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My name is Chloe Le, and I'm a U2 student majoring in Psychology with a minor in Marketing. I worked as the Operations and Logistics intern at Regent

Park Film Festival (RPFF) from May to August this summer. Those three months were the highlight of my summer, during which I learned many lessons related to both the job and personal development.

Back in January, when I was planning for my summer, I realized that I wanted to spend it working on something I enjoy, while building up my work experience in event planning. Event organization is an area outside my academic interests that I have always wanted to explore to discover my strengths and abilities. That was when I decided to look for an internship related to arts and culture on the Arts Internship website, where the Regent Park Film Festival job posting was the first to catch my eye. RPFF is an award-winning, community-based, non-profit organization and Toronto’s longest-running free community film festival. Film has always been a significant part of my life, allowing me to explore the uniqueness of each person’s story. Unfortunately, not everyone is given equal opportunity to share their authentic narratives. Hence, I was eager to join Regent Park Film Festival because the organization not only amplifies the voices of marginalized and underrepresented groups but ensures that art is free and accessible to all.

As an Operations and Logistics Intern, my main responsibilities included participating in the planning, marketing, and execution of RPFF’s annual summer film screening series, Under the Stars (UTS). I was tasked with outreach, such as researching and reaching out to external partners and suitable organizations to advertise and recruit volunteers for our event days, while also assisting our Volunteer Coordinator with scheduling and managing shifts. My duties also included researching and securing A/V and other rental equipment required to successfully set up the event. These tasks taught me how to effectively communicate with external partners. Additionally, I assisted in creating event preparation task lists and other event coordination tasks, which allowed me to further develop my organizational skills. For each UTS day, in addition to helping with park setup and teardown, I oversaw the concession segment, which involved

managing volunteers as they made popcorn and prepared drinks to sell to our participants. This was one of the most memorable tasks I was assigned at RPFF. It gave me the opportunity to meet and get to know many amazing volunteers who chose to support the event. It also allowed me to discover that I am a good problem solver and work well under pressure, as I was able to lead the volunteers through the rush of concession when the line became crowded and long.

The biggest challenge I faced during the internship was my shyness in communication. On a daily basis, I often find it hard to start a conversation or share my opinions with others. Moreover, since RPFF was my first professional job, I was even more timid about talking to my colleagues. However, I was able to overcome this through the encouragement of my manager, Tania, who regularly checked in on me and always asked for my thoughts on the tasks she assigned. Additionally, everyone I had the chance to work with at RPFF was always so encouraging, respectful, and willing to listen to my questions and stories, which created a safe space for me to feel comfortable sharing my voice. This support gave me the courage and motivation to be more open about sharing my thoughts. By the end of the internship, I felt more confident in sharing my opinions and even in talking to strangers, such as the audience members at Regent Park on UTS day, to tell them about the event.

My experience with RPFF was wonderful and it is definitely one of the most memorable experiences I will not forget. Not only did I learn new lessons and

enhance my organizational as well as communication skills, but I also had the opportunity to work with amazing coworkers. Though I did not receive academic credit for the internship, I’m more than grateful to have received the Roland Arts Summer Internship Award, and I would like to sincerely thank Mr. David Roland for his support.