On my first blog post, I wrote about what community was to me. I said that on a micro level, I believe community is about belonging. I read a scholarly article stating that students who feel like they belong in their environment are more likely to succeed in their education. It is important that people feel like they have a place in the world. On a macro level, community is about survival as people come together and try to improve their lives by helping each other with the resources available. The only issue here is that some communities don’t have all the tools required to live sustainably. I still stand by these words.
After working with SDEV and DECREP, I saw how the community is about uplifting each other. At SDEV, we care about people we have never met before and that is beautiful. I have evolved because now I understand what goes into community service and it is truly a lot of passion. I would have to say that helping the community this summer did meet my expectations of reality. Although, I did not anticipate meeting such amazing people which I will be forever grateful for.
I just wanted to say thank you to all the fellows and Ray for being so amazing!
Hey Totti,
I am so glad you found your experience to be fulfilling. I too believe that community is about lifting up our neighbors, even if we don’t know them. Community is interpersonal, and beautiful to be apart of. Congratulations on nearing the end!
Totti!! can I just say I adore you? you inspire me to work harder and look at things though a more genuine lense. I am so glad I met you and we were assigned to the same site :;)
Totti,
I really resonate with your macro- level definition of community; connecting one another with resources is what HOPE Village (and communities throughout Detroit) is all about.
Your speech at the symposium was inspiring to me, I can tell that your work at SDEV was truly impactful.