Today, we’d like to introduce you to Emily Feinstein.
Thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I started as a journalist, reporting for smaller weekly newspapers. After some time, I tried the corporate world and began doing technical writing for an online oil and gas newsletter. After realizing that the world was not for me, I decided to go off on my own and do freelance writing with a focus on feature articles and people/business profiles.
I explored the world of creative writing by participating in an intensive workshop and realized I needed much more practice in that realm! I paused most of my work to raise my babies (with the sporadic writing opportunity popping up here and there), and then my family moved to the south of France for my husband’s job for a two-year stint during the bulk of the pandemic. That is where I focused on acquiring a new language and began researching and writing a historical fiction based on my husband’s great uncle-after whom we named our son.
When we moved back to Houston, my professional life pivoted in a very unexpected way, and I ended up getting a full-time job at the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, where I took a role as a community engagement professional- creating and facilitating events and programs for young adults in the Jewish community. The key goal of this work is to identify and create a pipeline of new leaders in the community, who perpetuate its success both philanthropically as well as communally.
Although this seems like a drastic change from what I had done in the past, I found that much of the work was similar to that of writing an article. I interviewed and got to know several wonderful humans in the community, and rather than writing about them, I created a space for them and facilitated programs based on their interests and needs. Writing is still something I find myself doing on a daily basis, even if it only involves crafting emails or connecting one person with another.
I have found it to be a major asset in this role, and while I miss writing in more formal capacities, I know I will have opportunities down the road. I try to finish everything I start, and therefore, I plan to finish writing that historical fiction I began in France so that it can be passed down and known in our family for generations to come.
We all face challenges, but would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Is any road ever smooth? I wonder. It has not been smooth for me, but I have also been fortunate to have a supportive partner who has encouraged me to make the transitions, take the pauses, and pivot (even with less lucrative, non-profit paths) until I found what it was that made me happy and fulfilled professionally.
Making money to live was not something I had to worry about, so the bumps in the road that I experienced were never so terrible that I felt helpless. That being said, it is scary to feel “lost” and to be unsure of what the right next step is. I have been fired, and I have quit my job. I have been a stay-at-home mom, which was ultimately the hardest job I will ever know.
Each bump has led me to learn more about myself and get closer to finding what it is that makes me tick. Although smooth roads are ideal, it’s the bumps that help us build grit, character, and life experience and lead us to become our best, most authentic selves.
I appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I work in community engagement with Jewish young adults. The Minnette and Jerome Robinson Young Adult Division (YAD) is a division of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, whose mission is to fund and cultivate programs that strengthen the Jewish community.
On a simple level, I have been tasked with creating and facilitating events and programs that bring young adults together. These events range from being social to promoting social activism, professional networking, and volunteering. Through my work, I am able to identify emerging leaders who want to be involved with perpetuating the success of our community by making important decisions on various committees and boards, as well as those who are ready to step up with their philanthropic giving and give back to the community that they know and love.
When I began this job nearly 2 1/2 years ago, YAD had sadly disappeared. I was charged with bringing it back, revitalizing it, and making it relevant to our current young adult demographic. I am proud to say that not only is YAD back and thriving, but we have also proposed an expansion on several fronts, and this past Spring, we received a million-dollar gift from the Robinson family to bring our dreams to life of a bigger and better YAD. I was recently promoted to Engagement Manager, and as of this Monday, we have a new employee joining the YAD team as my direct report. The future is bright!
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I am a total risk taker. I don’t take risks immediately, though. I ponder on them and weigh the pros and cons thoroughly before acting upon them. All of what I consider to be successes that I am proud of in my current role are the direct result of a risk I took.
When I felt overwhelmed with my work portfolio, I listed out the parts that I signed up for and then pointed out all the other parts that ended up on my plate. This led me to ask for another staff member to distribute the workload more fairly. It took nearly a year from start to finish, but coming to my supervisor with this essential need was the catalyst for me acquiring an added teammate.
As we were determining this new employee’s salary, I did some research and discovered that I was not making the amount of money I felt I deserved, so I took the risk and proposed a new salary to my supervisor, who then took the inquiry up the chain of command, which eventually resulted in my recent promotion. None of these risks were easy to take. However, they were necessary if I wanted to remain in my position without resentment or disappointment.
Taking risks means advocating for yourself and believing that you can do so much more than you historically thought you could. All too often we wait around for people to recognize our hard work and reward us for it, however, that is not realistic given how much each individual (including those above us) is striving to achieve their own goals. We have to go after what we want. It’s not up to anyone but ourselves to create our own happiness.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: instagram.com/ebfeinstein
- Facebook: facebook.com/ebfeinstein
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-feinstein/
