Michaela Henderson is one of four graduate interns currently working with DASH. She’s originally from Houston, Texas, and she attended the University of Texas at San Antonio. She is now pursuing her Masters in Social Work at Howard University and she is terrified of birds. We asked her a few questions to showcase both how amazing she is and the impact she’s made at DASH.

•  Why did you choose to do your internship at DASH?: “I realized that most of my research in my MSW program was on domestic violence in the DC area and really wanted to not only research about DV but also be apart of an organization that was making a difference. I looked into different programs in the area that worked with survivors and really thought DASH was a great fit for me.”
• What social justice issue are you most passionate about?: “African American Women’s Empowerment is what I’m mostly passionate about. I believe that as an African American woman myself it is so important to uplift others so that they can know that someone is in their corner rooting for you. I’m also very passionate about domestic violence issues and being here at DASH has opened my eyes to the issue even more.”
• What has been your favorite thing about working at DASH: “Knowing that I am able to meet with such wonderful and beautiful women during a time that may be difficult for them and allowing for me to work with them is an amazing feeling for me.”
• What are your plans for after DASH? “To change the world!”
• Spirit Animal: “I would be a butterfly because I believe the transformation to the final masterpiece of a butterfly is pretty intriguing!”

What DASH staff say about Michaela: 

“Michaela has come in and essentially helped to create what a year-long clinical internship looks like. She has grown into her role as a therapist and is appreciated by the residents.”

“I appreciate Michaela’s grounded presence”

“Michaela is committed to the domestic violence movement. You can see it in the way she interacts with residents and her presence each day.”