Curtain Call: Tejal Desai Bids Farewell to EARN (and Hello to a Kiva Fellowship!)
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Do you remember those moments before the bell would ring on the last day of school? Your heart beats in anticipation as you think about your summer plans and the next step in your life (always in that order). You glance around the classroom to make sure everyone has signed your yearbook, and then it dawns on you: you’re leaving a place you spent almost 4 full years growing in, with people you first knew as strangers and now know as family. You’re leaving peers, memories, and an older you behind, all so you can take the next step in your life.
Ok, maybe I’m being a little melodramatic, but this sentiment perfectly describes how I’ve felt about my last week and, as of today, last day at EARN.
A little background for some of you I haven’t yet had the pleasure meeting: I started at EARN about 3.5 years ago as part of the development team. I was two years out of college and had my mind set on jumping into the nonprofit world and focusing my career on economic development. In some lucky way, things worked out well, and I landed a position at EARN as the Development Assistant.
I’m leaving EARN to volunteer as a Kiva Fellow, something I have wanted to pursue for some time now. I will learn how Kiva’s model is helping communities in poverty achieve prosperity through microfinance. It’s a very bittersweet transition.
This change in paths has made me remember the amazing times I’ve had here at EARN –my first interview here, team retreats, staff meetings, inside jokes, coffee breaks, and so on. I want to share with you top three things I’ve valued the most at EARN:
The people.
Our staff has doubled in size since I started – crazy, right? EARN has attracted some of the most intelligent, hard-working, and innovative people I have ever met. These amazing co-workers (and friends!) have taught me lessons in humility, management, leadership, and of course, organizing data. (I’ve followed my director’s footsteps at being a data/spreadsheet ninja.)
In addition, our Savers have inspired my work every day. The Savers I have been fortunate enough to get to know, like Dametra Williams and Julia Orellana, have taught me life lessons that I know I’ll remember years to come. Their persistence, dedication, and sacrifice have caused me to instill same values in myself and realize how lucky I would be if I could become half the women they are.
Our board members, volunteers, and donors also never cease to amaze me with their hard work, generosity, and dedication to EARN!
The work.
Inside and out, EARN’s work is inspirational, effective, and transformational. We’ve pushed our entire organization harder than we ever have this past year, especially within our policy, research, and communications work. The results are clear: a feature in TIME magazine, an interview on NPR, more in-depth research that proves the effectiveness of EARN’s programs. Our work has transformed lives in the economic mobility and microsavings realm; I can’t wait to see what magic EARN creates in the future!
The support.
EARN is a cheerleader in all respects! Whether I’ve been interested in my professional growth, learning more about another team’s work, or getting more involved with Savers, everyone at EARN has always prioritized staff members’ professional and personal growth. I leave as a very different person than I was when I arrived here – in all positive ways, of course. I realize there honestly is nothing better than working at an organization that not only appreciates your hard work, perspective, and creativity (no matter how quirky) but also acts as a contributing factor in your quest for growth.
I will miss everyone and everything about this place dearly, but I know I’ll be popping my head in to say “hello” sooner than I know, like those too-friendly neighbors on sit-coms. I can’t wait!
Take care, and best wishes,
Tejal Desai
