From Burlington, NC to New Orleans, LA. How did we get here?
Choosing what to do after college is difficult. Seriously, ask any college senior. Every adult you interact with asks you what you are doing next. While no one means harm by this question, it becomes dreadful to answer, especially if you have no answer.
My grandfather, David Permar, who passed away at the end of June, was notorious for asking this question. Every time I saw him, he would ask what I was doing next. Even when I was a freshman in college. It wasn't until late May that I was able to finally give him an answer. By May, my grandpa was struggling to remember what season it was. Still, when I told him about my plans to participate in a year-long service program in New Orleans, I knew he was proud.
So, how did I come to this decision to serve as a Young Adult Volunteer through the Presbyterian Church in New Orleans?
To start, I became interested in this program after my youth pastor at First Presbyterian Church, Beth Thaxton, introduced it to me. I knew I did not want to go to graduate school nor did I want to immediately become an adult with a full time job. So, when Beth told me about the option of something in between, it felt like the perfect answer. A way to get used to a real job with an intentional community of young people surrounding me and the opportunity to explore a new city.
Additionally, this program has a faith-based aspect. In college, I was involved in Ukirk-Wesley, a Presbyterian and Methodist group. Every week we met and discussed different topics including women in the church, Christian music and movies, and how to have faith while in college. This group helped me stay connected to my faith throughout college, however, I still felt like something was missing. My faith has waivered throughout my life, particularly in college. This program spoke to me because of its faith-based community. My hope is to reconnect with my faith through this time in New Orleans.
The city of New Orleans will be exciting to explore with its food, music, dancing, and culture. There is so much positivity and joy and yet much distress and sorrow at the same time. With poverty, educational gaps, and violence, New Orleans has great struggles and needs. This year will provide opportunity to learn about and serve a hurt community. However, as much as this community continues to have struggles and needs, they also know how to celebrate and enjoy life through festivals and food.
Eden House is where I will be working during my time in New Orleans. This organization provides programming and housing for survivors of human trafficking. My decision to work at this organization came from my experience interning at the Alamance County Family Justice Center this past spring. At the Family Justice Center, I worked with survivors of domestic violence. During my time at this internship, I learned about domestic violence and how every person experiences it differently. Not only does the experience vary, but the ways in which people react and combat the experience varies. Domestic violence can be categorized as physical and emotional abuse on varying levels. On average, it takes a person 7 to 13 tries before being able to successfully leave their abuser. Every person will have a new experience that will require different problem solving to help ensure safety and a better future. With this population and internship, I felt successful in my ability to help. At Eden House, working with a similar population, I hope to continue feeling successful and make a difference for these women and the New Orleans community.
As I look towards the next year, I am hopeful that I will learn and grow personally, professionally, and in my faith. I look forward to the opportunity to explore a new place with both its joy and sorrows. Goodbye Burlington. Hello New Orleans!