6/5/07 - questioning the role of a volunteer

Hi, my name is Anisa. I'm a sophomore at Cal and this is the beginning of my third week here in NOLA.

Today I received the answer to a persistent question I've had since I got here. The question is, basically, "What can I offer here - as an outsider first of all, and as a white upper middle class female in a predominantly poor and working class black community?" The fact that I do not represent this community, either as a local or as someone who shares a similar experience, causes inescapable tensions in the volunteer process. These tensions have to be addressed in order for me to move forward in this experience with vital clarity that lets my energy go to the most productive areas, rather than just toward conquering personal confusion.

The first obstacle caused by confusion about my role here actually came from within our volunteer group. During a discussion, some group members who were minorities expressed their opinion that white people could not help fight racism because they had never experienced it and thus lacked an essential understanding that would forever separate them from minorities. As a person who is white and would like to fight racism, this was difficult to hear, especially from the people with whom I am working toward this cause right now. I disagree with this sentiment; I believe that I do have a role in this effort. However, realizing that other people felt this way made me question how my role as a volunteer might differ from the roles of others, like that of a New Orleans resident or of an African American from another community.

So, what can I offer? The beginning of the answer to this question came from Saket, one of our orientation leaders from the New Orleans Survivors' Council. As we are now preparing for outreach work, Saket stressed our role as listeners. None of us, whether minorities or not, knows from experience what the residents of New Orleans have been through. Therefore, we cannot offer them solutions to their problems. What we can do is listen to the residents and connect to this community. The desire of the volunteer to understand and the desire of the resident to be understood are the first steps toward bridging the gap of ignorance that breeds apathy towards the suffering of others. Our own understanding then becomes an asset to the people and communities we share it with.

That is a short answer to a complex question, and it doesn't end there, but it's a good start. I definitely feel that it is not intrusive or presumptuous for me to come to New Orleans and simply make effort to learn what the people here would like to teach me. If I am willing to do that, I don't feel that it matters what my race or socioeconomic status is.