February 06, 2009 - FIRST Person

LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth

FIRST Person

Yes, I Am in America (Part II) Further Reflections on Post-Katrina Outreach Efforts

It has been almost two years since I first ventured to Louisiana to volunteer for Hurricane Katrina recovery work. I expected to live and work for a week in Buras, Louisiana, a small fishing town, but instead ended up living and working in the thick of it all in the Lower 9th Ward of New Orleans. Back then, upon seeing the devastation and hard work that still needed to be done, I questioned whether I was actually in America. Today, after having been back three times, most recently working with the St Bernard Project (www.stbernardproject.com), I see things in a whole new light.

I have been volunteering most of my adult lifeeither as a Big Sister, mentoring youth, or working in a kitchen serving meals to the less fortunate. I almost took the efforts of my volunteer life for granted, not realizing the impact I was making as an out lesbian volunteering in various diverse communities. But, Hurricane Katrina changed that.

The first two times I worked in Louisiana, it was hard to get past my anger at the American government for what seemed its lack of help for the residents (not refugees). By my third trip, however, my anger had subsided and the focus of my energy was more on the families whose homes we were rebuilding.

Each morning, participating volunteers headed out to help with the recovery work. As we all labored side by sideBlack, White, Asian, Hispanic, gay, straight, young and oldI found myself thinkingTHIS is America.

In this one house, on this one street in St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, was a diverse group of folks representing exactly what America isa diverse melting pot of people who have all come together for one common purpose, who probably would never have otherwise interacted with each other. The beauty is the residents get it. They see volunteers working hard to help re-build their homestotal strangers from all walks of life, from all over the country. This is how stereotypes are destroyed, barriers broken. That, to me, is powerful.

That is how change takes place. And with this revelation, it dawned on me, if we, as gay Americans, want folks to see us in a different light, visibility is key.

In part, CAMP Rehoboth's mission is to seek cooperation and understanding from people and their efforts to build safe, inclusive communities with room for all. A new project to help this mission along is the "Volunteer on Vacation" program, which will be creating opportunities for residents and visitors to help forge change by volunteering in the local community. We will be starting soon to build a CAMP Rehoboth network of volunteers.

To echo the words of Harvey Milk, "I am here to recruit you!"

LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 19, No. 01 February 06, 2009