William and Mary
Melody Porter
Melody Porter

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Associate Director, Office of Community Engagement

Privilege at the Dinner Table

November 15, 2012 by

Thanks to the initiative of my colleague Elizabeth Miller, some of us in the Office of Community Engagement – and others across campus – are joining in a Food Stamp Challenge.  That means that we’ve committed to eating on a budget of $4.31 per person per day, which aligns with the budget we’d have if we were receiving SNAP benefits, commonly known as food stamps.

While I’ve done similar activities before, I’m particularly aware this year of some of my privileges that this exercise is exposing, and I want to share them with you.

Privilege #1: The choice

I should acknowledge that the first privilege I’m deeply aware of is that I’m choosing this activity.  Especially as I talk with people about it, I am aware that an exercise like this could be seen more as a weird form of poverty tourism – reality TV with food stamps! – rather than an act of solidarity.  And so I write this with awareness that my choice to undertake this challenge ultimately only has power and dignity if I can learn something, share something, and take action to build a better food system for all.

Privilege #2: Supporting local food systems

In my first day of the Challenge, I was composing a shopping list for potato soup: potatoes, milk, cheese and a few carrots.  Because of my interest in contributing to a thriving local food system, I typically would buy local versions of each of these things in my charming little locally-owned grocery store.  And I’d pay for it. Local stuff isn’t always more expensive, but at $3.49 for 10 pounds, mass-produced potatoes from Idaho on sale at the Kroger are probably less than what I would have found from a farm around the corner.  Kroger brand cheddar – also on sale – would also be cheaper than anything I’d find from an artisan Virginia cheese maker.  All of this made me realize that, to maximize my $4.31, I’d absolutely have to buy the mass-produced, non-organic food.

A large motivator for me in buying local and organic is that the workers on smaller scale farms are very likely treated much better than the migrant labor I presume is involved in the production of some of my cheaper foods for the week.  (Having met some of the workers on my local farm, and volunteered with the families of migrant laborers in California, I’ve felt comfortable drawing this conclusion.)  And so I realized that the privilege I have of spending more on food also allows me the privilege of opting out, if to a small extent, of a system that keeps other people down.  But people who receive SNAP benefits must participate in a food system that values profits more than effects on growers and the land.  So the choices that people who are struggling must make can end up causing others to struggle as well.

Privilege #3: Hospitality

I had invited a friend over for dinner on Monday night.  Even while I had planned to offer this simple potato cheese soup meal, I didn’t think I could get away with serving only soup without feeling like a bad host.  So I sautéed up some green beans I had gotten at the farmer’s market, and even sliced and toasted a day-old “Manager’s Special” whole grain boule (only $1.55 for the loaf!) from the Kroger.

I have realized how much cooking in bulk is helpful on a limited budget, so I could count my friend’s portion as a meal when doing my math for the per-portion cost in my calculations.  Still, if I were really on food stamps, I wouldn’t have been able to share that meal with her without skipping a meal myself.  When the hospitality of food is one of the most basic ways we can connect with each other, what are the societal effects when simple economics make this impossible for 47 million people who receive SNAP benefits every day?

So, back to Privilege #1 – I’m off to contact my representatives to share my experience with them, and advocate for legislation that promotes a heartier sustainable food system.

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Stand-Up Paddle Lessons

September 25, 2012 by

Last week, I achieved a goal that has been nagging at my to-do list since I first saw a figure gliding down the James River last summer on a surf-board looking thing: I signed up for a Stand-Up Paddle lesson.  After 150 short minutes on the water with a paddle in my hands and a board under my feet, I freely use the acronym, SUP, like I know what I’m doing. I also have seen and appreciated lots of parallels to how SUP relates to my life in general.  Please allow me to share.

1) You’re going to fall off your board.

Well, if you’re the other four people in my group SUP lesson, you won’t.  But if you’re me, you will fall in.  Twice.  I was the only kid in my ballet class to be denied pointe shoes when the time came, and those balance issues have followed me to present day.  Thing is, if you like being in the water like I do, falling off isn’t so bad – you get to swim!  And that stinky life jacket you’re wearing finally has a purpose.

