Human Connections is a social enterprise with a focus in responsible tourism. Through educational tours, Global Engagement Trips, and internships, they bring international travelers and local entrepreneurs together to share in cultural and personal exchange. Based in Mexico, their programs foster cross-cultural relationships that are mutually beneficial and have a lasting social impact. Their work starts with their local partners: artisans, tradespeople, and entrepreneurs in Mexico’s Riviera Nayarit area. These are industrious people whose businesses represent rich local culture, economic growth, and personal achievement. I had the pleasure of working closely with three of these artisans throughout the duration of my internship.

As an intern, my projects varied throughout the summer. The first was a collective project with all the interns. We created an interactive map comprised of various responsible tourism locations throughout the states of Nayarit and Jalisco. Each point on the map had a description of the location, our experience there, and all of the relevant information interested parties would need. We traveled throughout the states for two weeks compiling research and documenting our findings on the website. My next project was a community consulting project during which I was partnered with a local artisan. His name was Don Enrique. He was an artistic welder from the state of Michoacán. He was in Bucerias in search of a better life. I helped him with product development that helped create products more feasible for travelers to take with them that still showed his beautiful craftsmanship. I also helped Don Enrique develop his business strategy to better suite his needs and helped create a number of marketing materials for him. The last portion of the internship was an intense leadership workshop. It focused on developing emotional intelligence and understanding who you are as a leader.