Meet the 2013 Interns: Lessie

Written By Sean Jeans Gail

NARP has been pleased to host graduate student Lessie Henderson as a 2013 intern. She's been tireless in her outreach work for NARP, and we wanted to take a moment to introduce her to you directly so you can understand the ideas and passions that motivate her work.

My interest in transportation grew while working on the Elizabeth River Ferry in Portsmouth, VA (also the home of the Railroad Museum of Virginia). The passengers would often approach me with complaints about fares and scheduling. After attending transit agency meetings with my supervisors and informing officials on passenger issues, along with getting involved social media outreach and community advocacy with the Tide light rail in Norfolk, Virginia, was when I realized that I wanted a career in transportation to continue having an impact on the needs of passengers. After finishing college in 2011 and relocating to the DC area, I became involved with various transportation advocacy groups in Prince Georges County, Maryland and served on a Maryland transit riders panel letting state representatives know why better public transit is so crucial for our communities.

I connected with NARP friends invited me to attend the 2013 NARP Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting. So far, I am grateful for the opportunity to intern with NARP. NARP creates that space and environment to combine your transportation interests with their mission, as well as being able to continuously add new skills to adding to what you know as well as learning the ins and outs of passenger rail. My goals are to stay involved with transit advocacy efforts as well as working for an agency where I can still have a positive impact with passengers and making sure that their needs are met.