Obvious metaphor here: we all bring our own difficulties and shortcomings to life, and sometimes may get derailed from what we had hoped or expected to do.  But the fall can bring a shift, and a chance to show that you have the gumption to get up again.  (Even if the instructor has to hang back with you and coach you through it.)

2) When you lose your balance, put your paddle in the water.

When I felt wobbly, I was tempted to use my paddle as a balance bar, as if I were up on the high wire in a sparkly unitard.  The counter-intuitive thing about SUP is that putting your paddle in the water and pushing forward even before you fully have your balance helps you find your balance.  Sort of like how you accelerate mid-curve while driving a windy road, to help pull you out of it.

It occurred to me that a lot of times, when we’re feeling uncertain about what’s coming up for us, we’re tempted to pull back and brace a bit for whatever may be coming.  SUP reminds me that staying in the thick of things and trusting the river to work with you will make it easier to gain your footing.

3) Every once in a while, shift.

Because I had fallen off my board twice already, I was pretty frozen into position once I did gain my balance.  It wasn’t until about an hour down the river, though, that I realized how frozen I was. My toes were cramping, all curled up and anxious.  Our instructor encouraged us to shift a bit – move this foot forward, this foot to the side.  And as much as I doubted my ability to do so while remaining upright, I went for it.  Water eased over the side of the board, I swiveled my hips a little, and pushed my paddle back into the classic j-stroke.

Comfort tempts us to settle in to routines and patterns, whether that’s hanging out with the same people, studying the same thing even if it doesn’t really feel like us anymore or thinking about things and other people the same way we always have.  Not only is it relieving to let go of something that can be cramp-inducing; it is refreshing to let the water of the shift roll over us as the river proves its trustiness in holding us up.

4) When you have your balance, take your paddle out of the water.

As much as being fully upright on that board made me feel connected to ancient river travel (and maybe made me feel a little bit awesome), my most serene moment on the river was when I took my paddle out of the water.  I eased down to a kneel, and then onto my back, stretching the length of my board.  My peripheral vision was full from horizon to horizon with water, trees, sky, birds, sky, trees and water again.  A couple of huge flocks of Canada geese cut through the muted pastel sunset, and the wind shook the leaves, making the trees look like they had gotten a chill.

For those of us who like to get the most we can out of our little lives, it’s hard not to have our paddles in the water – or our eyes on our to-do lists and our calendars full – all the time.  But as someone who can’t resist saying yes to every challenge, I’ve learned in spite of myself that our lives aren’t full if they don’t have some emptiness in them, too.  Space to rest, to listen, to let openness bring potential and renewal that would have been overlooked had I not taken my paddle out for a stroke or two.

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From Women to Women

September 6, 2012 by

This fall, a grassroots committee of women staff, faculty and students are kicking off a pilot project we’re calling WM2: William and Mary Women’s Mentoring.  It all began this past February, when Elizabeth Miller and I watched Miss Representation, a screening sponsored by the Student Assembly and facilitated by Kim Green.  The movie shows a quick peek into an evening of mentoring for women in Washington DC, and immediately it clicked: We have to do this at William and Mary.

There are a lot of reasons that a mentoring program makes sense at William and Mary, but I’ll start with one: there is wisdom here, and it should be shared.  At our last planning meeting, I asked the committee to share their advice for incoming women in these early days on campus, and here is their trove of good advice for you.  Take it, savor it and share it with others!

  • Don’t feel like you’re the only woman with doubt.  Exposing a little bit of vulnerability will bring a lot of support, rather than feeling isolated.  (inspired by this post on the blog, joythebaker.com)
  • I hope that women who enter campus now are worried less about superficial aspects regarding their appearance and sexuality now than women were 10 or 15 years ago.
  • See the opportunities, and have the courage and sense of empowerment and people to ask to figure out how to achieve those opportunities.
  • You can disconnect in order to connect. Turn off cell phones to have meaningful conversations.  Don’t build a relationship based off of Facebook.  Disconnect enough to feel confident walking around campus alone – connect with yourself.
  • Feel comfortable enough to challenge some of the ways you thought previously, and allow those challenges to shape who they might become.
  • “Promise me you’ll always remember you’re braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”  - Christopher Robin, to Pooh Bear.  My hope is that every woman on this campus hears that from someone and is able to internalize it.
  • I hope that you will find a group of people who help you to realize that it’s okay to be who you are. Remember the quote: “How you live your days is how you live your life.” Stay focused as you find your niche so you can live good, productive lives.
  • Find those niches, and don’t be afraid to look for them, to make mistakes, to try something and fail, to speak in public, make your voice heard, take a risk – that’s where you find out who you are and what motivates you.
  • My first year of college was so, so fun – totally full of silliness. I hope that you can take life seriously enough to not take it seriously.  Do it with lightness that honors the depth that there is, because the depth of life is that it is really fun, too.  Live your life with fullness because that’s all you have!

