Kamille Martin #2

Service is so important. However, community service even more so. Simply the word "community" put before the word "service" makes the world of a difference. Little did I know the impact of either until my continued involvement with helping out locally. I always tried to get involved with some type of community service whether that be simply cleaning up the park or giving food to the homeless. Upon coming to NEU, I knew that I yearned to get involved with something community-service related. At orientation I learned of a club called NU|ACES. This stands for "Alliance of Civically Engaged Students". The organization's mission interested me so I decided to apply. Soon after I received an email that I was accepted and to look forward to "Welcome Weekend: a weekend full of service". This past weekend exceeded my expectations. I enjoyed not only volunteering in the community, but also learning about the neighborhoods that both touch and surround Northeastern's campus. Saturday began through going to "Family Gym", which has a partnership with the school and contains multiple locations throughout Boston. Our role as facilitators was to play alongside children aged 4-8 and promote exercise/healthy living. The service was unique because I was able to directly interact with others. Everything felt hands-on and I knew I was making an impact. Later that day we learned more about neighborhoods such as Roxbury and the history behind it. On Sunday we participated in another community service event. This included a walk through the park all the way to Forest Hills. As we walked, our task was to take pictures of local objects or places such as a basketball court we came across or a playground. Then, we would upload the photos to a website that helped run the large community park website. It was awesome being able to have such a big influence on the area surrounding Northeastern. That evening, we discussed a timeline of events that occurred in Boston and how it has changed/affected the city today. Monday was MLK day, so our cohort visited "Freedom House". This organization helps those from low-income areas have access and resources for education and strives to send students to college. The day was very touching because locals shared their stories and we all attended a workshop either focusing on: immigration, violence/safety, education, or mental health. Hearing how all 4 areas affected MLK and affect people today blew my mind. They were all interconnected and one caused the other to become a never-ending domino effect. Although we focused on the problems in the community, we also created solutions to create long-lasting change. These weekend events led to me reflect also on the Malcolm X reading because I noticed how the time period led minorities to be at a disadvantage to access resources and opportunities such as learning how to read. Thankfully, there have been improvements over the years but there is still much more change to come. I now feel more civically engaged and prepared to successfully impact Boston.