trying to learn more and better myself; NVRDC promised that growth to me without having to say it did. Interning here was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made, and I’m beyond thankful that it called to me and that Ms. Bridgette and Lindsey took a chance on me.

How does interning with NVRDC fit into your academic and professional goals?

I am a 21-year-old survivor living in southern Mississippi. My focus in research has always been on past and present politics and the policies that make up the issues I’m most passionate about, so NVRDC was the perfect fit. My age and life experiences have helped me find my passion for researching and advocating for social justice early in life which has allowed me to be successful in interning at places like NVRDC. Personally, NVRDC was also healing because I continued to learn more about what happened to me and how to continue to change the lives of other survivors who felt alone the way I did after my assault. I needed an advocate who was ready to make waves, so I am working to become the change I have been seeking. Interning with NVRDC has made me more well-rounded and has taught me new research techniques that I will take with me past undergrad and through the rest of my career. I love new intellectual experiences because of how they mold and shape me, and NVRDC allowed and encouraged me to become a better version of myself as a social justice advocate and as a young woman in America. Because of the timeliness of the internship during this life-altering pandemic mixed with the topic being focused on, my life has been forever changed academically, professionally, and personally due to the work I have done at NVRDC.

What was something you learned at NVRDC that you will take with you?

The research I have done on sexual assault for the past 5 years has been very centered around Mississippi and the college I’m going to in southern Mississippi. I’ve always been interested in the topic because it did happen to me, and I have done broader research my own, but it has never been in depth work like I did at NVRDC. NVRDC has taught me many new skills about how to conduct research on this topic at a broader scale, which will help with my professional career going forward. Beyond research techniques, I will also take with me the passion and fire I gained from learning more from my supervisors. They are such passionate advocates about what is right and just for the survivors, and although I have always had passion, NVRDC has allowed it to engulf me. I now feel even more prepared to spend my life fighting this fight in part because of NVRDC.

Network for Victim Recovery of DCAugust 6, 2020