Today we’d like to introduce you to Katlyn Pryshlak.
Hi Katlyn, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I am from Maine. I grew up in the woods, the ocean, the lakes, the trees and mainly, in canoes. The more I go back to my small, western Maine hometown the more grateful I feel for my wild childhood fueled by camping, creativity, and a loving family. In Kindergarten, for our career fair, I remember I wanted to be a postal worker. Thinking back, it makes me laugh because my siblings chose such inspired careers, even as five-year-olds. My brother wanted to be an astronaut and my sister wanted to be an artist (they are both currently well on their way to these ends I might add). I suppose I didn’t know much about nonprofits, immigrants, or injustice then. I grew up with a fair amount of privilege. We certainly weren’t rich with two public school teachers as parents, but we always went on fun camping vacations, lived in a safe neighborhood, and wanted for nothing. For me, I thought every family must be as happy as ours.
My alternative life path would have certainly had something to do with wilderness education. I learned how to paddle a canoe, chop wood, use a knife, build a fire, cook outdoors, identify trees, pitch a tent and so much more from my adventurous, strong mother. She brought me, my sister and many of our cousins and friends on wilderness canoe trips every year starting at age 6. My father taught me how to fish, make maple syrup and how and when to collect fiddleheads, a Maine springtime delicacy. I believe my confidence and comfort in a wilderness setting greatly affected my self-confidence and resilience overall. It is never easy to be yourself in high school and I often felt uncomfortable in my own skin however, I think I had an easier time being myself than some. I feel incredibly grateful for this upbringing, and I continue to push the limits of my wilderness skills now with more rock climbing, mountain biking, and general exploration.
High school was also when I fell in love with Spanish. This is an important part of my story. Without this somewhat unlikely piece of the puzzle, I would not be where I am today. At that time there were certainly not a lot of people who spoke Spanish in Maine! Señora Ojeda patiently nurtured my interest and encouraged me to study Spanish in college. I studied Spanish and Environmental studies at St. Michael’s College in Colchester, Vermont. There I found another mentor, Professor Lukens-Olson, my amazing advisor who inspired me and challenged me. I knew as wonderful as my teachers were, I did not want to be a Spanish teacher. What does one who studies Spanish do after they study Spanish?
I got creative. I found an opportunity post-graduation to work at a small nonprofit in Moab, UT where, I was assured, my Spanish skills would be put to good use. I got way more out of the experience than I bargained for. The Moab Valley Multicultural Center (MVMC) was where I found my passion. I was accepted there as an equal despite being a total novice in the nonprofit world and found such natural and easy mentors in the courageous and dedicated women who led the organization. A one-year endeavor turned into nearly five as we worked to provide assistance, opportunities and support to immigrant families in the community. I was thrown into event planning, volunteer coordination, fundraising, Spanish interpretations, language classes and after-school culture clubs. I learned so much about bringing joy into human rights work. At MVMC we always found our joy and even though we didn’t voice that at the time, I look back now and realize how much of an impact it had on our success. The organization continues to thrive today, and I always try to donate to all the fundraisers I remember soliciting my family members for.
Now I work for a small nonprofit in Denver, CO, luckily with a similarly supportive, dedicated, and inspiring team. Every day I get to do what I envisioned as a kindergartener which is helping people and being nice to them. Now I call that advocacy and motivational interviewing, but it seems my five-year-old self knew what she wanted. The topic of human trafficking is enough to leave most people without words. It is an egregious human rights abuse and horrific to know how pervasive of an issue it is worldwide. However, my foundations in human rights work have strong roots in joy and collaboration which allows me to continue with an open heart. Additionally, I rely on a strong network of family and friends and could not continue in social justice work without them. No human is an island, and I could not have gotten to where I am now without my support networks, co-workers, educators and community walking alongside me.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road certainly started off smooth due to familial love and support. My family has some of the most ridiculous and fun-loving family reunions I’ve ever encountered. They are a full 6 days and involve all 5 siblings and their families gathering in one, big house and eating lots of food, playing games and trying to beat each other at various competitions made up by the uncles. This was my grandparents’ wish…that we should all truly know and love one another.
The road always gets a little rocky in college. We’re all figuring out how to be ourselves. This is where I felt my first jarring uncertainty. I ended up adding an Environmental Studies major on top of the Spanish major because I was suddenly unsure a degree in Spanish would lead to any sort of career. When I graduated, despite my worries, I did find a job and worked as an AmeriCorps VISTA for two years at the MVMC. In this role, I learned what it feels like to live paycheck to paycheck with a car that was always on the brink of death.
