Social Impact Internships: Sanjith Udupa (’28)
Bridging Gaps: My Internship Experience at Four Corners Main Streets
My name is Sanjith, and I am a freshman studying Course 6. During IAP, I worked as a Website and Branding Intern at Four Corners Main Streets, a nonprofit supporting small immigrant-owned businesses in Dorchester, Boston. My role focused on helping these businesses develop a digital presence through website templates and comprehensive guides while also providing resources on leveraging AI for multilingual communication.
Addressing Inequities in Small Business Development
A central issue motivating my work was economic and technological inequity for immigrant-owned businesses. Many small businesses in Dorchester face structural disadvantages, including language barriers, limited access to digital tools, and difficulties navigating financial aid due to visa or documentation constraints. Four Corners Main Streets works to revitalize the neighborhood by helping these businesses modernize and thrive.
Through this opportunity, I was able to bring together my interest in technology and my desire to work on something meaningful. My primary deliverables were creating a step-by-step guide for building an online presence via website creation and a comprehensive guide on using AI to assist with business operations, particularly for overcoming language barriers. These resources were designed to be accessible and easily translatable, ensuring that business owners could apply them regardless of their technical or cultural background. This experience broadened my understanding of how technology, when applied thoughtfully, can have a real-world impact on economic stability and community resilience.
Strategies for Social Change and Racial Justice
Four Corners Main Streets employs a community-first approach to social change, focusing on economic empowerment and advocacy. They work directly with business owners to tailor solutions that preserve cultural identity while ensuring modern accessibility. One key challenge I observed was the delicate balance between providing assistance and maintaining business owners’ sense of independence. Some required hands-on help, while others resisted external intervention to retain ownership over their growth.
Additionally, my experience highlighted racial and cultural dynamics that affect business interactions. Dorchester is home to diverse communities, including Haitian, Dominican, Latino, and Vietnamese populations, and historical tensions sometimes surface in business environments. Four Corners fosters racial justice by encouraging cross-cultural collaboration and creating neutral spaces where business owners can collectively work toward shared economic success. This has given me a deeper appreciation for how nonprofits address systemic challenges beyond just financial aid.
Lessons from Community Engagement
One of the most impactful moments of my internship was when my fellow intern and I spent a morning in Dorchester handing out free snacks, coffee, and resources to local residents. The early wake-up, long commute, and cold weather were small prices to pay for the opportunity to engage with community members on a personal level. These interactions reinforced the human aspect of our work—understanding the real struggles behind the statistics and reports.
This experience also taught me the value of listening. While I came in with technical skills and a problem-solving mindset, my most meaningful contributions stemmed from learning directly from the people we were trying to help. Having an impact is not just about implementing solutions; it was about co-creating them with the community.
Connections to My Future Work
This experience gave me a chance to see how my skills in technology could be applied in a way that benefits people directly. While I’ve always enjoyed working on technical projects, this internship allowed me to think more about how technology intersects with real-world problems. I now have a stronger interest in developing tools that prioritize accessibility and equity, not as a guiding mission, but because I see the value and impact they can have.
Beyond technical skills, this experience has strengthened my ability to approach problems from multiple perspectives. Whether in future internships, research, or entrepreneurial endeavors, I will carry forward the lessons of balancing innovation with empathy, ensuring that technology serves as a bridge rather than a barrier.
Final Thoughts
My time at Four Corners Main Streets has been an invaluable learning experience, expanding my understanding of how community-driven efforts can drive social change. It reaffirmed that MIT’s mission extends far beyond its campus, and that meaningful impact often starts at the grassroots level. I leave this internship not only with tangible work but also with a deeper appreciation for collaboration, resilience, and intentionality in social impact work.
Tags: IAP 2025, Social Impact Internships, Social Impact Internships 2025, Social Impact Internships IAP 2025, Tech for Good
