Strength in Community
By Marley Leitner, 2016 DC ProInspire Fellow
Julie Beck recently wrote an article in The Atlantic about how to cope with stress. In it she states that “strengthening connections with families, communities, and organizations is the most important preventive approach.” My experience with the ProInspire Fellowship verifies the truth in this statement. There have been several instances where my cohort has helped me manage stressful situations. From moving to DC to transitioning to a new work environment, the monthly trainings gave me a platform to share any concerns in a professional and nonjudgmental environment. Most importantly, my cohort has been there for each other through the stress of an unknown future.
On January 20th the world will inevitably change, and for many of the Fellows this will directly impact our lives. Our ProInspire cohort is full of diverse, driven, and unapologetically unique people who will most likely face challenges in the coming years because of our diversity. Barriers towards gender equality, racial equity, and LGBTQ rights are on the horizon with the incoming administration and needless to say, our group shared the feeling of disbelief and unease after the election results came in because of who we are.
It is moments like these that we use Beck’s advice and strengthen our connections with those we trust. Fortunately for us, the annual ProInspire retreat immediately followed the election and gave our cohort a platform to discuss our grievances with this uncertain future. This weekend in particular highlighted for me why ProInspire is important in my life and other ways it can be useful to Fellows outside of the monthly trainings. We held our retreat in a cabin in rural Bozman, Maryland — the closest thing to being in the middle of nowhere on the East Coast. As most of us did not have mobile service or wifi, we were able to unplug from the chaos that the internet inevitably brings. This disconnected state allowed us to focus on each other and reflect in a more meaningful way about the events of the past week. During dinner we took turns discussing what this election meant for us personally and professionally. Everyone had different insight and their own perspective on how to move forward. That conversation left me feeling energized and hopeful, a relief to the negative emotion I had been feeling up until that weekend.
Instances like this demonstrate the full spectrum of ProInspire’s impact. In addition to leadership development and professional experiences, ProInspire gives each Fellow a community of strong people to work with through challenging situations. Thus far, through my experience as a Fellow, I have gained a network of reliable, intelligent, and forward-thinking friends who I know will have my back when the unknown becomes the known in these next several years. To me, that is the most valuable thing I could have gained from this experience.
Marley Leitner is a ProInspire Fellow at the World Resources Institute (WRI), a think and do tank dedicated to creating new means of achieving sustainable economic development around the world. As a Program Coordinator in Financial Planning and Analysis, Marley works with the Accounting, Finance, and Grants teams to improve cash management and develop new operational strategies to maintain budget and expand the future goals of the organization. Prior to joining WRI, Marley worked for three years at Wells Fargo and GE Capital as a Business Process Specialist. Marley has a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from Indiana University and she will graduate from American University in May 2017 with her Master’s in International Development. In her spare time she enjoys traveling to new countries, trying new wines, meeting with friends, and when the extrovert needs a break: Netflix.