Evelyn Archer, SAF Solidaridad intern
My name is Evelyn Archer, and I am so excited to be joining SAF as a Solidaridad Program Management intern. Here is a little piece of my story, my passions, my faith, my fears, and my dreams!
I was born in Virginia and grew up in the tidewater area of Yorktown. My family home stands no more than a ten minute drive from the site where Cornwallis surrendered to Washington: a historic event marking the end of the American Revolution. Growing up in an area deeply rooted in such historic events spurred a hunger in me for storytelling and cultural education.
From a young age I felt a calling toward Christian ministry. At 12 years old, I gave my first sermon and fell in love with the church’s mission of love and service in the world. After graduating high school, I attended Randolph-Macon College and earned a BA in Religious Studies and Communication with the hope of one day becoming an Ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church. I began my time at Duke Divinity School in 2018 and am now in my final year! I am a certified candidate in the Virginia conference of the UMC, and I am now pursuing Commissioning in Provisional Ministry; one more step toward becoming a full-time pastor.
The church is called to embody the ministry of Christ in love and humility to the world, which is why I am so beyond excited to be working with SAF this year. Not only is SAF doing crucial work for the sake of human rights, just work practices, large scale policy improvement and fair wages, but it is doing all this through the immeasurable importance of empowering farmworker voices. I’m entering into this internship with absolute awe at the wonderful work that has been (and is being) done, and I am enthused at the thought of even having a tiny part in it.
There are so many things I am excited to learn while working at SAF, especially as a leader of faith communities. Drawing a link between religious belief and modern activism is a subject I am passionately exploring, and SAF is an incredible organization in which to grow and learn with others. As I humbly begin my work, I look forward to the successes and the challenges these next months will bring. Ultimately, while my role will be somewhat brief, it is woven together with the efforts of so many others fighting for a more just world.