I did find some struggle in the decision to pursue a graduate degree. As a nonprofit professional, there is no guarantee a graduate degree will create any more opportunities and, what is the right path to study? I ended up choosing Public Administration and Nonprofit Management at Buffalo State College and once again, I found my people. My latest trials have been a job search in a competitive and popular city with all the strange employment trends that COVID has created and a husband who is in the first year of his family medicine residency. If you know anything about residency you know I haven’t seen my husband much recently due to long hours and general exhaustion. The bumps in the road have been few and temporary which I know is extremely lucky. I am grateful for my sustainability team which includes first and foremost my amazing, adventurous husband Mark and our pet rabbit, Taco along with my parents, my two siblings, Mark’s two brothers, my in-laws and of course, our wonderful, steadfast friends.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have worked in nonprofits since I graduated from college in 2013. Working with immigrant and refugee rights organizations propelled me forward for many years, giving me a sense of purpose and opening my eyes to the many injustices suffered by these groups. I know that I will never stop working for and with immigrants, whether I am doing that professionally or in a volunteer and activism capacity. During this time, I also learned how to be a Spanish interpreter, a skill that helped me pay my way through graduate school.
The spark that I felt for this career started when I left my familiar New England for Moab, UT and an AmeriCorps VISTA position at the MVMC which by now you’re familiar with. I can’t tell anyone about my current work without mentioning my foundations at the MVMC. This nonprofit seamlessly combines vital community services, immigrant advocacy and celebration into its everyday operations. As a result, I unknowingly learned about the connection between joy and activism and how you can’t do the difficult work of community advocacy without joy as well. I can’t speak highly enough about “El Centro” (as many called it) and the amazingly supportive team and community I found there. It was truly the perfect foundation for a young activist to grow strong roots.
I further grew my experience when I moved across the country in the opposite direction, this time for love. My boyfriend, now my husband, got accepted into medical school in Buffalo, NY, probably the last place I ever thought I would find myself living. However, after four years of living, working, volunteering, and exploring there it feels like another one of my many cherished homes. Buffalo has a thriving nonprofit community, and I began working for Journey’s End Refugee Services shortly after moving. There I worked to advocate for language access across the city and promote the use of trained, professional interpreters at hospitals, businesses, schools and more. I learned so much about the many conflicts going on worldwide that cause millions of people to be displaced and become refugees. It felt like another side of the same coin. Immigrants? Refugees? Asylees? Aren’t all people entitled to safety and dignity? It still breaks my heart to hear about the dangerous journeys and risks people have undertaken to find a safer, better life.
I now work for another small nonprofit, this one in Denver, CO. I am the Hotline & Advocacy Manager for the Laboratory to Combat Human Trafficking. In this role, I manage a small team of staff and a large team of volunteers to operate Colorado’s 24/7 Human Trafficking Hotline where survivors, community members, and service providers can call to seek referrals, ask questions, or report a tip. I still feel a strong connection to my roots in immigrant advocacy as the discrimination, marginalization and other difficulties immigrants face make them more vulnerable to labor and sex trafficking. I feel the weighty responsibility of making sure all individuals who call and text our hotline are treated with respect, listened to, and given access to the resources that meet their needs. This responsibility is shared, however, and I once again find myself on a team of hardworking, highly dedicated, intelligent individuals who are committed to our mission of informing social change to eliminate human exploitation. I encourage you to learn more about human trafficking in your communities and check out our website: combathumantrafficking.org/hotline
Throughout this journey, I am most proud of my ability to stay true to myself and my values. Despite societal pressures to attend a prestigious university and choose a high paying career, for me, it’s always been about feeling. I move through the world in an empathetic way and choosing my college, my professional positions, my graduate institution and where I volunteer my time is about holding their values and principles up to the light to see if they match with mine. A mentor once told me that I’m someone who looks a little deeper and tries a little harder…sometimes I feel the loneliness of that. Other times, when I’m among like-minded people, I feel the power of our collective spark and dedication. It is what continues to propel me forward in social justice work.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
As a rock climber and a mountain biker, I certainly can’t claim to be risk averse. I take calculated risks typically when the outcome involves fun or adventure! Throughout my life, I have often strayed from what is safe, to what is interesting. For example, I studied for a semester in high school at an alternative, environmental education school on the coast of Maine about 2.5 hours from home. We lived in cabins with seven other peers from all over the U.S. and Canada. In college, I studied abroad for a whole academic year, focusing on environmental science in Ecuador and literature and geography in Chile. I took a job out of college, at a relatively young age, far across the country in Utah. All my cross-country moves have been challenging but whether for a job, a love, or a new opportunity they have all been so, incredibly worth it. I feel more dynamic for the risks I have taken and the ensuing opportunities that followed.
Contact info:
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katlyn-keane-03848269/
- Other: https://combathumantrafficking.org/about-lcht/our-team/
Image Credits
Jim Mattingly
