Confessions of a Free Agent

Warrenetta Banks, Office Manager at the Lower Ninth Ward Center for Sustainable Engagement & Development, asked me to write something for the community's monthly newsletter. Here goes:

Whenever I meet someone new in New Orleans, they can usually tell from my accent that I am not a local. They almost immediately ask: “Well…what are you doing here?!” I am consistently delighted that the only answer I have to offer is this: “I’m a volunteer – I’m here to help.”

It’s an answer that is always greeted by a big smile, and often by an even bigger hug. The warmth of every welcome is a gift, and I have received so many of these gifts since arriving in the Crescent City. These gifts are the reasons why I came in the first place. When friends and family in New York and Los Angeles asked me why I was heading south to New Orleans, I responded: “To give as many hugs as possible!”

I am twenty-six years old. I am blessed to be at a turning point in my career as a business manager with adequate savings to sustain me for awhile. After traveling for six months in South America, Europe, and across the United States, I felt a very strong calling to engage in public service by directly connecting with people who need help. These connections will prepare my heart to make good decisions about how to spend the rest of my career. I ask myself: "What are my strengths, and how can I apply them in ways that create peace, joy and fulfillment in my life?" Invariably, I cannot have those things unless I am participating in the creation of peace, joy and fulfillment in the lives of other people.

Without fail, the second question that everyone asks me is: “What organization are you volunteering with?” My response is unconventional, and my unlikely path makes this experience so much fun. By answering in this way, I am maximizing both my impact on the city and the personal growth that I experience during my stay: “With no organization in particular…I am a free agent!”

When embarking on this journey, I reasoned that a parent non-profit organization should not need to incur the costs of administrating me. I am capable of managing my own calendar. I have an inquisitive mind and enjoy reading blogs and surfing the web. I have been learning about a number of wonderful initiatives. My car provides mobility, and so often I just show up at a volunteer office with a smile, extend my hand, and say “how can I help?” I understand the importance of networking and community building, and so I strive to introduce myself to as many people as possible. Referrals through people who I meet at community meetings are providing some of my most enriching experiences.

I have been in New Orleans for three weeks and have donated my time thus far to the St. Joseph Rebuild Center, Green Light New Orleans, Common Ground Relief, the Holy Cross Neighborhood Association, the St. Bernard Project, Blanket New Orleans, and the MRGO Must Go Coalition. It is fascinating to see how grassroots community organizers are turning this city around and making life better for themselves and their neighbors. It is inspiring and enlivening to watch and participate in this process. Along the way, you have made me feel welcome as one of your neighbors. I am so blessed to have had every warm smile, wave, and embrace that you have given. I feel your faith running through my blood and know that this city will always be a place that I consider home. My hug tally is off the charts.