And, if you’re interested in being a part of the pilot year of WM2, join us for an Evening of Women’s Mentoring, September 19 from 4 to 6:30 pm.  We will have a collective of W&M women faculty and staff sharing their expertise on personal and professional empowerment for female students at the College in roundtable discussions.  We hope to match many of the attendees of this event to a year-long mentoring pair.  For more information and to attend, check out the interest form. Email efmiller@wm.edu with any questions.

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Lessons Learned in Haiti

July 13, 2011 by

[reposted from haiticompact.blogspot.com]

Since the Haiti Compact’s exploratory trip in June 2010, I have developed a post-Alternative Break practice: after every alternative break I go on, I compile a list of things I’ve learned. This way, when I get back and people say “How was your trip?,” I have something more substantial to respond than, “Um, it was great!” Summing up an AB experience can be difficult, and sharing what you learn is one way to do it while extending the knowledge to others.

Here’s my list from this year’s Haiti Compact trip:
  1. Haiti is recovering, physically. There is much less rubble than a year ago, and very few signs that the earthquake has happened. (Frequently we discussed what was the effect of the earthquake and what was the effect of long-term poverty.)
  2. Still, true recovery, or health in a holistic way, is a long way off. Tent camps still exist, and were being destroyed while we were there – but people living there had nowhere else to go. Poverty, unemployment are still very widespread. Much of this was the case before the earthquake, and has been heightened because of the earthquake. People have hopes for their new President, Martelly, but it’s unclear how long the honeymoon will last. The announcement of Martelly’s pick for the new Prime Minister – Daniel Rouzier (since rejected by Parliament) – led to widespread disappointment and upset.
  3. People are going about their daily business, showing resilience. There is also recognition by health workers with whom we spoke that there is a great need for mental health care to address post-trauma issues.
  4. Relationships are important above all, and returning to Haiti year after year not only builds relationships but builds credibility. We as US Americans must value relationships because we have something to learn from Haitians.
  5. Basic infrastructure (electricity, water) is very hard to come by in areas even just outside cities. We saw this in Cap Haitien and in an area just outside Port-au-Prince. The expense, difficulty of access, and most of all the lack of political will to make it happen, are all prohibitive.
  6. Education is deeply important, and accessible only to the luckiest/most wealthy. Lack of access = lack of opportunity.
I continue to process what I learned in Haiti even today, 32 days after returning. We invite your thoughts and comments in the continued conversation and will look forward to adding to our posts as we recruit our new team members and get back in full-time planning mode in the Fall!
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Infinity of possibilities

April 21, 2011 by

A friend recently said that when Igor Stravinsky sat down to compose, he was struck by the blank page and its infinity of possibilities.  At once thrilling and terrifying, all these possibilities!  And even if we were to bisect the page with a large black line, as another friend pointed out, there would still be an infinity of possibilities to come.  And then, if we were to draw a big red chicken on top of the line, there would remain, again, an infinity of possibilities for what that page might hold.

This blank-page mindset – so many possibilities yet nothing yet concrete or filled-in – is very real for many of our graduating seniors right now.  How many times have you been asked what you’re going to do after graduation?  “Do you have a job?”  “Have you heard back from the Peace Corps yet?”  “Did you get your first-choice med school?”  If you don’t yet have an answer, it can be so painful to hear these questions, and to wrestle with them yourself.

