Katie says she was initially drawn to LIFT because in her time living in West Philadelphia, she saw large-scale problems—perpetual and generational poverty, social inequality, and lack of support in a broken system—on a smaller, more personal level. "I see kids growing up without strong educations and adults living without access to important resources. I was attracted to LIFT because it offers tangible support and direct assistance to people who need it most."
But Katie didn't start her work at LIFT without reservations. "I initially wondered how receptive clients would be. I feared that they would view me as another privileged, white Penn kid who had no idea what their lives were like—that they would think I was judging them and in turn, judge me and resist my presence."
After her first few hours in the office, Katie says these thoughts changed completely. Regardless of the task, from job hunting to tax filing or simply engaging in conversation, Katie says that virtually every client she has worked with has been receptive to her assistance. "When I sit down with a client, where we come from loses much of its relevance. I find myself connecting with people who never graduated high school, and as I try to pass on some of my Internet skills or job interview tips, I listen, joke and learn. They tell me about their lives, their problems and their aspirations, and while our circumstances differ, our commonalities create a bridge."
She is quick to add that she cannot empathize with all of her clients, the unfavorable odds they are up against, and the daily struggles they endure, but that she can recognize those challenges and work with her clients to combat them. "I cannot say I fully understand what the 18-year-old girl with whom I filed taxes last week had to go through to get into college with a full scholarship. I can, however, understand the problems and inequalities embedded in the system that make it so challenging for a young, African-American girl living below the poverty line to get a good education—and I am committed to working with her to fight those challenges."
