Cues

Something I have recognized is that I have to be invited into the community and that I do not understand the circumstances of the people living in the community. No matter how much I have an understanding of the area that there is definitely much more for me to learn. I picked up that me being a white man coming from a privileged background working in a community where most of the community members we work with are older black women, that I could not just push myself into the community. That I should do less talking and more listening and enter the community if invited. I think that is really the only appropriate way to enter a community, and my boss certainly agreed.

I have picked up with the Sierra Club, and specifically with my boss Rhonda, that we help the community when asked to help. We do not make decisions for the community, we supply the community with the necessary information so they can make informed decisions. Also this is not necessarily a cue that I have noticed, but there are no people below the age of thirty at our meetings with community members and rarely are the people attending not women. Is that a sign that women are more interested in public health and the general well being of the community they live, I do not know, but it is interesting. There is a drive to include more young people in the process, it is a matter of outreach though. I feel though that when younger people start coming the majority will be women. There is a pervasive feeling of wanting to do something, a call to action, everyone is motivated to change things. I feel that what I am getting from working at my site and everything that entails without a doubt is greater than anything I can contribute to the site. I am just extremely thankful for all of the people in the community and at work for allowing me to be there.