Celebrating Our Intern, Abigail Quashie: A Most Suited Summer
- destiny8260
- Sep 5
- 5 min read
By Abigail Quashie and Destiny Glee
This summer, through Washington, D.C.’s Marion Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP), Suited for Change was fortunate to welcome Abigail Quashie as our intern. From day one, she jumped right in, supporting clients, assisting with programs, and bringing her warmth and creativity to every task. Here’s Abigail’s reflection on her time with us:
"From the moment that I interviewed for the internship position, I knew that Suited for Change would be the best place for me. I was instantly greeted with smiles by Jayla and Natalie, which isn’t always the case, and I felt listened to and appreciated. After hearing more about their mission and the work that they’ve been doing, my mind immediately started spinning with all the ways that I would be able to take my skills and past experiences and contribute to the team. I thought I had it all figured out, but I couldn’t have predicted the way this summer would go.
“The summer is usually slow,” I was told. So, when I arrived on my first day, I thought I would take my time getting settled, meet the rest of the team, and take the time to understand my tasks for the summer. I quickly realized that was not the case. That day happened to be particularly busy. I met Destiny, who instantly rained down compliments on me and gave me a quick tour of the building. Then I was thrust into what I thought would be a busy day, but ended up being a bustling summer. I also met Patricia, who first showed me the ropes of the boutique, graciously allowed me to shadow her styling for the day, gave great styling tips, and even better life advice. I thought that I was keeping my closet at home well-organized. Turns out, I had no idea what well-organized truly meant. I’ll be taking everything that I learned this summer, like the color order of the clothing, the different hangers for different articles of clothing, the divisions by type of item, even down to the uniformity of the direction the hangers faced, and reorganizing every closet in my house (Sorry in advance to my parents)!
To be honest, I came into this internship feeling the most anxious about styling. Not because I thought I’d be working with the next Miranda Priestly, but because I’ve never considered myself to be the most fashion-forward person, and understanding how to style a complete stranger felt like a daunting task. But Patricia, and every other wonderful stylist that I met, reassured me and let me know that the most important thing is that your client walks away feeling great, and you don’t need to be a fashion expert to do that. And I can earnestly say that after having solo styled multiple clients this summer, I’m happy to have been able to contribute to every woman’s good feeling.
I also helped with some communications, accepting and making calls to clients and donors. Those first few calls made me want to curl into a ball, stumbling over my words, forgetting details, and giving out the wrong map directions. By the end of my time here though, I was a pro. So, if anyone needs any receptionist services, please don’t call me (because I still get really nervous), but just know that I would have done a great job.
Alongside styling, the pace of the summer did shock me. We had quite a few days during which the boutique was exclusively booked with specific community partners. On those days, I came in a bit earlier, buzzing, and would leave still buzzing, though maybe a bit frazzled. Sometimes, there would be 5 to 10 people to suit all at once, a feat which the volunteers handled wonderfully. The energy was high, and I loved being involved in the process, from taking photos to pulling pieces for stylists to assisting in whatever way I could.
And of course, I also learned the art of resetting the boutique. I’m leaving a special goodbye for that shoe closet; she and I had some great times together.
And beyond those days, there were the private boutique sales. I even had the privilege of helping my little sister find some professional attire before she heads off to college this year. She left with so many suits, my mom wanted to appoint her as a junior lawyer. But on a serious note, I’m glad that Suited for Change got to be part of such a momentous event for her.
And between all of those normal styling days, partner days, and private boutique sales, we accepted donations throughout the whole summer, often even receiving multiple large donations in a week. If this is not a busy summer for Suited for Change, then I can only imagine what a truly busy one must look like.
This summer, I also mostly worked on different programming and development projects. For example, I had the opportunity to help create flyers and signage for the EntrepreneurHer workshop. Not only did I get to flex my creative muscles (someone please gift the boutique with a Canva Pro subscription), but I also had the privilege of being a part of the actual event. Being able to help facilitate the day, and more importantly, hearing the stories of so many inspiring and talented women, was one of the highlights of my internship. Their candor and optimism left me feeling more empowered about my future. I was also able to assist with the upcoming MMM Cheers event, which involved learning about places and experiences local to the city and various donation request platforms. It was a lot to take in at first, but as time went by, I became more familiar with the process and got to see in real time how many moving parts go into making such an event happen.
As much as I threw myself into my tasks, I knew that I wasn’t going to be here forever. And after about three weeks, that was truly upsetting because I really learned to love the place. I felt welcomed and integrated into the team. I participated in staff meetings, shared lunches, decided that I will subscribe to Trader Joe’s newsletter, and need to try spoon bread at some point.
As my internship comes to an end, I find myself reflecting on how much I’ve grown over the past weeks. I’ve learned so much about nonprofit work, about client relations, and about community building. I can confidently say that the skills I’ve gained and the relationships I’ve built here will be invaluable as I move forward in life. Though my time here was short, I know that this experience will stay with me long after I leave. This was truly the most suited place for me to be.
Thank you forever to everyone, to the office team, the volunteers, the clients, and the donors, for allowing me to be a part of this community!"
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Note from Suited for Change:
From all of us at Suited for Change, thank you, Abigail, for sharing your time, talents, and enthusiasm with us this summer. You truly left your mark on our boutique and our community. Please join us in wishing Abigail every success as she continues her Master’s program—we know she will go on to do incredible things! 💐✨
About Internships at Suited For Change
If you’re interested in entering the nonprofit sphere once you graduate from college, consider applying for an internship here at Suited for Change! It’s a one-of-a-kind experience you won’t forget.
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