So often, what we long for in the face of the unknown is not the best outcome, but really, just something.  Anything, really, as long as we can imagine it, and as long as we have a response when people ask us those questions.

I have a couple of things to say to our dear seniors out there, who are still waiting for their pages to fill in a bit.  First, remember Stravinsky, and try to focus on the thrill (rather than the terror!) of so much possibility.  It is a gift to have many ideas about what you like, and many options to pursue.  But when you feel overwhelmed by the multiplicity of possibilities, remember Stravinsky, and know that you’re in good company.

Secondly, imagine that you do dive in and take that job you’re not sure about.  Say that job is the big black line on your blank page.  As you learn more about your vocation, and yourself, you still get to draw on that paper over and over again.  The first black line is not where your art ends.  You can take other steps, continue to figure things out, maybe even end up doing something five years from now you never would have dreamed today.  Rather than worrying about what you’re going to do with your whole life, think about what you’re going to do next.  There’s always time to paint a big red chicken if need be!

Though even Google has not helped me find the origins of the Stravinsky quote or verify its accuracy, I think I will often return to this idea.  Even when we think we have it all figured out and our pages are filled with beauty and variety, the infinite remains.  In fact, it’s there all the time, and every choice you make only makes more infinity possible.

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Building the Beloved Community

February 1, 2011 by

We at W&M celebrated our third annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend of Education and Social Justice in Petersburg, VA this month.  The weekend unfolds with a series of tours, dialogues, visits, service projects, reflections and is wrapped up by attending a moving performance of The Words of Dr. King at Petersburg’s performance theater, Sycamore Rouge.

This year, for the first time, we were joined on Sunday afternoon by Rev. Grady Powell.  Rev. Powell has lived in Petersburg for decades going back to the civil rights era.  In the 1950’s and 60’s, Petersburg was a center of civil rights activity – a point of justifiable pride for its current residents – and Rev. Powell was participant in and witness to many of the courageous acts that ultimately led to desegregation there.

After we had toured the downtown era and learned about Petersburg’s history spanning from the Old Dominion days to the 60’s when Dr. King spoke at Virginia State University, we returned to Pathways – the nonprofit that hosted us – to hear Rev. Powell’s stories and toss questions his way.  As a long-time resident of Atlanta, I’ve been privileged to hear John Lewis, Andrew Young, Coretta Scott King and other paragons of the Movement speak, but I’d never had the chance to sit across a table from them and ask questions.  The afternoon with Rev. Powell was uniquely inspiring for that reason.

He told us about the day he took a younger friend to register to vote, and that friend was not registered because he couldn’t define “folio,” a word the registrar chose randomly from the dictionary.  He described the inner conflict he felt in retrospect, having chosen to enroll his African-American children in the previously all-white school, his six and eight year old testing the limits of the hatred and fear of his white neighbors.  With a chuckle, he recalled taking his wife and young child to The Rebel café, taking his wife’s photograph as she stood under the Confederate flag out front, defying the bold-faced if implicit message of unwelcome.

Like many of us who get that energizing charge from community service, I can’t even recall every project I’ve participated in: the leaf-raking, painting and cement-mixing all start to blur together after a while.  One of the things that I’ve found as I’ve grown up in the community engagement world, though, is that context (what we in alternative breaks call education, orientation and training) enlivens our engagement with new communities by making wall-painting more about pitching in as part of a social movement than simply spiffing up someone’s place.

As it happened, I was on the cooking crew for Monday’s service projects.  With a hearty team of four others, I chopped onions, opened cans and improvised seasoning for veggie chili for our hungry crowd of sixty volunteers.  Those rich moments with Dr. Powell, along with our discussions about the meaning of social justice and interactions with Youth Build students at Pathways, transformed our onion-chopping station into a salon of sorts, where the conversation allowed space for discussing how to authentically honor Dr. King’s legacy.

