Last Service Learning Day

Thursday was my last day working at NGR as a service learner. I had pulled an all-nighter wednesday night to write a paper and I was pretty loopy. I spent some time harvesting arugula and green onions at the Wise Words Community Garden, and then I spent some time packing and labeling things for the baskets. Brock (the executive director) ordered the Nola Green Roots veggie pizza from PizzaCare for us for lunch and it was soooo good. It had beets, arugula, pesto and some other stuff on it. If your ever in the mood for a good pizza hit up Pizzacare on Tulane they are big supporters of NGR and get their veggies from us. Anyways, I told them I would be happy to continue volunteering for them when I can, and off course I am an official member and get my basket full of fruits and veggies twice a month. Two new people had just been hired during my last week and I think the organization finally found some people who will fit in nicely and do some good stuff (they had some turnover issues during this semester). That's really all I suppose. Going to write my paper now! Woohoo!

Frustration

I don't know about you guys, but often times I have felt a bit frustrated with my service learning site because I feel as though they expect way more out of me than I can really provide, especially with having a full time job, trying to make ends meet, and going to school full time as well. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE the work that I have done this semester and feel as though I have truly made a difference, but I have often times been overwhelmed with the expectations that have been placed on my shoulders.

I went in knowing that I was going to be "Coordinator of Computer Literacy" for the semester, but the job description wasn't necessarily thoroughly thought out nor discussed. At times, when I felt lost, I feel as though students (as well as other volunteers who I was overseeing) would get frustrated with me because I may not have known something, thus causing me to become frustrated with myself and, at times, with those who run the organization. Over time, I have become much more chilled out and comfortable with my job and that frustrates me too only because it's nearing the end of my time there and I FINALLY got the hang of everything.

Oh well, I guess it's a working progress for all, but this has definitely taught me to be much more patient and open-minded. As I've said before, despite frustrations, I will definitely miss working with my incredible students.

Peace.

Deck the shelves

NGR is on its way to opening a store at its main offices where it will sell plants, fresh fruits and vegetables, and homemade food items such as tarragon infused olive oils, pestos, and hibiscus tea. I am very interested to see what happens when the store opens. I feel like the market the store is going to appeal to are the yuppy hippies (like me, I mean lets admit it). And so they will be buying things, supporting the mission of the non-profit, which is getting fresh foods into neighborhoods that desperately need it. This model for non-profits, self-sustaining, is definitely a good one in these days of decrease donations and fierce competition for grants. But I would also be interested to see, because of its location and the ED's connection with the community, if the store builds a consumer base of the low-income residents of the New Orleans neighborhoods plagued by food deserts. I am sure it will end up a mixture of both, as the coop in the marigny is becoming. And this mixture may be the most important thing that comes out of these types of ventures; bringing together people of different means, different beliefs, races etc.

Gender Socialization and "Sexualization"

I wanted to share this article with you all. Studying gender is another academic interest of mine. Recently I was doing some research with a professor on the "sexualization of girl's clothing" from the early 1990s until present day. I came across this article which discusses the sexualization of toys. Cuuuh-razzzy!

http://www.beautyredefined.net/my-sexy-little-pony-how-toddlers-are-taught-sex-appeal/

Update

So, things are still going fairly well at my service learning site. I am continuing to love the daily interactions with my students, as they always have new stories to tell me. I had a conversation with a lady who migrated from Scotland to the United States in the 1940s and how she quickly adjusted to being "white" in America. I think yall may know this already, but my passion is learning and discussing race, racism, and white privilege in America and it was just interesting to hear someone explain to me how you "become white" in the United States. We went on to discuss her experiences witnessing (not necessarily first hand) the Civil Rights Movement (I obviously told her my academic interests which is why this discussion started in the first place). She vividly remembers hearing about Little Rock Nine, MLK's "I Have a Dream" speech, sit ins, Montgomery Bus Boycott, etc.

It was interesting to hear about this from someone who is not a person of color (or a white person) because I don't often hear the opinions and feelings whites might have about this since today race is not considered an issue anymore (read Tim Wise's "Colorblind" or "White Like Me" and it'll deeper into the belief that race is no longer an issue and is a thing of the past). She made it a point to let me know that she was for racial integration-- mainly because she's religious and believes that God made everyone to be equal and have the same rights. We went on to talk about Ruby Bridges and the things she witnessed during that time as well.

There are ALWAYS interesting conversations at IWCC and I am really going to miss interacting with these awesome individuals on a regular basis.

See yall tomorrow!

If ONLY work ethic was the problem...

Check this out.

http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2011/12/newt-and-trump-announce-will-turn-poor-children-into-apprentices.php?ref=fpnewsfeed

Nonprofit Frustrations

Like I always say, I love working at the Hope Lodge, and volunteering there has really made me feel like I could work at a place like this one day! But like any work place and organization there are some frustrations. I have also learned that when you're working with a nonprofit, especially one that is national or global and more corporation-like, there comes with it more rules to follow, and red tape to keep you from doing what you really think is best for the people you serve. For example, the Hope Lodge is just one of many Hope Lodges around the world that are funded and run by the American Cancer Society. This is great in so many ways, but it also means that more and more rules are made and enforced in order to avoid running into problems.

One of the biggest events is the annual Homecoming, which is a gathering of present and past guests to have a night of great service, a nice dinner, and entertainment. People work so hard to make it happen for the guests (which are usually around 100 people), and one of the most anticipated parts is the Silent Auctions. Businesses and other donors love to give nice items and every year they send the items months in advance, specifically for the silent auction. But sadly, this year, even after many people have already donated items, ACS has said we can't do the silent auction because it's technically raising money on Hope lodge property, which isn't allowed because it is a non-profit. I understand the restriction, but it's still frustrating that something people love to give to and what guests look forward to every year can't happen because of a silly rule. I'm sure my view is flawed in some ways, and I'm sorry if this sounds bitter, it's just something I've observed and I wanted to share it.