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This month we sat down with ��ɫ��Ƶ alum Cristian King (Seattle/King County 2014-15) to hear about his life post-graduation, and how his service at ��ɫ��Ƶ has shaped his entire career. 

What originally made you want to sign up for ��ɫ��Ƶ?
I’m paraphrasing but my dad always said that any amount of privilege we enjoyed in turn meant we needed to give back somehow. He wanted us to always be looking for ways we could add something good to the world. Then, when I was a Resident Advisor in college, my RA manager introduced me to ��ɫ��Ƶ which seemed to check all the boxes for me – a year of service, in education, helping kids. I was so drawn to this opportunity to be a part of something much bigger than me, and in a completely new place (in addition to Seattle, I considered New York and Boston).

What are some of your first memories of your ��ɫ��Ƶ experience?
I had the opportunity to move to Seattle two months early and live with a previous year’s Corps member. During this time, I was invited to a meet-up of Corps members who were wrapping up their service year and I was so inspired by their stories and how their experiences shaped their choices about what they were going to do next. Many chose teaching when that wasn’t their original plan, and many others went for careers like medicine and the law, but with a focus on helping our most vulnerable.

Another favorite early memory was of the overnight retreat that we went on at the very start of our service year. We learned what school we were assigned to and met our service team for that school. I was blown away by the caliber and varied backgrounds of my teammates. They came from teaching, social justice, social work, and we even had a recent high school grad who blew us all away with her smarts, resilience, and commitment to the students and school.

During your time with ��ɫ��Ƶ, what training or experiences prepared you for your career journey to come?
I went into my service year feeling like I was pretty socially aware so I was surprised to find that I was actually just starting a learning journey that I feel I will be on throughout my entire life. If there is anywhere where you can see first hand all of the inequities that combine to make life so challenging for impoverished, marginalized young people, it is in an under-resourced, high poverty school. At my school, I worked with students who faced some truly unfair odds and it felt wonderful to help them overcome some of these, but I also appreciated how much I was learning about our society’s real needs around social justice. I remain committed to this day, in both my life and in my career, to keep studying these issues and finding ways to address the inequities I saw a decade ago that still persist today.

What did you learn during your experience that was new or surprising to you?
Honestly, similar to my previous answer, I was really surprised to see first hand the deeper nuances of what challenges our high-poverty schools with complex needs. Title I schools are so complicated, and they have to work so much harder to meet the needs of their students! What they have to do to address funding gaps and irregularities so they have access to everyday things like librarians and nurses is pretty eye-opening. 

Looking back, what from your ��ɫ��Ƶ experience are you most grateful for?
In my apartment, I have a cherished photo on display of me with the three boys who had the most profound impact on me during my year of service. We aren’t supposed to have favorites but I have such a special place in my heart for them! They were the funniest, brightest, most resilient kids I had ever met, even with their pretty devastating life stories. They brought me joy when things were particularly challenging and showed me that I needed to make helping kids a priority throughout my life and career. Back then, that trio of boys helped me understand the “cathedral building” I was doing through my work with them and I feel pretty confident that they’re doing great today.

What of your ��ɫ��Ƶ experience made you want to continue to work in a career focused on service and impact?
My time as a Corps member cemented my commitment to a career focused on systemic change, even if it’s really hard sometimes! I made the conscious choice to weave this work into my career wherever possible, and through its various phases. Right now, in my work at LinkedIn, I support nonprofits with equity and economic impact-focused missions by offering them event spaces and LinkedIn knowledge and expertise so that they can broaden and deepen their impact. It feels right for the time being but I know that nothing is forever and I can pursue new directions at any time, as long as I’m saying yes to service and impact as long as I can. 

What advice would you give to young adults considering a year of service with ��ɫ��Ƶ?
Do it! It will give you the chance to change the trajectory of kids’ lives, and will no doubt change the trajectory of yours. But be aware that the year goes by so fast. In that time, really get to know the community you are serving, what they need and why, and how to help. The world needs more people with lived, informed experiences to make meaningful change!

Is there anything else I didn’t ask you that you’d like to share, particularly around how the experience gave you tools for the next phase of your life?
My ��ɫ��Ƶ experience is 100% responsible for my being on the exact right track for me. Not only did it drive home how important it is to me that I remain committed to service throughout my life but it gave me a long list of transferable skills that I have continued to develop over the last decade. One example is I was paired up with another Corps member to develop an entire after care program for the school we were in. This called on management and leadership skills I didn’t know I had, and it introduced me to program and project management, which is what I am truly good at, and enjoy doing today! There were also times I found the need for enhanced communication skills (particularly helpful with conflict resolution!), and I know that I am a better collaborator, presenter, and speaker for having had my ��ɫ��Ƶ experience. I will always be grateful for my year with Denny International Middle School and my ��ɫ��Ƶ cohort.

Current Co & Job Title: Associate Manager, Social Impact, LinkedIn
Local nonprofit engagement in bay area