Michael Fernandez
(My apologies, I just found out this tragic news)
Cassandra was my mentor while I was interning at Palladium in the summer of 2024. I was extremely lucky to be paired with her. I could share my curiosities about MEL work and also ask everything about being queer while working in the international development sector. Cassandra was so receptive to all the small rambles I gave her. She did everything she could to make me understand new concepts I was learning. And she supported me in all the improvements I was making along the way in my internship. She made me feel like I belonged in that career path.
I am still processing this loss of life. I started looking at my notes from all the one-on-one sessions we had. She shared so much for me to apply into my professional and personal spheres that I'll continue to cherish. Thank you so much, Cassandra. Rest in peace.