My Nonprofit Reviews

Having been on all ends of Uptown Stories (as a student, a volunteer, and a staff member), I can confidently say that Uptown Stories is a triumph in the nonprofit world. It is one of the few places that I feel like is committed to the mission of creative freedom while still admitting the sacrifices an organization has to make to stay afloat. This is no Google or Buzzfeed where the desks have treadmills and Drake plays in the background while you update marketing analytics, Uptown Stories is committed and hardworking. Yet we still celebrate the spirit of play and creativity in our professional lives by hosting weekly "work party" and building connections.

As a student, Uptown Stories is a space where you are listened to and your feelings are affirmed. As a volunteer, it's a learning environment where you are encouraged to step out of your comfort zone. And as a staff member, it is an incredible professional experience that teaches you responsibility and openness. The key word to describing my work experience at Uptown Stories is openness - without the boundaries of a corporate structure, I've learned InDesign, marketing, e-mail etiquette, grant writing, and more. Since I have worked with the organization in some form for the past 7 years, Uptown Stories has shaped who I am. If you are a volunteer looking for an open environment to grow in, Uptown Stories is a place for you. As a parent, the transparency of the organization allows you to assess whether your child would fit the program, but I can't recommend it enough for a child who wants to stretch their creativity or even a child who doesn't. Writing isn't something you can force someone into, but it is often something you grow to like when it's reframed for you in a non-school environment. Uptown Stories is just that. 5 stars is not enough to describe how much this organization has done for me.