Mixing cement and raking leaves for and with others have their place, and certainly provide tangible benefit.  Inevitably, though, those things alone are not enough.  More leaves fall and more homes are needed.  But when we are tuned-in enough to hear the stories that often resonate through decades, stories of people taking bold steps to build community and justice among themselves, engaging with communities outside our respective bubbles allows us to tap into something greater than our amateur attempts at physical labor.  We are tuned into, and now a part of, something greater than ourselves.  We are dipping our toes into what Dr. King famously called the Beloved Community.  The question is: after the shovels are cleaned and the vans are parked back in the Hall Lot, can we take what we learn and what we love, and be an active and committed part of that Community’s continued creation?

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Giving in the Season of Light and Peace

December 13, 2010 by

It’s pretty unpopular to speak up against thoughtless and obligatory consumerism in the midst of the winter holiday shopping season, but popularity isn’t always what we’re after when working for good in the community.  So this year, I’ve been promoting responsible consumerism, beginning with a letter I sent to friends and family earlier this month, and a letter the Branch Out student directors and I sent to Branch Out participants.  (Both are excerpted below.)

Take a look.  Spread the word.  Give these or other social responsible gifts, as you look to celebrate this season of light, peace and goodwill!

* * *

As Christmas approaches, and as I’m preparing to return to Haiti in January, I’ve been struck by an overwhelming urge to help do something in Haiti, and a mixed bag of emotions about how Christmas can often look here in the US, with our gift-gift-giftiness.

So I’ve come up with an idea that for me, offers some way to get at both of those feelings.  I want to do what I can with this season of giving, and I’d like to do that by benefiting people in Haiti that I know will do lots of good with anything we can give.

I’d like to ask that you consider skipping regular gifts for me (and even others on your list, if you can enlist them in this project), in lieu of donating in one of the ways I’m suggesting below.

School construction project in Port-au-Prince

Members of the Haiti Compact partner with Haitian builders to construct a school

Give money to Jesuit Refugee Services. JRS was the host to the Haiti Compact’s exploratory visit to Port-au-Prince in June.  Among other projects, they are operating a vocational school for adults. Students learn construction skills while building school buildings for internally displaced children living in tent camps.  $5,000 buys the supplies for one school, and JRS is currently raising funds to build five more schools in the coming weeks.  As Haiti continues to face deep struggles after the earthquake – most recently, political upset and a rapidly spreading cholera outbreak – providing stability through education and jobs becomes more and more important.   Wouldn’t it be great if, together, we were able to raise enough for a whole school?  Feel free to send me your donation; I’ll collect it and get it to them – and announce how much we’re able to give.  http://www.jesuit.org/blog/index.php/tag/haiti/

Tent camp map

Victoria and Melanie, leading Relief and Reconstruction for Grace Children's Hospital, show tent camps in their catchment area

Donate medical supplies for us to bring on our trip. Grace Children’s Hospital, where we’re spending a week in January working on public health issues, also serves surrounding tent camps. They have asked us to collect supplies for health kits, and each of us on the team can bring an extra 50 pound suitcase full of them (that’s a lot of stuff!).  See below for a list of their requests, and visit their Relief and Reconstruction blog for updates on their work.  http://reliefandreconstruction.org/wordpress/?p=2098

Coffee growers from Baraders with members of the Haiti Compact

Buy coffee from Just Haiti. Just Haiti is an organization that works with coffee farmers in Baraderes, Haiti – the southwest part of the country.  In June, we met with four of the coffee farmers (we each traveled about five hours and met in the middle) to learn about their projects.   They are hardworking, knowledgeable business people.  Their area of the country used to be a center of coffee farming, but prices dropped in the 80’s, making it no longer viable.  Through fair trade, they are able to support themselves and their families again.  Plus, the coffee is *delicious*.  You can get it online and give it to friends – and enjoy it yourself!  http://justhaiti.org/, click on “buy coffee” in the upper right corner of the page

If you’d like me to do any of these things in your honor for Christmas, please let me know – I’d be happy to do so!  And if this kind of thing floats your boat, please share it with others.  I really would love it if we could build a school together for Christmas.

Medical Supplies Wish List from Grace Children’s Hospital
Aquatabs; Oral rehydration serum/powder packets; Toothbrush; Toothpaste; Soap holder; Toothbrush holder; Shampoo; Conditioner; Comb; Brush; Hair Pomade; Towels; Sanitary Napkins; Towel; Soap; Underwear (children); Socks(children); Undershirt(children); Multivitamins; Q-tips

* * *

Hello, all of Branch Out!

