Get to know ACLU of WV Administrative Assistant Rose Winland. We recently sat down with Rose to learn more about her background and why she decided to join team #ACLUWV. Below is our Q and A.
Tell us a little bit about your background.
My family moved to West Virginia from Ohio when I was a young adult and I’ve been here ever since. I noticed the warmth, openness and creative spirit of West Virginians right away and it immediately became home for me. I love West Virginia!
As a young adult I earned an associate’s degree in legal assisting, but was quickly offered an interesting opportunity in advertising and marketing, which I adored.
A bit later, for roughly 15 years, I co-owned and operated a small family photography business. When the last recession hit, I returned to college to complete my bachelor’s degree in Communications/Public Relations and joined a small Charleston advertising firm for several years. While I loved the work, I found myself longing to use my talents and skills towards the causes I cared most about. To that end, as a woman who chose to exercise my legal right to abortion, I became involved in supporting West Virginia’s reproductive rights organizations and began to get to know – and deeply respect - the work ACLU-WV was doing by association. That’s when I set my sights on finding an opportunity to join the staff.
I’m very excited to get my foot in the door and looking forward to learning and growing into a valuable member of the team.
What about the ACLU of WV’s mission most resonates with you?
In addition to women’s reproductive rights, I'm also passionate about equal rights and protections for minorities. I have been privileged to grow in several distinctly different cultural communities; in my early youth, I had friends and neighbors from a variety of social, ethnic, and religious backgrounds; during my high school years, I attended high school with a 100% Caucasian/Christian student body; and later, in my college years, I attended West Virginia State University, an HBCU in Institute, WV. These differing communities gave me an insight into systemic bias and an opportunity to develop a deep empathy for a variety of cultures, life experiences, and perspectives.
I am also blessed to love several family members and friends who identify as gay, lesbian and transgender.
Thus, one of the primary reasons I was drawn to ACLU of West Virginia was that the organization provides representation to historically under-represented minority populations.
What are you most looking forward to about being Administrative Assistant?
I hope to find ways to streamline internal processes, procedures, and communications so that our small team is as nimble and effective as possible. Also, as a natural nurturer, I hope to evolve into something of an office mom, jumping in to offer support whenever and where ever it is needed.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I love spending time with my two young adults, who are both (in my humble opinion) beautiful, brilliant, and (added bonus) hilarious.
I'm a news junkie. (My dad says I care too much, but I think I care exactly the right amount.)
I love to sing, and can sometimes be found behind a karaoke microphone doing my best Amy Winehouse. (She’s my spirit animal of music.)
Occasionally I find myself in front of a camera for local film productions.
Halloween has always been my favorite holiday, but I will use any excuse to don a costume and play with make-up!