Putting Care, Community, and Collective Practice in Action: Lessons from Internship
Here is a reflective thought piece from one of our interns. In this article, Dharma Kai Z. Milanes, a Development Communication student from the University of the Philippines Los Baños, shares her experiences with Lunas Collective. Through her journey, we see how research, writing, and on-ground volunteer work—whether on menstrual health and dignity, anti-GBV workshops, or #DearSurvivor—deepen into a practice of care, solidarity, and feminist communication.
Interning with Lunas Collective taught me what it truly means to work in a feminist, volunteer-driven organization committed to gender justice and survivor-centered care. My role focused on research and content creation which not only reinforced what I’ve learned as a DevCom student but proved to me that communication does help. It can create safer spaces, amplify marginalized voices, and bring forward conversations that are often overlooked.
A highlight was our Research on Menstrual Health and Dignity, where I spent hours digging through feminist literature at the UP Diliman Center for Women’s and Gender Studies Library and later at the UP Baguio Library. Although my focus was on perimenopause, menopause, and aging for women, I learned so much more about dignity, autonomy, and the broader struggles tied to menstrual health. Immersing myself in this topic through reading, writing, and hearing people’s stories gave me a deeper appreciation for the complexity of the issue. It also made me feel even more angry seeing up close the disparities and struggles that come with being a woman. But I am glad that women and other people are there to sources of comfort or karamay.
Beyond the outputs, one experience I deeply valued was #DearSurvivor, where I served as a documenter in a sharing circle. Working closely with a facilitator, I witnessed how holding space with care allows people to open up about their experiences and support one another. In this space, I applied everything I had learned from Lunas about using a language of care and sensitivity, ensuring that my notes and observations honored the stories being shared.
Another on-ground activity that was meaningful to me was the "Communicating with Care" workshop, where I learned how to create materials using a language of care. It directly helped in crafting our Help-Seeking content and guided us in using language and tone that offer support with compassion.
Overall, working with and within Lunas showed me how care is prioritized not only in words but also in practice. This community of care is a safe space. The organization’s care was evident in how they looked after our welfare and actively created space for co-creation. In this environment, consent wasn’t just a topic, it was embedded in how we worked together.
Writing about menstrual health tapped into the anger I’ve carried growing up over the unfairness of being a woman. I may not have all the answers yet, but as a development communicator, I know that I want to keep the conversations going and continue telling their stories.