In the midst of a busy last week of classes, your student directors and I wanted to wish you well and send some lil’ ideas for ways you can continue your growth as active citizens.

Hanukkah starts tonight, and other winter holidays are coming up quickly.  If you’re looking for a gift that promotes social justice, fair wages, environmental sustainability, and other things we love as active citizens, check out these opportunities.  This list isn’t comprehensive, but it does include some of our favorite sources for responsible consumerism.

  • Today!  In Tidewater A, from 3 to 7 pm, check out the Alternative Gift Fair
  • kiva.org allows you to make your very own micro-finance loan – or give one as a gift!
  • justhaiti.org (click on coffee in the upper right corner) allows you to buy fair-trade coffee from Haitian farmers, four of whom Brian Focarino and I met this summer
  • newdream.org lets you create your own conscientious consumer gift registry (that is, telling folks which fair trade gifts you’d like!)
  • 10,000 Villages and SERRV offer on-line and storefront ways to buy fair trade gifts and crafts
  • Tom’s Shoes – you’ve seen these comfy shoes everywhere, maybe you already know that when you buy a pair for you or a friend, you also buy a pair for someone around the world who needs them.
  • Speaking of shoes - sseko strappy sandals make a fashion statement and support Ugandan women’s education
  • Students Helping Honduras supports the sale of cutie-pie clutches and bags, made by community members in Honduras, out of fritos & cheetos bags
  • And if you need a little pick-me-up in the midst of finals, Harbour Coffee in New Town has fairly-sourced coffee!

So to all international, regional and national members of Branch Out, thanks for the many ways you’re dedicated to the pursuit of social justice.  Big hugs and good luck on finals!

Peace,
Melody, with Tanji Ahmed, Katherine Eklund, Adam T.F. Harris, Wesley Ng, Meagan Taylor and Samanthe Tiver

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Working for Haitian Empowerment

November 18, 2010 by

Just over a week ago, Hurricane Tomas brushed the west coast of Haiti, exacerbating an already tragic and desperate situation after the cholera outbreak and January’s earthquake.  As it approached, I was following the news, tracking weather maps and journaling in my downtime.  Such an event has been anticipated – and dreaded – since the earthquake forced 1.3 million people into tent communities.  And still, having known that it was likely to happen sooner or later somehow did not make the arrival of the hurricane any less difficult.  Though seven people lost their lives from Tomas (and many more in other countries) and flooding has taken a heavy toll around Haiti, the hit was not as direct as it could have been.

My mind and heart are on Haiti a lot these days, having been there this past June and preparing to return this January. I’ll be traveling to Port-au-Prince with a group of seven students, working with Mennonite Central Committee and International Child Care – Grace Children’s Hospital, as part of our Branch Out International alternative breaks program.

On our trip, we’ll be exploring the root causes of poverty, the connections to colonialism and racism, and the effects of that poverty in communities around Port-au-Prince.  We’ll be working on issues of public health with Grace Children’s Hospital, side by side with community workers from tent camps and health professionals in the hospital.  We’ll be experiencing the many ways smart, creative and tireless folks in Haiti are working together to rebuild their country, and we’ll be figuring out ways we can advocate for and support them.

This trip is a big step for us as a College, but it’s also part of a bigger, national effort.  William and Mary is part of the Haiti Compact, a group of five universities and the national alternative breaks organization, Break Away.  Together, we are working to develop ways for US university students to become involved in Haiti’s empowerment in the midst of their rebuilding.  Our hope is that in the course of the next several years, campuses across North America will be deeply involved in work for Haitian empowerment and contributing to rebuilding that leads to long-term sustainability.

Political and social issues in Haiti are immensely complex, and it is clear that our little group of eight won’t be able to address them all during our two week visit.  Our alternative breaks aren’t about solving problems on that scale – that’s best done by locals in the countries we travel to.  Our trips are about working alongside people to help them reach their own goals, and to learn from them.  Then we can tell others what we learned and speak up for Haitian empowerment to those in power and those who can add their voices.  As part of a larger movement, we will be working for a shift in thinking and an increase in knowledge and action among campuses all over the US, to help chip away at the inequalities and policies that have kept Haiti from being able to fully live into its empowerment and beauty.

