Reflecting on this historic day, especially in the light of yesterday's MLK Day of Service , I am struck by the spirit of civic engagement and national service that seems to be sweeping the country. In his ignauration speech the new president declared "for everywhere we look, there is work to be done". This sentiment is backed up by his strong commitment to getting things done which he displayed yesterday by participating in the MLK Day of Service. (Check out these articles about President Obama's service from the Boston Globe and White House Website). President Obama reminded the nation "what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to a common purpose". I feel lucky to witness the results of the nation's creative and drive to service daily as I work with our dedicated Literacy AmeriCorps members. Our members not only dedicate themselves to a year of service but take on this call to action once they leave our program. The large number of our alumni who continue in the adult education field or pursue other roads of service like working for the State Department, starting their own non-profits, or seeking more education so they may teach the next generation highlights the life long commitment to service that AmeriCorps helps foster.

In addition to his dedication to service, it must be noted how significant this day is in terms of our country's racial past.  "Because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass," the President said in his speech. And as a Historian who focused on race relations, the promise that the inauguration of the nation's first Black president brings is uplifting and especially significant as it falls the day after MLK Day. Today the "promissory note" that Dr. King called upon in his "I Have a Dream Speech" is one step closer to being fully cashed. 

I look forward to the next four years. I encourage everyone to get involved and make a commitment to "Get Things Done" in 2009 and beyond!

Ways to Get involved:

• Join AmeriCorps!
• Volunteer 
• Donate to a good cause (like the Literacy Alliance!)
• Get Involved and answer the President's call to service

AmeriCorps members, and the rest of the city, got a treat this morning. Snow in New Orleans!! We woke up to a true blanket of snow (granted by mid-day it had turned to rain and washed away but it was fun while it lasted.) True to our pledge of service, the snow did not stop us for "getting things done".  The picture to the right of Lauren Pigeon doing carrying boxes for the ProLiteracy/COABE training institute in the snow proves that like the post office "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays LACNOLA members from the swift completion of their appointed service".

The Christmas Ballet was pretty amazing.Not being from this neighborhood, I felt the event was something towards a Christmas heritage or an upward lift to Christmas spirit.All of the dancing was really good.I especially liked to see the littlest ballerina’s dance, so sweet.But everyone was very light on their toes, even when stomping on the stage.

The reason I was captured by this event actually was because of KYNT (Kenneth Bryan, 08-09 LACNOLA member, who not only starred in the Ballet but provided his fellow members with free tickets to the event).His tribal dancing was truly moving.I guessed he dances with that much emotion all the time, but I really don’t know.It was like a love song or a love/hate song.I think he scared some bad spirits away.How does he dance like that? I am glad I was there to see it, it was like he was speaking out, actually to me.

At the One Book One New Orleans "Evening with the Author" Event, LACNOLA members helped out in a variety of ways from setting up to greating community members to helping with the question and answer session. Pictured on the left are members Libby Favrot, Bradley Narcisse, and Nic McMahon as they greet people attending the event and do some community outreach providing information about literacy programs in the Greater New Orleans area and giving out copies of the Teacher and Tutor Guide, which was designed to assist adult education teachers make the novel more accessible to their students.

Author of the OBONO selection, City of Refuge, Tom Piazza takes time before his reading of the novel to speak with St. Vincent de Paul Adult Learning Center student Jennie Gordon. Jennie not only read the novel and participated in a variety of activities surrounding it led by LAC member Adrian McGrath, who helped write and design the Teacher and Tutor guide, she also wrote an essay about the novel that Tom Piazza read! (You can find a copy of her essay and other information about how City of Refuge was used at SVDP on their school blog.)

Author Tom Piazza speaks with Natasha Lawerence after the event while signing her book. Natasha is a student at Delgado Community College Adult Education and was chosen from a variety of students to introduce Mr. Piazza at the event. (She did a terrific job!)

After Tom Piazza introduced and read from his book (students in the audience had him keep track of the pages he read from so they could read along!), after he answered questions, after he signed numerous book (including LAC member's personal copies of City of Refuge), he was gracious enough to pose for a picture with the Literacy AmeriCorps members. Pictured from Left to right: Sarah G. Fischer (LAC Program Coordinator), Michel Dieciedue, Molly Losey, Lauren Pigeon, Tom Piazza, Bradley Narcisse, Miriam McGinn, Nic McMahon, and Rachel Nicolosi (LAC Program Director and Executive Director of the Literacy Alliance of Greater New Orleans).