Philanthropy Fellow Spotlight: Lauren Kim

Why were you interested in becoming a Philanthropy Fellow with Crimsonbridge?

Public service has always been incredibly important to me. I earned my Gold Award as a Girl Scout for thirteen years and have worked in nonprofits and the public sector throughout college. For instance, during my time as a Small Claims Advisor at the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs in Los Angeles, I assisted over 500 litigants through legal proceedings. As I learned about each litigant’s situation, though sometimes tense, it was incredibly meaningful to connect with my community through service. I loved walking away from work each day knowing that I had made a positive impact on my community.

When I saw that Crimsonbridge was searching for a Philanthropy Fellow in Communications, I thought it would be a perfect opportunity to bridge my interest in public service with the creative work I’ve done while at UCLA. I had sharpened my written communication skills as the Editor-in-Chief at FAST at UCLA and photography as a music journalist at UCLA Radio – and have been working freelance in content creation. I was eager to learn about how I could utilize these skills in a way that would give back to my community!

Tell us about your experience as a Crimsonbridge Philanthropy Fellow. What did you learn about how the Crimsonbridge Foundation approaches strategic communications?

At Crimsonbridge, I feel very lucky to be welcomed by such a genuine, intimate team. I’m happy to say that I’ve made a genuine connection with everyone on the team, and I’ve been touched by their patience and guidance as they taught me about their program areas.

Before my fellowship, I hadn’t considered philanthropy as a career. At Crimsonbridge, I’ve been inspired by the partnerships established with nonprofit initiatives. I’ve felt incredibly fulfilled by this mission-oriented work and truly believe that philanthropy can play an important role in filling funding gaps for underserved communities.

During my ten weeks at Crimsonbridge, I published seven blog posts, two videos, and 11 social media campaigns, on Instagram and LinkedIn. Making this communications content taught me how to balance creativity with Crimsonbridge’s communication style and strategy. When I interviewed our CEO, Danielle M. Reyes, for her staff spotlight, she emphasized how communications underscores every facet of an organization’s operations – from talent recruitment to advocacy to fundraising. I witnessed the importance of communications in action, watching past and potential grantee partners connect with the Foundation after seeing our social media posts.

What was your favorite program area, and why?

While I think all of Crimsonbridge’s programs are closely intertwined, my favorite as Environmental Sustainability. Last January, my family had to evacuate from the Eaton Fires in California. Watching my community rebuild after losing countless homes, schools, and cherished businesses is something I still carry with me today.

Seeing Crimsonbridge’s sustainability work reminds me of the power of community in moving forward. It reminds me of my work at RefineLA, a sustainability-focused fashion collective, back at home. I was moved by Crimsonbridge’s immediacy in addressing the recent Potomac River spill, supporting key organizations in informing the community about the state of the river and recovery efforts.

How are you threading this fellowship experience together with other experiences to plan your next steps in or after college?

I have a wide breadth of professional experience – from fashion and music journalism to staffing courts. I’m always looking for ways to bridge these interests, and I hope to continue exploring interdisciplinary work upon graduation. While at Crimsonbridge, I learned so much about communications, and I look forward to bringing these takeaways into my next opportunity – whether in nonprofits, the arts, or both.

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Crimsonbridge Foundation’s Philanthropy Fellows Program engages students in an opportunity to learn about philanthropy, participate in the grantmaking process, and contribute their skills to administrative tasks, communications content, and special projects that support the Foundation's mission. Since 2017, Crimsonbridge has had 11 Philanthropy Fellows, each of whom brought energy, perspectives, and ideas to our work.