ASB Reflections

Posted on

ASB Newark, NJ 2013!

Hey all! It’s hard to believe it’s already the 5th evening of my ASB Jersey trip! Over the past few days, my team (“Team Rocket”) and I focused on doing demolition work at a church (and a bit at a house as well). It was a good learning experience for me, since I have never really done real physical work in my life. We were scraping dry wall off of walls, tearing down ceilings, ripping nails out of wood…I guess you might say we were beating up the building. It was a lot of fun once I got into it, and it was the kind of work where you got to see the results immediately after finishing it. The church and house we were working at had suffered significant damage during Hurricane Sandy, and I found it quite sad how even months after the incident they were still in shambles. However, it was good to know that we were making a difference by helping out. Of course, we wouldn’t have been able to get as much done as we did without having a great team! I never would have thought that so much work went into destruction!

Well, that’s just about it. Tomorrow we’re off to NYC for a free day, so the work of the trip is done. It has been great getting to know my teammates, as well as giving a   hand to the Sandy relief efforts (they were really able to benefit from our help!). I wanted to do “something different” this spring  break, and I’m glad that I signed up for ASB!

Posted on

ASB TEAM JERSEY OFFICIAL DAY 4

It’s our last day here with the kids. We’re going to NYC tomorrow to relax and chill out. Today was just plain chaotic, haha. I was going crazy! We went to help United Way organize and sort clothing in the morning and there about 40 boxes of clothing that needed to be sorted through by size and gender. We had so so SO many orange blazers and black jeans lol. It was ridiculous. I never folded so many clothes in my life before!!!

We did an Easter Hunt with the kids in the afternoon. They were really happy when they found their eggs :) We also gave them supplies to decorate their own Easter Bags to put their eggs in. I met a wonderful kid today. He plays the drums so so SO well! He’s going to be famous one day, haha. He’s such a nice and sweet kid too.

One kid hugged me and cried today!! She didn’t want us to leave and she wouldn’t let me go…The kids here are so sweet and I hope that during the past few days, we made a difference in their lives. I’ll always remember my ASB NJ experience

Lastly, I love all my new friends and my ASB Lafayette Team! You guys are absolutely awesome and we better have reunions when we get back to Lafayette :)

Kiyah, Marisa, Mary, Kerri-Ann, Damilare, Taylor, Kelly, & Kate — <3 you all!!

Posted on

ASB Newark

Today was my third (and final) day of working at the Boys and Girls Club of Newark, New Jersey, and I am not looking forward to leaving. On the first day of the trip, I was a bit apprehensive. I’ve always been shy and I was worried about bonding with my team and making friends with the other volunteers. I was also nervous that I wouldn’t know what to do with the kids, or that I wouldn’t be able to hold a conversation with any of them. After the first day, all of my fears were relieved. The kids were fantastic, and I already felt like I was bonding with my Lafayette ASB team and the other volunteers. My patience was tested in more ways than one, but overall, it was a learning experience and a fantastic day.

During my second day, I felt like I really bonded more with the children. I saw some familiar faces and met some new kids. Overall, I felt more comfortable then I did the day before. I had a better idea of what to expect and got the gist of how the program is run. I was able to hold meaningful conversations with a lot of the kids and give them reassurance and positive encouragement that they didn’t seem to be getting from many other people in their lives. I got to talk to more of the kids who I hadn’t gotten the chance to speak with the day before, and by the end of the day, I had a nickname…”2 Chainz.”  I got to play pool, paint in the art room, and get destroyed in multiple arcade games. I also felt more comfortable being myself and opening up to other volunteers, both from Lafayette and from other places.

Yesterday, I got the chance to do a different type of service. I spent the day on Staten Island doing Hurricane Sandy relief work through the organization Tunnels to Towers. The story behind the founding of this organization was truly inspirational. I spent the day putting up sheet rock for the walls of the home of an 82 year old woman whose home was completely destroyed by the storm. It was amazing to see the damage that was done. Windows were shattered, debris was still everywhere, and tops of miscellaneous houses were in others’ backyards. It was amazing to see the damage that was done and to hear stories about how little aid some families and individuals were offered. I’m very glad I got the chance to experience something a little bit different.

I am very sad that today was my last day of service. I absolutely loved this week. I’ve built so many relationships with people. I’m so glad I got to bond with the children and hear about their experiences. I’m also so happy that I got to know my ASB team so well and make friends with new people who I wouldn’t have met if it weren’t for this experience.

