The Rubicon Rangers: Participants ‘Step Up’ at July Stepping Stone Ceremony

By Justin Kok July 9, 2018

The "Rubicon Rangers" series is a first-person account of Rubicon's intern experience, authored by the interns, Jessica, Sandy and Justin, themselves.

Walking into the lobby at Rubicon Programs in Richmond, it was impossible not to notice the unmistakable air of amiability and dignity that filled the room. Jovial faces and pleasant conversations were throughout, and despite not knowing anyone there initially, I still felt a warm, inviting atmosphere. I knew that this Stepping Stone ceremony would be something special.

Rising above unemployment and poverty takes an immense amount of grit and growth in the face of adversity. The ceremony celebrated just that: the commendable progression of Rubicon’s many participants. In honor of their weeks-worth of effort, this event gave them some well-deserved recognition, as well as an opportunity to share their experiences and thoughts on the program.

The proceedings started with an allegory describing the butterfly, an apt comparison given the circumstances. Butterflies are more than just signs of good fortune and symbols of beauty – they are those who gladly share their wealth of wisdom, who are determined to take to the skies. An apt comparison, indeed.

Afterwards, the stage was then open to the participants to share their feelings, experiences and stories of growth.

For many, they went up to thank their friends and instructors for their support.

“I was skeptical at first,” one participant admitted. “But I came to fall in love with these people… they always had my back.”

Another participant talked about trying to find someone to help him out with his taxes. “All the other places were closed, except Rubicon. I was a bit suspicious; they even have ‘-con’ in their name!” he joked. But, “it was anything but,” he remarked as he reminisced on just how much support he found that evening.

Others shared intimate poems that they wrote, with topics ranging from their daily struggles to painful pasts. And yet, they found strength to persevere, thanks to all the support they had.

“Rubicon believed in me before I believed in myself,” one participant said.

A handful of participants chose to share powerful anecdotes from their own lives. One told of how powerless she felt while incarcerated, while another told of mounting pressure he had in regards to his taxes. A mother talked about how much she had to struggle to provide for her children.

In all of these accounts, they found someone that supported them in their endeavors, people who heard them out and gave them the tools to thrive. They found people who showed them it was worth having a growth mindset, as opposed to a fixed, negative mindset.

Then came time for the presentation of certificates, which were presented by participants to other participants.

As each called each other up and out, I couldn’t help but notice just how strong the bonds to their peers were. They said they were “brothers and sisters,” or “the yin to another’s yang;” people who had each other’s back. They whooped, hollered and rooted for one member who had just gotten a job.

It was inspiring to see how close and supportive these people were. After all, the growth they made was forged by the support of their peers.

We broke for brunch shortly afterwards, but even after the Stepping Stone ceremony had passed, my thoughts still lingered on the spirited, inspired men and women I met that day. I can’t wait to see how far they all will go.

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The Rubicon Rangers: Dressing for Success with Rubicon’s Interns

By Jessica Tu July 2, 2018

The "Rubicon Rangers" series is a first-person account of Rubicon's intern experience, authored by the interns, Jessica, Sandy and Justin, themselves.

A hole barely wider than a pencil left a fray of pocket lining visible. The bright white of the thread stood out from the trousers’ tan plaid. 

"So, should we just give it away?" I asked. 

Justin, a fellow Rubicon Programs intern, muttered, "I guess."

Sandy, another intern, turned back to tagging the suit hanging on the clothing rack. I reluctantly placed the full suit in a white plastic trash bag. 

"What a shame," I sighed, shaking my head.  

Wardrobe for Opportunity – a nonprofit organization that helps connect people in poverty with much-needed clothing – has a sorting system that specifies that patterned blazers must be given away to another charity if its matching trousers are damaged, even if the coat is in perfect condition. The policy ensures that their clients always look professional, ready for their next job interview. 

The next part of the process is sizing procedure. It’s a mechanical process. First, look for a label. Then, fold and measure. Finally, hang up the item and tag it. As we got into the routine of sizing, we considered the materials we used and the demands of our participants. 

Justin, Sandy and I are working together to develop Rubicon's own clothing closet, which will offer program participants access to a large wardrobe of interview and work attire. Understandably, feeling comfortable in the fit, style and professionalism of one's clothing is integral to the confidence necessary to thrive in the world of work.

At the end of Wardrobe for Opportunity’s training workshop, which they kindly allowed us to participate in, we looked back at the two racks of tagged suits and sport coats and gleaned a vision for our project.  

We hope to create a boutique-style “shop” with a personal fitting room. The goal is to minimize the stress and cost of finding appropriate clothing. 

Justin, a senior in high school, is excited to see the final product late this summer. "I hope that our clothing closet will have a comforting and inviting atmosphere. Rubicon’s participants should feel welcome to use it anytime." 

So far, Rubicon only has a small closet with a few racks and a couple of bags of clothes. Our biggest challenge is to sort through it all and determine what is work-appropriate, and what should be given away. 

The training exercise at Wardrobe for Opportunity not only provided us with a helpful framework, but also raised questions about our closet’s design.

The closet is disorganized and lacks options, according to Sandy, who’s also in high school. But she’s optimistic. “We can use the skills we learned at Wardrobe for Opportunity and apply it to our work at Rubicon," she said.  

As interns new to the workforce, taking on such a large project was both intimidating and exciting.  

Gratefully, Rubicon Programs has given the interns a warm welcome to the nonprofit field. Justin described their team as friendly and warm. “It's inspiring to see people so dedicated to what they do, and what their organization does," he said. 

As an intern, there is so much to look forward to learning and doing. Sandy, in particular, is excited to attend her first “Stepping Stones Ceremony,” the monthly event culminating Rubicon’s participants’ completion of the program’s “Foundations Workshop.”

“I want to see and hear participants’ stories and how Rubicon has impacted their life," she said. 

​In the meantime, we are all working hard to complete the closet in less than two months. In July, Wardrobe for Opportunity will connect us with Men's Warehouse, who has pledged a shipment of suits, helping get us one step closer.

Our newly acquired knowledge about sizing and tagging clothes, combined with our new sorting guidelines, has set us up for success.

Our entire intern team can’t wait to see the clothing closet in action, helping people break poverty one interview at a time.

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