Making Connections
Today was Day 1 in New Orleans with Bear Breaks! We are focusing on community revitalization, which today focused on exchanging incandescent light bulbs for energy saving light bulbs with a group called Green Light. I was a tad nervous starting the day because I knew I would be interacting with a wide array of people, probably different than myself. While I didn’t feel very comfortable at the first two houses, I felt as if I finally made a connection at the third. The woman at the house was Hispanic and did not seem very comfortable until she learned that a few of us in the group also spoke Spanish. It was an incredibly enriching experience to see her immediately light up and feel more comfortable with the group. It was nice to feel as if I had made a difference in her day as well as relate to someone who I originally thought I wouldn’t have a lot in common with.
Keeping an Open Mind
I grew up in a small town where everyone looked pretty much the same. We mainly all had the same color skin and same socioeconomic status. One thing I realized while working today was the importance of keeping an open mind while meeting people. It is easy to revert back to stereotypes when uncomfortable, but when I tried to ignore these, I was able to try and see the beauty in each individual. I fortunately was able to interact with very different individuals today. As I continue on this trip, I am going to try and see people for who they are, not what their stereotype is because everyone has a story that is different and worth hearing.
-Cassidy Cunningham