Posted on

Boys and Girls Club

The children of Boys and Girls Club in Newark, New Jersey are beautiful! They are so vibrant, creative, and smart. For the majority of my trip I worked in the Art Room helping kids paint, draw, and create projects. Since the Boys and Girls Club is severely under funded, the kids don’t usually get to do individualized activities. For example, since there is one art teacher, the kids are not able to paint since one person can not handle 10 kids with paint. I worked with 3 other volunteers in the Art Room, which gave the children equal opportunity to have one of us assist and talk to them for awhile. I’m really humbled that I got to meet such great kids because despite the issues that there neighborhood is experiencing, they are so joyful. There are some kids, however, that do like to fight and are very shy due to the lack of affection and care they get at home. It was easier to bond with some kids than others for this reason. Overall, I the kids that I worked with made my day and changed my life; I can only hope that I did the same.

Posted on

ASB Jersey

I love these kids. They are the cutest little creatures I have ever seen. From the day I met them I knew that Thursday evening would be one of the hardest days of my life because I was leaving them.

Thursday specifically, I felt so great about myself because I solved a conflict between a brother and a sister. Isiah, 9, secretly took his sisters’ Iyana’s ,8, diary and read it to a group of boys. Iyana was really upset with her brother and was walking around the club very sad. I simply asked her what was wrong and she told me all about it.

With techniques I used at home I got both of the of the kids to talk it out, to hug, and to apologize to each other. I felt very accomplished because earlier in the day, Isiah told me that he usually handles problems by fighting, and I had the ability and patience to show him and alternative way to solve issues.

Thursday was great thanks to Iyana and Isiah.

Posted on

Day 1 with the Western NC Alliance

Today we learned specifically about the coal ash problem and several methods for engaging the public, such as canvassing. In the morning, Rachel told us about the history of the Western North Carolina Alliance (WNCA), which was founded 30 years ago. Next, we were given information about how coal ash affects the environment and human health, and we went through a workshop on how to make our voices hear, specifically by writing letters to the editor and to our local PA representative, Rep. Cartwright. Pennsylvania is actually one of the largest coal ash producers, and there are 3 coal ash ponds in Norhampton County (where Lafayette College is located). Hopefully we’ll actually mail these letters once we’re back on campus since 10 concerned constituents would make a statement to Rep Cartwright.

After a quick lunch, we started canvassing. We drove and walked around Arden Community (where the Ashville Power Station is located) to educate affected citizens about the potential harm and what can be done to solve it. Specifically, WNCA is working to make sure the EPA requires coal ash ponds like the one in Ashville to be dried, capped, and lined so that toxic pollutants would not percolate through groundwater or be spread by wind. Secondly, we were working to get the EPA to more strictly regulate treated coal ash slurry that is discharged to the French Broad River. Though the discharged water is permitted by the EPA, there aren’t actually and limits on the concentrations of those toxic pollutants in the discharged water. Many people mistakenly interpreted our mission as trying to shut down the coal plant and/or all coal plants, and they were frustrated about where energy would come from if not from coal. In reality, our goal was to make the plant more responsible for their impacts on the environment, just as any other industry (landfills, wastewater treatment, etc.) does.

After spreading literature, we took a quick break and returned to the WNCA to start phone banking. We would be calling up the Arden Community members who received flyers to make a more personal connection because studies show that making a these connections leads to better community involvement. Most of the group was nervous about calling up strangers about an issue we were still learning about, but as Sandra Diaz (one of the WNCA coordinator) said, we were practically experts on the issue compared to the general public.

Most people did not pick up the phone, but there were a few outliers. I personally got both ends of the spectrum. After mentioning some facts about the toxic pollutants that could be contaminating the groundwater and surface water, one person said that he didn’t care what the power plant did so long as he still had power. Another person I contacted was on the other end of the spectrum; he thanked me for my efforts and encouraged me to continue, saying that he was confused as to why the industry had been regulated so little for so long a time period.

Compared to GO, WNCA took a more factual approach to gaining community involvement, which our ASB group responded to with a mixed approach. Some people thought that Dwayne, Marilyn, and Anthony’s deeply personal and emotional approach to activism was more effective, but through phone calls and literature drops, we also found that some people were more passionate about concrete facts. We decided that a mixed approach is ultimately the most effective route for reaching our goals and talked about how to have such an approach in our reorientation project.

