SPEL returns for the fall 2024 semester

As summer heat transitions to autumn breezes, a new team of interns is settling into their positions in Hola Cultura’s Storytelling Program for Experiential Learning (SPEL) for the fall semester!

SPEL recruits high school and college students from the Washington, D.C. area and around the country to participate in the semester-long program, which teaches communication, leadership and storytelling skills through weekly story labs and peer editing sessions. Interns are placed into groups covering Arts & Humanities, Society & Culture and Copy Editing, and the curriculum is centered on research and production of high-quality digital media for publication on Hola Cultura’s website.

“The Arts & Humanities team — in addition to continuing their work publishing about local Latine artists and writers — is going to start planning our next arts podcast, which will follow up on ‘Artistas in the Capital,’ our successful podcast that ended in the over the summer,” says Christine MacDonald, the executive director and co-founder of Hola Cultura. SPEL’s Society & Culture team, meanwhile, is wrapping up their work on an environmental justice project that builds on the team’s contributions this year to Hola Cultura’s investigative reporting and podcasting.

The program meets every Tuesday evening via Zoom, allowing students the opportunity to workshop their stories and learn new skills to help them with careers in journalism and beyond.

To fortify the learning experience for interns, select Tuesday sessions will feature guest speakers from communication and related fields. This semester, guest speakers will include the co-founders of the new, local D.C. news site, The51st.

Grace Whitsell, a high school junior at D.C.’s School Without Walls, is returning for a second semester with SPEL to continue developing her writing and interviewing skills.

“I honestly feel that the last article I wrote was not as good as it could have been, and I wanted to return to SPEL because I feel like I now understand the bigger expanse of what I could do with these skills backing me up,” shares Whitsell. She said the process of setting up interviews and workshopping stories taught her a lot about how the storytelling process works and its importance.

Stefanny Leung Yu, the new social media fellow for SPEL based in New York City, was drawn to the program because of its attention to highlighting the resilience and the pursuit of dreams for immigrants across the country — a concept that she resonates with as an immigrant from Venezuela.

“[SPEL] takes a bilingual approach to addressing topics that impact daily life, like Latine arts and culture and innovative mini-documentaries. I admire how they foster understanding and appreciation between diverse communities,” says Leung. 

This new intern class is as dedicated and passionate as ever, so be sure to check out their work on the Hola Cultura website this semester. 

– Written by Matthew Macgugan

– Copy edited by Michelle Benitez