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In the post below, Associate Professor of Sociology Hope Horowitz tries to reconcile the contrasts she and NCC students witnessed during a service trip to New Orleans over fall break. Horowitz and Assistant Professor of Sociology Erin Reilly also took ,students to New Orleans over spring break.
Our fall break service trip to New Orleans was a paradox in many ways. Having fun, exploring this beautiful city, listening to jazz on the street, and learning about the history and culture of the “Big Easy” was one aspect of our trip. Inez, our tour guide, made sure we knew that NOLA is about having FUN! We were all captured by the warmth, hospitality and appreciation expressed by everyone we met. The city relies on tourism and volunteers.
But, our experiences went much deeper. We were fellow human beings wanting to make a difference by creating relationships with strangers crossing all boundaries and borders of social reality. Our trip was about trying to understand why the distribution of resources in our democratic society remains unequal and why it takes so long to rebuild after a disaster. How could rebuilding efforts rely on unskilled volunteers so heavily? Why are only 20% of the people back in the lower ninth ward…. 4 years later? How does this happen in our country? How can I have so much fun in one area and drive 15 minutes into devastation? The images are hard to shake.
I wonder about social justice, human rights, resiliency and humanity? I question the responsibility we have to each other as fellow human beings. Aren’t we all connected in some way? I am humbled by what I have seen and proud of the NCC students who participated. I am appreciative of what I have- my family, my home, food, a car, a job, a shower, and clothing. My emotions remain raw and I feel challenged to do more.
I have experienced the power of people joining together with passion, purpose, courage, mission and values coinciding. Imagine how the world would be if we each did something to help someone else.
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About the Author: Hope Horowitz is a licensed social worker in the State of Pennsylvania and teaches full time at Northampton Community College. As associate professor of social work/sociology, she teaches a variety of courses including Introduction to Social Work, Principles of Sociology, American Ethnicity, Sociology of Families, and Social Problems. She enjoys teaching in the classroom and online. In addition, she teaches at Marywood School of Social Work in the master of social work program.
Posted
Oct 16 2009, 07:59 AM
by
nccfaculty