By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Friday the 13th is supposed to be an unlucky day. Try telling that to some 30 interns of color who were welcomed to Grand Rapids by the business community last Friday, July 13.
The first Minority Interns Skyline Social, a picnic-themed dinner complete with a jazz quartet, took place atop Bridgewater Place on Varnum Law’s 17th floor terrace overlooking the city. The purpose was not just to welcome the interns, but also to encourage them to consider Grand Rapids as the place they’d like to pursue their careers.
Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce’s Multiracial Association of Professionals (MAP) and the Black Professionals and Executive Network (BPEN) organized the event. Over 100 business men and women attended.
“A lot of businesses—banks, law offices, and other corporations—are working to recruit interns of color into the community,” says Sonya Hughes, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce VP of diversity initiatives and programs. “We wanted to treat the interns to a night out, we wanted to introduce them to other professionals in the community and give them a great view of the city.”
Interns of African-American, Asian, and Hispanic heritage attended the dinner, says Hughes. Many of them are from other states or foreign countries, and feel disconnected from their neighbors and co-workers. Often they and their families are isolated from the larger community.
“Sometimes you want to be with people who share similar experiences so you can just take a breath and relax,” Hughes says.
Source: Sonya Hughes, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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