The few days before coming to Atlanta I was starting to get nervous for my year in New Orleans--after all, it is a YEAR of my life that I'm devoting to service. But now that I'm here, surrounded by more than 300 people around my age that are getting ready to do the same thing, I feel at home.
What I'm at now is called Pre-Service Orientation. All of the VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) that are serving in the southeast chunk of the country are here training--that's me! We learned a lot about the history of VISTA today, and a little about poverty in America, which is what the program works toward alleviating.
Some statistics I heard really struck me, so I've decided to share those with whoever loves me enough to read this blog.
- An estimated 59% of Americans will experience a year or more of poverty between the ages 20 and 75
- 46.2 million people in the US lived in poverty in 2010
- 1 in 3 children live in poverty
- In 2010, more than 40% of households headed by women live in poverty
And lastly, not a statistic, but more of a fact, I will be living in poverty this year. People always ask me if I will make money this year, and I answer that Americorps pays for my necessities, and that is true, they only pay for necessities. I will be living on about $920 a month--which includes rent, utilities, water, transportation, and food. The poverty rate for a person under 65 years old is $11,702--and if you do the math, that's pretty darn close to what I'l be making. The point of this is that in order to truly want to alleviate poverty in the US and immerse myself in the community, I have to be able to feel what they are feeling, and live like they are living. And I am looking forward to stepping up to that challenge.
But I have plenty of things to keep me going. First, one of the speakers at orientation said, "This is the stuff that doesn't make the news." And it really is. The news is filled with crime and violence and depressing stories, yes, but a lot of poverty and injustices that VISTA focuses on aren't shown in the news. It's my mission to spread awareness of the situations that people aren't aware of, so that everyone, not just the VISTAs, will want to make a difference.
Another speaker said, "You choose what you want to let into your body, soul, mind. You choose to have the good." She also said, "When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you should do is be happy you woke up-- a lot of people don't get to do that." I love both of these quotes, and I think by joining this year of service I have taken a vow to choose the good, or at least try to bring out the good in places where the good may be buried. I'm also so thankful to be alive, and I know when the conditions I'm exposed to in NOLA get overwhelmingly emotional, this blog will be filled with great thanks for what I've been lucky enough to receive: life, health, family, friends, education, food, shelter, happiness.
Lastly, a speaker said, "Defeat poverty and build the kinds of communities where we can all thrive." I couldn't have said it better myself. That's exactly why I'm here.
Side note: Today I got the final approval on an apartment! I won't be homeless :) I will post pictures tomorrow when she sends me them. I also met my roommate today at orientation and she's super nice and a bundle of joy. Can't wait to start making memories.
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