Posted on

ASB TEAM JERSEY OFFICIAL DAY 3

Oh my god! I can’t believe that it’s day 3 already. Time really goes by so fast when you’re having the most fun :) When I told the part time staff that I really appreciated all their hard work for these kids and how impressed I am, I knew I had made their day. I really give them a lot of credit for working with these kids [150 kids and 3 full and 4 part time staff?! — that’s insane]. They told me that for some of these kids, lunch is the only meal they get to eat every day. I was so sad when I heard that. I got close with one particular kid and she became very attached to me [she wouldn’t even let me go get lunch lolol] But she started crying after I came back from lunch because she said she was hungry and she didn’t have anything to eat. Then the staff brought them some pizza, chicken, and bread and they ate happily. Piecing the its and bits of information that they tell me together, I can tell that they come from complicated family backgrounds. I want to be a role model for these kids and I realize that what we’re doing right now, giving them attention and inspiring them, might be a turning point in their life.

I spent most of my day working and organizing the art room with Kelly & Mary. It was very difficult to organize because there was just so much stuff!! But as a team, we worked hard and the room looked beautiful in the end :) I want the kids to feel happy and know that they can find their own art supplies without making a big mess, haha. One kid painted a drawing for me yesterday. I’m going to hang it on my wall :)

Big Shout Out to my ASB NJ Team again :) You guys are the best and together, we made so many new friends here and our bonds get stronger and stronger every day :)

Posted on

Best Friends Forever and Always…and Forever

Today I made a new best friend, Mutt Mutt. Mutt Mutt is the sweetest, most beautiful golden pup I ever laid my eyes on. While talking to Matt Matt our contractor, Mutt Mutt the dog bounded towards me through the snowy Appalachians, weaving in and out of the trees leaping right into my arms. The moment our eyes met, I knew we were meant for each other. Mutt Mutt was so full of energy greeting each and every one of us with life and vigor, while we were putting the finishing touches on the tornado proof porch. At the end of the day, we tried to walk Mutt Mutt back to his home, but he wouldn’t have any of it. He came racing back down the gravel strewn trail chasing our vans as we drove off into the sunset. I will never forget you Mutt Mutt, you are my best friend forever and always…and forever.

“Every lie is built on a kernel of truth.”

Posted on

Last day with GO!

Today was our second day of service and we continued our work with Green Opportunities and the inspiring DeWayne Barton. We started out the morning with DeWayne explaining his reasons for starting the organization and how after hearing neighborhood kids shooting guns near his house, he knew he had to create real change. He decided the only way to create that change was through the help of the community and  working through grassroots movements. After unveiling more of DeWayne’s very complex and mysterious character our team went back to GO headquarters and got a tour of the Reed Community Center.

The Community Center is being built by community workers, using green materials, and is going to be used as a training center for community workers. Following DeWayne back to the Peace Garden, he pulled over to the side of the road and got out of the car to talk to us. He saw a renovated community building that contracted to outside workers instead of employing one of the 22% of unemployed members of the community of Asheville. DeWayne was clearly still outraged that this had occurred and that the town had allowed outsiders to come take jobs that could have been given to members of the community to assist their own community. This outraged man has more passion and loyalty to a community than I have ever seen in my life.

At GO headquarters we also spoke to Anthony, a GO employee and leader who helped incarcerated individuals get back on their feet and back to work. He spoke to us about the importance of community and the importance of finding people sustainable jobs.

We visited the Pisgah Community Garden and talked to a few members of the GO Training Team (GOTT). They were chasing chickens and planting seeds. Intrigued by working with actual members, myself and a few other members of our team stayed at this garden, while others spent the day back at the Burton Community Peace Garden with DeWayne, creating art and tightening up the space. The rest of us stayed to help the GOTT in the community garden. I chose to shovel dirt for the new crops. The rest of our team that was in the garden went to plant seeds, I shoveled with eight GO members and got to talk to them one-on-one. We joked, and laughed and broke a sweat getting to know each other in the cold weather. I talked to them about their lives, many of them under the age of 24 and already with children. They talked about the importance of making a steady income and how there are certain standards they follow at work like no sagging pants and no using your phone. They also talked about their love and dedication to DeWayne. There was a distinct type of loyalty and appreciation that they all seemed to have for him. DeWayne had even explained that once you joined GO, you were family.

