Wisdom from a summer intern

            I was going to start this essay with the phrase “Before I started at CitySquare, I thought that poverty…”, but there are two fundamental errors with this. 1) I yawned reading it. 2) I didn’t think about poverty. I ignored poverty because, you know, ignoring problems makes them go away. Except when it doesn’t, which is all the time.

            So there I was, just an entitled college-aged ginger kid strutting in the door of 511 like I owned the place. If you could have read my thoughts that day, you would’ve heard things like “CitySquare needs me,” “I’m sure it’ll be fine that I parked in 7-Eleven’s 15-minute customers only parking spot,” and “I’m going to be the Batman of interns.” In short, I was wrong, super wrong, and unfortunately wrong, respectively.

            Shortly, I moved my car, and then my journey started. I’ve stumbled more than any of the development team would’ve probably liked, but they were always prepared to correct my misconceptions and errors, which I greatly appreciated. Without that, I might still be thinking thoughts one and three up there.

            To keep it short, I came in subconsciously thinking that I was going to pour in to people because I obviously had so much to give. The exact opposite was true. I came in with almost nothing to give but my time and attention, but I learned more from a half-hour trip to the grocery store with Wendy, a ten-minute car ride conversation with Laureen about the toxicity of an “Us versus them” mentality, realizing just how necessary sending thank you notes is, an interview with a man who spent twenty years addicted to crack and eleven homeless who is now gainfully employed an engaged to be married, and the story of a woman who has volunteered every moment she could over the last five years despite having two separate strokes than I have in nineteen years of passing open and desperate hearts and hands in the street because I was too self-absorbed to care.

             Poverty isn’t a hole you dig yourself. It’s an unfathomably gigantic pit with an infinite number of different holes leading down. Some you can walk into, but others drag you down by no fault of your own. Despite the number of ways in, there are only a few ladders out. As it turns out, throwing canned food from the lip of the pit doesn’t do much good.

It’s difficult, and it requires boldness, an open mind and a caring heart, but the true solution is getting off our entitled butts and climbing down the ladder to offer a helping hand to the men and women who can’t find their way to it.

It’s not “Us versus them,” “Us and them,” or even “Us for them.” It’s simply “We.” The phrase gets thrown around a lot around here, but the longer I’m here the more I realize that we truly are all wealthy and poor in our own ways. We can all learn from each other, and we who are more fortunate monetarily are wandering in pits of our own. That man sleeping under an umbrella on the pavement might be the hand you need.

I’ve been humbled, I’ve been blessed, and I’ve been taught. Those are not the three things I was expecting to be in those blanks, but maybe that’s exactly why I was here. I’m sorry I was no Bruce Wayne, but thank you for showing me I wasn’t.

Caleb Bishop, Summer 2015

From an intern

I received the following letter late last year from a departing, social work intern who had served with us at CitySquare.  She worked in our Resource Center/Food Pantry.  As she left us, she felt the need to communicate some really encouraging things to me about her experience.  I don't know about you, but I'm encouraged by reflections like these.  I'm grateful to her.  I'm grateful to be working with such a great team. 

Of special interest is what she writes about faith and how that works itself out among us.  Let me know what your think. 

Dear Mr. James,

I would like to thank you for the opportunity to serve as a social work intern at CitySquare’s Resource Center. My experience has been enlightening, educational and entirely too short. Admittedly, I was nervous about my first placement as an aspiring social worker since I do not have a social services background. Today, my last day, I count the placement as a blessing not only because I personally support the mission and core values of the agency, but because those concepts are actually put into action through the dedication of each staff member.

Of course, the most obvious thing would be to tell you that Lisa Ciminelli has been an excellent supervisor, professional role model, and personable mentor, but I suspect you already know those things to be true. What I want to share is, well, maybe less obvious and less important to other interns; however, I am an older student, who has had a tough road or two to conquer and as a single mother have oftentimes been forced to depend on food stamps and Medicaid as a means of survival. Although, I have never been homeless (due to the graciousness of my dad), I do understand the devastating effects of poverty and the humiliation, which often accompanies being in poor and in need.

As an intern, our tour of duty begins in the food pantry; under Teresa Castaneda’s gentle, but firm supervision I was able to learn something from every staff member and volunteer. Teresa, Don, Jon, Arnold, Mikel, Irene and Sesh, as well as, all the volunteers enhanced my learning and growth, rather they realize it or not. By observing and working along side these amazing people, I quickly realized the skill needed to reach out and make a difference did not come from a textbook or any level of education. They each taught me how to embrace my own style and be genuine in my efforts because they each bring their own unique personality, characterized by dedication and positive energy, to every interaction they have with our neighbors.

Jackie, Iris and Terri enhanced my first “intake” experiences by their knowledge and willingness to teach me while providing me with new tools to use as I began to engage with neighbors on my own. They all do a remarkable job of gathering information and assessing the neighbor’s additional needs beyond the obvious request for food. I will continually strive to cultivate the skills these women shared with me. Likewise, Michelle Kopel has been a god-send in that she always takes time to share tidbits of information or a thoughtful piece of advice designed to facilitate my skills and maintain consistent, caring service to our neighbors. I learned a great deal from watching her and from every moment she took me under her wing. Her knowledge is vast and she has played a key role in my success here. I consider her to be an irreplaceable mentor.