And in the meantime, we’ll be holding our breath until those 1.3 million people who have been displaced are in stable, weather-proof homes.

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Branch Out Alternative Breaks: More Than Trips

November 17, 2010 by

Over the past two weeks, the site leaders for Branch Out National and Branch Out International have been delving into the big picture of why we do alternative breaks, exploring the topics of privilege and social justice.

Alternative break leaders have a lot of responsibilities – managing money, communicating with host sites, coming up with icebreakers that will not earn the scorn of their team members.  But we took some time away from these nitty-gritty issues to step back and explore why we do alternative breaks, and how to make them more than just “trips” that last for a week or two.

We talk about the difference between diversity and privilege and how privilege always involves power, and someone always feels the negative effects of it.  We discussed the types of privilege and experiences of oppression that would be present within our groups, and within the communities we take up residence in during alternative breaks.  The site leaders reflected on how their own privilege would be an asset and a liability in these interactions, and how the ways they’ve experienced oppression may affect dynamics on the trip for them, too.

When it all comes down to it, Branch Out alternative breaks (between 30 and 35 trips each year) are about more than sending groups of students to “get their hands dirty” for a weekend, a week, or two, or three…  Our alternative breaks immerse students in a new community, complete with its history and social dynamics, focused in particular on one social issue.  Students begin to recognize how systems work in the communities they go to, and to see how people in those communities experience privilege or oppression.  They are able to address those issues hands-on with service projects, but also for much longer, sharing what they learned after their trips.

Our site leaders left these trainings, knowing more about each other and themselves, and ready to take others not just on a trip, but on a journey of reflection and action.

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Economic Empowerment in a Cup

September 20, 2010 by

Last Friday, I was in Washington, DC, for a meeting to learn more about a fair-trade coffee growing cooperative in Haiti.  This meeting arose out of the Haiti Compact, a new collective of alternative breaks professionals from five universities around the US and the national alternative breaks nonprofit, Break Away.  We came together for an exploratory trip to Haiti in June, looking to discover if – and how – students and universities in the US can productively contribute to rebuilding in Haiti, post-earthquake.

As we were learning about creative projects in Haiti that focus on empowering Haitians and their communities, I learned about Just Haiti.  Through phone conversations with their US contact, Kim Lamberty, we arranged to visit La Borde, a small town in the Southern department of Haiti.  There, we met with some farmers from the co-operative, learning about their work, their community and how they plan to move forward.

Baraderes, where they live, has long been a center for coffee growing but a price collapse in the 1980’s left the farms bankrupt.  Just Haiti works with the farmers to build power among them and develop outlets to sell their fair-trade coffee, paying a respectable wage to the farmers for the intensely difficult work that growing coffee is.  As a result, these farmers have access to fair markets as they had not before, and are empowered to make decisions and have agency in their economic lives – unlike most people in Haiti these days.

On Friday, two of my colleagues from the Compact and I met with Kim to learn more about their background, and how we can get other universities in the US connected to support their work.  Kim explained the importance of our work with Haiti – as inquisitive scholars and active citizens – with sharp clarity.  She said that if you understand what’s happened in Haiti, historically and economically, you have a window into understanding how the Western Hemisphere has developed into its current state.  Haiti offers insight into how racism, colonialism and economic oppression affect people and political dynamics, so as we learn more about Haiti’s history, we come to understand the broader dynamics of the past several centuries in the West.

Those are big ideas, and ones that our team will be researching and sharing information about as we develop an alternative break to Haiti this January.  But for now, we can all begin advocating for positive change in Haiti – by calling our congress people and advocating for continued US economic support in Haiti.  Just Haiti also offers a tangible – and delicious – way to advocate for Haitian economic empowerment: buy their coffee.  I’m anxiously awaiting my first shipment of 12 ounces of regular roast, and 12 ounces of Haitian roast.  I am excited to know that my little warm cup each morning can now not only be a great way to get centered, but a bold statement of support for people working hard in the fields of Baraderes, Haiti.

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