Reconvening at the Peace Garden after a hard days work I got to walk around and see the art my team members created. The garden that once seemed kind of creepy and unwelcoming now seemed like a place to learn and reflect and call home. I was surprised that DeWayne had invited the input of our team members to create entire pieces of art in his garden. It was touching that he had that kind of trust in us. After talking to him about community movements and particularly about his opinions regarding the Iraqi War, I no longer questioned his work, instead embracing his every idea and helping in the Peace Garden as much as I could even in our last half hour there.

Saying goodbye to DeWayne and to GO was difficult. While I am eager to canvas and to work with another grassroots movement in a completely different way, I know that I will never have another experience like the one I had with DeWayne and with Green Opportunities.

Our team had a fantastic reflection and really seemed to have a better sense of resolution after last nights discussion of confusion and conflict. Our team seems to be getting a long a lot better too, bonding well and laughing a lot. I am shocked that it is already half over. I love Sweet Peas Hostile and adore the city of Asheville. While I will be sad to leave this town I have begun to call home, I am also eager to bring back some of these ideas to Lafayette and to Easton. I would love to inspire individuals in Easton to work towards sustainable jobs through the impact of artwork and community works.

Posted on

Understanding GO

Our second day of service proved to be a whirlwind of activities that kept us constantly moving throughout the day. After breakfast and bundling up for the day (it’s been around 30 degrees out and snowing down here), we headed out for another day of service with DeWayne and Green Opportunities. Around 9 am, we headed back to DeWayne’s peace garden, where he gave us a brief overview of how GO got started. The organization, and the peace garden in particular, was started in response to the number of youth in the community who were dealing drugs on the streets. DeWayne wanted to provide these kids with a more positive job opportunity, so he set out with the process of developing GO to help provide training and job placement for underprivileged community members.

Our knowledge of GO was expanded by a tour of the WC Reid Center, a building with big plans related to GO which is currently under construction. The center was originally a school and later became a community center in the seventies as a result of desegregation. Because of a lack of funding for necessary renovations, there were plans to tear down this center. The combined efforts of GO and the Housing Authority saved the center, which is now being renovated. Once we were fitted with neon green hardhats, we were taken on a tour of the center and filled in on its intended use. GO plans to use this center, slated for completion in June 2014, as its new headquarters. Office space and program training rooms are the key features of this building, which will allow for GO to continue its mission of training community members for green jobs within the community.

As we walked through the center, I personally could envision what the completion of this building would provide for the organization. After hearing about the difficulties that GO has in finding space to train its members, I could understand why they needed this space in order to continue their mission. I felt that I connected with this construction site in a way I had struggled to in DeWayne’s peace garden. This building was a more tangible way for me to understand the goals and future of GO as an organization, while DeWayne’s garden was a more individualized, artistic method of connecting with individuals in the community.

Our tour ended with conversations with GO office staff Anthony, DeWayne, and Marilyn, where we learned about the differences between the various programs GO has to offer. They train members in weatherization of buildings, culinary arts, sustainable gardening/agriculture, and other programs as well. Some of this training comes with nationally recognized certifications, which can be used to find stable jobs for these GO members. We got to meet some of these GO members on our visit to the Pisgah View garden, a second community garden in the area. This space was more focused on vegetable gardening rather than the elaborate sculptures of DeWayne’s peace garden. It was really interesting and enlightening to meet community members undergoing the GO training we’d been learning about, and I really appreciated the chance to see the program in action.

After lunch (which we enjoyed back in DeWayne’s garden), our group split into various projects. Some members continued with spreading mulch throughout the garden, while others worked on creating and/or altering existing sculptures. I was part of the group that returned to the Pisgah View garden, where we assisted in laying down fresh soil for planting, harvesting some of the vegetables, and weeding the existing vegetable beds. As for the group members who stayed at DeWayne’s garden, they met another man named Jonathan Santo who came to visit the garden and played music for the group. He even gave us a CD of his music, which allowed for the other half of the group to experience his work.

Our reflection tonight allowed us to decompress from the multitude of experiences we shared today. To summarize all of the conversations we had would take all the space available on this blog! Overall, though, I feel that we got a better understanding of the community that benefits from GO and the peace garden. By learning about the situations the community faces and how they’re related to environmental sustainability, I feel that we were better able to understand GO’s mission and how they go about accomplishing it. I greatly enjoyed our service today and will be saddened to leave GO, as we are volunteering with another organization for the rest of our time in Asheville. I’m looking forward to the new set of experiences we’ll get to encounter in the next two days of our service.