Twin Cities (Minneapolis) - Women's Advocacy (8)

Day 7

Last blog post equals a sigh of relief from everyone else that doesn't have to write this because they can sleep after a long week of work. Sleep is something that we have/haven't done a lot of (naps=have, going to bed late because great reflections=haven't).

We went to MIWRC (Minnesota Indian Women's Resource Center for those of you that haven't been keeping up) today to finish painting the third floor. We worked on it like the little worker ants that we are and finished super quick. Everybody had their job and did it so efficiently (mine at first was ripping up the tape from the walls we did earlier in the week. I made a tape soccer ball because I am a child). We got to talk to Sal and Rocky, the two maintenance men at the center more today and learn about their backgrounds. It was so inspiring to hear how happy Rocky was with us painting walls because he then knew that kids were growing up in a space that looked put together and looked like a home.

After we scrubbed some paint off of our bodies and put on our best lip colors, we went to MAWA (Minnesota African Women's Association) to eat African food with Miss LaBelle, Miss Sandra and Miss Melissa. It was so fun joking with Miss Sandra about technology and talking to her about grad school and college things. Miss LaBelle and Miss Melissa were inspiring as always, making us think how we can "Bring It Home" by possibly doing some fundraising for them so they can continue taking girls on college visits and providing them with the resources that they need. Oh, and the food was FIRE.

We left that space to go on a shopping excursion with some of us hitting up the tea shop and book store in a little St. Paul town and the other van heading to the capitalism mecca itself, Mall of America. We only had time to explore one floor and we popped Bridget's Lululemon cherry by taking her in there and we looked longingly at the rollercoasters. When we got back to our housing, Don, a man from the parish, was finishing our New Orleans inspired dinner. His gumbo was fantastic and he brought us pie and ice cream. He told us all about his life as a young person, where he has been and what he likes to cook.

We ended our evening with a reflection that was full of hugs and compliments and feels. All of us fit into the crazy puzzle of our trip in very specific and important ways and it was beautiful hearing people put those purposes in words. I am forever grateful for this incredible batch of participants and to have been able to be in their presence for this past week, serving and learning. I am even more excited to see how everyone brings it home and uses what we have learned to make change back home. I know my Twin Cities sister will not disappoint.

Written by: Veronica DeStefano

 

The twerk picture heard 'round the World (Wide Web). 

We are super happy with what we learned and served this week, I swear. Now, what are YOU going to do?