I joined Omena last summer. In the beginning, I was curious about what it would be like to work in a team that operates fully remote. It was at a time when everyone was still transitioning into online classes and working from home, so I didn’t have a lot of experience in that area yet. However, things went very smoothly. We all got to know each other and soon I felt like I was part of the team. Francesca was very good at breaking the ice and encouraging everyone to engage in conversation. I guess that working towards a common goal and bouncing ideas off each other can happen regardless of whether you meet in person or online. At first, the screen might feel like a barrier, but after some time it becomes normal. For me, it was a great way to enter the world of remote work.

Being part of Omena means meeting people who are open-minded, kind, and creative. It means being welcomed with open arms and being met with understanding. We are aware of our team members’ busy schedules and many obligations. It’s fine, we can plan accordingly. We celebrate each other’s successes, be it within Omena or outside of Omena. When there’s an issue, we work together to figure things out. It’s always us vs. the problem. All of us are continuously learning and growing. My favorite thing about Omena will always be the community. Everyone is so passionate about our cause and that allows us to fully use our creative energy in all areas — be it programming, outreach, or digital marketing. We are a young organization, but we already came pretty far. At the moment, I’m part of a small group that takes a course about fundraising as a nonprofit. It’s great to think about the possible strategies that Omena might use. I like to imagine all the great projects that could be realized once we receive funding. I’m sure that we will develop a successful plan that shows our impact and potential to the world. We’ll start our first initiative soon, so keep an eye out for that!

-Benita Dederichs

Benita is part of the Digital Marketing team and the Outreach team at Omena. She is originally from Germany. In 2020, she completed her M.Phil. in Film Studies from Trinity College Dublin and is currently a visiting scholar at Suffolk University in Boston.