Hello everyone! My name is Shoshanah Weinreich and I am thrilled to be joining Novel Hand as a contributor and most importantly, a lively enthusiast for social justice!
For starters, last May I graduated from Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts, where I majored in Politics and minored in Legal Studies, Social Justice & Social Policy, and Near Eastern and Judaic Studies. The academic environment Brandeis provided for me strengthened my lifelong passion for humanitarian work and jumpstarted my career in the field. I spent my college years advocating for immigrant communities in the Boston area with Massachusetts legislators, speaking on behalf of domestic violence survivors on campus, and working with several people in the community to connect with folks of disadvantaged backgrounds. And through it all, I managed to witness in real time what I believe to be the most effective strategy for advancing social change: dialogue and discourse to find the gaps and create solutions.
After college, I initially thought I would work a political advocacy or consulting job in Washington D.C. That had been another one of my goals coming out of school, and I thought immediately after getting my degree would be the best time to pursue that path. However, among all the other grievances brought forth by the pandemic, one that spoke to me was lack of access. Let me clarify: if you were awarded certain privileges at birth, you inevitably gain a more plentiful access to resources. These include access to quality education, access to government benefits, access to the legal system, access to healthcare, and a variety of others. Inherently, our society is unequal. And the systems designed to protect all of us are often failing those who need the most help. That is what stuck to me back in May, when I had just graduated and was deciding what to do next. It caused me to leap at the opportunity to serve as an AmeriCorps VISTA for Legal Aid Chicago, which I have been since August 2020. I feel empowered to be helping low-income survivors of domestic violence navigate through an incredibly complex legal system, and indirectly providing them with huge relief. This experience has been rewarding and life-changing.
Our generation is living through one of the most opportune times of all of human history. People are more interconnected than ever. Especially during the pandemic, it seems (at least in my circles) people want to stay as connected as they can. In my view, staying connected also means connecting about the gravest and most destructive humanitarian issues of our lifetimes. It feels like we’re in a dark period of human history, where a growing number of people feel disillusioned and disheartened to see what’s happening in the world. It is our responsibility to take this feeling of hopelessness and use it to talk with one another about how to improve the world, for the sake of all humanity. This is what most attracted me about Novel Hand, and I am honored to be a part of this project.
On a lighter note, I currently live in Chicago but I’m originally from Los Angeles, and I have also lived in Massachusetts. My absolute favorite thing to do is travel, which of course is on hold at the moment. Before the pandemic, I travelled all through Europe, Australia, Thailand, South Africa, and The Galapagos, to name a few. I love spending time exploring new places and cities. I also love spending time outdoors at the beach, hiking, and biking. I love cooking and baking, reading a good book, and spending time with my family.
I’m very excited to be joining the Novel Hand team, and I’m electrified by the work of my fellow contributors. I feel more ready than ever to be taking action in this thoughtful and humanizing way.
Please feel free to connect with me at weinreis@brandeis.edu, or on Linkedin. I am always happy to chat!
