Giving Thanks for Thanksgiving

One of my favorite moments so far as an AmeriCorps member was the annual Thanksgiving potluck dinner put on by my program the LifeWorks Education Center. The event is for students and tutors and is held in mid November. It was so great to get to interact with the students in a different, more informal setting, particularly the students that are in my classes. It was also cool to see them interact with each other and see the sense of community that exists among our students and tutors. I think this event and the heart behind it are so important because they create and nurture a sense of belonging and emphazie what each person has to offer.

There was so much delicious food, a lot of which was provided by students who are hardworking moms balancing family, work, AND learning a new language. Their dedication and joy blow me away every day. I know the students enjoyed getting to spend time with their classmates as well as with students they wouldn't otherwise get to meet or talk to because they are not at the center at the same time. It is also a cool event to be a part of because it might be the only time a student or tutor gets to enjoy fellowship with people. They get to see how much they all have in common as well as celebrating the diversity that exists within our community of staff, students, and volunteers.

Although I am a 3rd generation native Austinite, I have realized over the past few years (and continue to realize every day) how much more there is to this city and the people in it than I knew growing up. I love being in this place that I know and love, but also more than anything I want to get to know the parts of the city that are often overlooked, the richness and multiplicity that not everyone wants to or gets to enjoy. While this was technically a work event, for me, it just felt like a gathering of people; people who coexist in the same city every day but are rarely all together in one room. I am so blessed to get to spend time with people who are different than me and different than most of the people I have known throughout my life. Yes I am teaching them English, but they are teaching me so much about appreciating and engaging with my neighbor in a meaningful way. They are teaching me both how small we each are as well as simultaneously celebrating the fascinating expanse and depth of a single individual. I don't mean to wax too philosophical, there's just no denying the significance of what we are doing as AmeriCorps members, as well as what the AmeriCorps experience is doing for each of us.