Alex has a great sense of humor and is incredibly funny! In addition to her sense of humor, she takes volunteering very seriously and she does a great job of bringing outside skills and trainings to the support group. Alex is responsible, caring, respectful, happy, and is a great cook to boot! On the Help Line, she really takes time to support our callers. She has a caring and calm voice even in the most stressful moments.
Julie is always in a good mood, she's positive and everytime she comes for her shift she's ready to learn. She is always doing internet research for victim advocacy related issues and she goes above and beyond by participating in extra trainings with WSCADV. Julie is very caring, respectful and is super responsible. On the Help Line, she is calm with callers and asks thoughtful questions. Even on a snow day, she was here!##
We had a chance to sit down with Alex and Julie to get to know them better. Here's what they had to say:
Q: Who are you and what do you do when you’re not volunteering?
A: I just finished undergrad and am looking at law schools now. I'm hoping to eventually be a legal advocate for crime victims. When I'm not volunteering I work at the YWCA DV shelter, camp, cook, and pet my cat.
Q: What do you like most about volunteering at New Beginnings?
A: One of my favorite parts of volunteering at New Beginnings is all the wonderful people I get to hang out with at CAP! And of course answering the helpline. It's not always easy, but it's amazing when someone appreciates your help and lets you know.
Q: What do you know now about domestic violence that you didn’t know when you first started volunteering?
A: I've learned a lot since I started volunteering at New Beginnings, specifically about the number of different barriers women face when they leave or try to leave a violent situation.
Q: If you could organize a “themed” birthday for yourself and had every resource at your disposal, what would the theme be?
A: Definitely travel themed. It would be like a pub crawl, but going to different cities around the world instead of different bars. We could grab cocktails in Berlin, get some street food in Mumbai, catch sunset in Rio, and keep going from there. Oh, and you're all invited.
Q: MTV is shooting an episode of “Cribs” at your place. They open the refrigerator door. What’s inside?
A: Mostly vegetables and some mock meats. I just picked up a 5lb bag of carrots too so if you see me walking around the office munching on carrots, you'll know why.
Q: Being bilingual in Spanish, has there been a time when someone didn’t realize you knew the language and said something thinking you wouldn’t understand?
A: It's one of those things that I've always wished would happen to me but hasn't yet--like jury duty.
Q: What’s one safe-for-work-and-kids joke you can share with the audience?
A: Where do generals keep their armies?
A: In their sleevies!
Q: Anything else you’d like to share with the millions watching from home?
A: If you've thought about volunteering on the helpline, please do! Its not nearly as scary as it sounds.
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Q: Who are you and what do you do when you’re not volunteering?
A: Well, when I’m not volunteering I spend most of my time trying to figure out that first question! In addition to that I work as a freelance translator which provides me with a flexible schedule to volunteer, cook, exercise, read, love my cats, learn new stuff and spend time with friends and family.
Q: What do you like most about volunteering at New Beginnings?
A: I love to learn about the lives of the women we serve and to witness their courage and resilience. They are truly an inspiration, especially when I am gifted with a joyful smile and caring word from them even during their most difficult moments. It is very rewarding to offer them support, options and resources they may not know of and which may make a big difference in their lives. I also really enjoy connecting with other people in this field and sharing our experiences and knowledge.
Q: What do you know now about domestic violence that you didn’t know when you first started volunteering?
A: A lot of things! Being on the help line I’ve learned a lot about community resources, legal issues, the intersection between domestic violence and mental health, etc. I’ve also learned how complex domestic violence is, how the way it is defined and understood is constantly growing and evolving and how different and unique every situation is.
Q: If you could organize a “themed” birthday for yourself and had every resource at your disposal, what would the theme be?
A: I don’t think I would throw a themed birthday party for myself, but might organize a tropical getaway for myself and my friends and family if I had every resource at my disposal! Being from the Mediterranean city of Barcelona, I miss the sun and heat immensely.
Q: MTV is shooting an episode of “Cribs” at your place. They open the refrigerator door. What’s inside?
A: My fridge varies greatly from day to day, but you will almost certainly find kale, carrots, celery, tomatoes, Fakin’ Bacon tempeh (my latest addiction), and left-overs. I love food and like testing new recipes so ya’ never know!
Q: Being bilingual in Spanish, has there been a time when someone didn’t realize you knew the language and said something thinking you wouldn’t understand?
A: Yup, this one time I was sitting at the edge of a public pool cooling my legs in the water and overheard a kid tell his mom he had to pee, to which she replied "Just go in the pool". I quickly lifted my legs out of the water after that!
Q: What’s one safe-for-work-and-kids joke you can share with the audience?
A: I’m horrible at jokes, but do like riddles, so here is one:
A young boy and his father are in a car accident. The father dies at the scene. The boy is transported to the hospital, taken immediately into surgery... but the surgeon steps out of the operating room and says, "I can't operate on this boy - he is my son!"
The question: Who is the surgeon?
Q: Anything else you’d like to share with the millions watching from home?
A: Make sure to take good care of yourself!
##
Wise words to live by. Thanks folks!
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