Krystal Lotspeich, my direct supervisor, has embraced her new role very well especially since she was given the task of supervising women who are considerably older than her and who would be her peers in the school setting. She has been professional, yet remained personable and intuitive about my needs as a student and as a new social worker. I walk away today with exceptional words of wisdom that seem simplistic on the surface, but made a remarkable difference in how I was able to adjust and perform my duties as an intern. I have already shared her advice with others and know that I will draw on it as my career progresses.

I can say with all confidence that every staff member I encountered – Kathy Stewart, Will Goldman, Jerry Sullivan, Janet Morrison, Keilah Jacques and the list goes on – has gone out of his/her way not only to help a novice intern, but to provide exceptional service to our neighbors. Coming to the Resource Center is always a pleasant experience because of the warm and inviting, albeit professional, attitude of every one here. I have been in the workforce for more than 30 years and I can absolutely attest that the morale is the best I have ever encountered in any employment setting.

In closing, I want to acknowledge how my perspective has been changed and enhanced by working with the staff and within the agency as a whole. Early life experiences left me less than thrilled to be going into a faith based agency and I am ashamed to say that I expected the staff to be less caring and certainly less personable to those in need because that has been my experience when I have been in need. My experience with CitySquare has given me not only an enlightened perspective on faith based agencies and those who work to fight poverty, but has also reinforced all the reasons I want to be a social worker and impassioned me to want to fight poverty when previously I was absolutely sure that working to alleviate domestic violence was my only calling. Each staff member exudes the attitude that they do this work because it fills their spirit, which makes for the optimum environment to learn and grow as a social worker. Simply said, I learned that social workers come in many forms without the need for education, licensure or a title. The CitySquare staff epitomizes the mission and value of the agency and I will forever find inspiration from each and every one of them.

Thank you for your time and the opportunity to share in the wonderful work done by those who are CitySquare.

Joe and Harvard

We work with so many wonderful and amazing young people who come to us as interns or through our robust AmeriCorps program.  Recently, Dr. Keven Vicknair, the director of CitySquare's AmeriCorps initiative sent me the following message.  I thought it would be encouraging while providing an insight into the powerful effect our program has on young leaders.  I'll let you judge for yourself.

Larry

Below is an email from one of our Food on the Move leaders this past summer. A young man, first generation US citizen, who grew up in a Dallas barrio and is now pursuing a Masters degree at Harvard.

His email gave me hope for the next generation set to lead our country so I thought to pass it along.

Keven
_____________________________

Teisha and Keven, (Teisha please forward to Dr.Vicknair,I don’t know her email.)

First and foremost I hope this email finds yall well.

As I promised Teisha a couple weeks ago, I’m writing this email to update you on my New England experience. Cambridge, as you know, is not Dallas. There are no tacos stands, no drive-thru beer stores, and no legitimate barber shops. I can do without the drive-thru beer girls, but I can’t do without the barbershops! I have to travel pretty far to get a good fade. I need the T (subway), a bus, and a donkey to get to and from the barbershop. Regardless of the distance, the trips are always worth it!

On my search for my fade I found Jamaica Plains, Boston. This predominantly Latino neighborhood might be old news to you but it was completely new to me. During my first visit not only did I find a barber second to only my Northwest Dallas barber but I also found the JP community center. I have returned to this community center to volunteer on multiple occasions. There is something special about this place (other than the Dominican Women). In case you don’t know, Jamaica Plains is known for its successful community development corporation and the community’s ability to ward off mass gentrification.

I mention JP because in truth it really helps me get to the point of why I am here. It helps me remember what the hallowed yards of Harvard can sometimes make one forget. I am here at the end of the day for the hardworking family that works day in and day out yet still cant get ahead. I am here for that family and those people who despite their own effort can’t seem to get a fair shake. Jamaica Plains reminds me of these people the same way my Bachman Lake does.

I think I can bring some of the ideas I’ve seen in JP home. For that reason alone, the last two months have been worth every minute I’ve been away.

Aside from my long trips to find a legit fade, things are well. Classes are challenging but not impossible. The people make this place what it is. Everyone has a story that is better than the last. My classmates are people who once started orphanages by providing women in West Africa micro-loans! That’s crazy! These are the type of people I get to speak with on a daily basis. It is humbling to say the least.

I cannot thank yall enough for the Food on the Move experience. I am a baby here. Harvard makes all 1st year MPPs take a “Management Course” . In this class, EVERYONE has something to say about the projects they’ve managed. If not for Food on the Move, I don’t know what I would say. My classmates might have managed an aids relief program in the Amazon but they’ve NEVER tried to manage a sweaty LaToya on a hot Texas summer day while 85 kids are waiting on their only meal of the day WHILE wearing a polyester Spiderman costume and trying to look good for the CBS 11 cameras. ..nope. …they’ve never done that.

Aside from class, I sit on the board for the Harvard Journal of Hispanic Policy, I am involved with the community service organization @ the school, and I play flag football for the Graduate School House. The undergrads always beat us. They are just too fast!

What are yall up to now!?

Once again, I hope this email finds yall well. I see the name change, and I like it!! A CitySquare long sleeve t-shirt, (size medium) would sure look nice up here…just sayin. I’ll be home late December through mid January. For as great of a time I am having, I greatly look forward to some home cooking!

Best,
Joe