As of April, I am a Certified Counselor Advocate for the Sexual Assault Crises Services in New Britain. Being able to do this was actually one of the major reasons I quit my job back in September - this was something I had wanted to do for at least three years and just could not make it work around my manager's schedule. They only offer two training sessions a year, so I started taking classes in February and got my certification in April, and have since successfully completed actual volunteer shifts!
Although I am once again unemployed, which really sucks, I am still glad that I had made this a priority. Last summer I had a conversation with a grad student who was interviewing CT knitting feminists and one of the questions she asked me was if I had any "feminist guilt." While it wasn't exactly guilt, I did feel hypocritical that there was something that I really cared about but hadn't found a way yet to be involved. (Not to mention that retail management is totally unsatisfying, unfulfilling, soul killing work. At least for me. It seems to be right for some people.)
In short, although I don't have a job and we are totally broke, at least I finally have a little bit more meaning in my life and it is definitely worth it.
