Community Beyond Community

My experiences of community both inside and outside of the house and HMVS program while living in Immokalee in 2010-2011 have shaped who I am and how I run my household today.

I blame the lovely Kristina O’Hern and Margaret Gleeson Benze who though technically not HMVS volunteers during my year were permanent fixtures in the house, not to mention the brothers, friends, and lovers of my housemates and myself who passed through the halls that year.

 This community taught me to be welcoming, patient (two bathrooms for six+ people is rough), flexible, and caring. It taught me that I love having people in my house and making every space feel full of life.

Official community mates - Immokalee 2010-2011
(Sara, me, Vitina, Dennis)

It was this experience that has prompted me to open my partner’s and my home to roommates in hopes of building community and bringing life into our house to fill its spaces. It isn’t the same as delivering letters to the managers of Publix or driving fifteen-passenger vans, but it is how I continue to incorporate my service experience into my life.

In the almost three years of homeownership, we have been a space for folks in all stages of life. We’ve been able to be home, at least for a brief period of time, to two HMVS alumni (not including me), two college students, a few close friends, a 2-year-old (mom too, of course) and one lovely Michigander.

Sometimes I do still make it to actions!
(Spot all the HMVS alumni & comment below
for a prize... JK)

We’ve also welcomed out of town guests, that we may or may not have known prior, from all over the country including Seattle, Wisconsin, and Immokalee.

In direct service-year correlation, we are often able to act as a home base for members and allies of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers. Though I am not always able to join the CIW actions, fasts, and events to help raise awareness and lift up the efforts of these awesome men and women who are fighting for human rights, I am able to provide a place to refresh and rejuvenate when they’ve had a long day of advocacy and education in Cleveland.

Each guest and roommate comes with their own baggage and blessings. We’ve inherited a highchair, dirty socks, half-empty shampoo bottles, and Netflix accounts. We’ve gained friendships, honey, cheese curds, and a lot of great conversations. Of course, the adventure of hospitality and community is just beginning. Guests are always welcome, and so are you. We’re community members after all.