Looking for a wee bit of advice (TL;DR: worried about job options within education outside of teaching, feeling a little stuck)

Hello! I’m an Educational studies major, 2019 Grad in Memphis, and I’m a bit stuck + wondering if it’s universal or if I am looking for/at the wrong resources. My focus is on the sociological and economic aspects of education, so most of my job searching has been looking at non-profits or community based organizations that try to nurture and genuinely bring change or help to underfunded schools and students. I’ve been interning (unpaid) for a non-profit that teaches the civil rights movement and aspects of identity, but there hasn’t been any available positions anywhere for the year I’ve been there (and same goes for most other organizations/job boards). I’ve been wanting to go back and get a master’s degree and go into administration or maybe a more substantial position at a similar-minded non-profit, but every professor I’ve talked to has said getting into a school without drowning myself in debt would necessitate professional experience, but at the same time, professional experience necessitates more than a BA degree. I hate to blame political discourse about education, but it’s also been extremely disheartening that the exact thing I want to do in my career, which is to bring a pro-labor, pro-working class + POC education to students and communities, has a big red flag next to it with the whole CRT discourse here in the south. I wouldn’t mind licensure/teaching to get started, but I would need to do that outside of Memphis + I haven’t been able to find a position within my field that would allow me to save up funds for a move (but I’m pretty sure licensure wouldn’t transfer at all if I get it here in TN). The obvious go to is just to work in a restaurant until I save up enough, but I’ve worked in restaurants for 8 years of my 24, and it’s near impossible to not feel like I’m wasting my time if I’m not getting any professional experience in a field that I’ve already gotten my degree in. I guess I’m just feeling discouraged: there’s not really options here, but leaving means I need an option; more school necessitates a job, a job necessitates more school. Wondering if anyone else is in a similar position/if anyone knows any good resources or directions to go in. Thanks, and let me know if you have any questions too!

Submitted June 23, 2021 at 11:01AM by SnooSongs4529 https://ift.tt/35JKWPv