After spending Spring Break in New Orleans working with Emergency Communities, a volunteer organization to help residents who are returning to their homes after Hurricane Katrina, Weinberg sophomore Tasha Glen decided to dedicate all of Spring Quarter to rebuilding community in the area.

“I went back to school for a week knowing I would go back,” Glen said.

Glen’s experience with Emergency Communities during an Alternative Spring Break trip showed her just how much help is needed in New Orleans.

She was determined to return, even if it meant taking a quarter off, she said, but NU’s anthropology department allowed Glen to earn a credit for this quarter by studying New Orleans’ emerging structure.

“There is an entire culture that has sprung up in this tent city,” Glen said. “People have begun to assume positions of authority.”

Because her work is considered an independent study, Glen must produce a 20- to 25-page paper and a photo essay.

In addition to observing the structure of the community where she is living, Glen has met several interesting residents.

“I met this one guy who has been surviving hurricanes here since 1934,” said Glen. “This 70-year-old man had 12 dogs and 14 people in his apartment.”

Glen also said that her volunteer work has included a variety of jobs.

“I tried out a little bit of each thing going on down here,” she said. “I’ve taken on the role of a ‘floater.’ I just say, ‘Hey, who needs help? OK, I’ll do that.'”

Glen has been stationed with Emergency Communities in the St. Bernard Parish area. But the volunteer operation will move to Plaquemines Parish at the beginning of June.

According to Glen, the need for food is much greater in Plaquemines Parish.

“The residents are driving three hours to get supplies,” she said.

Though Emergency Communities is officially leaving St. Bernard Parish, Glen said she believes the work will be long-lasting.

“We created such a sense of community – we’re going to open a community center,” Glen said.

Glen said she hopes to be back at NU for Dillo Day and Reading Week to finish writing her paper.

She said she will tell students that the work of rebuilding New Orleans is far from finished.

“People don’t understand what the devastation is,” said Glen. “There are piles of trash, and people are still trickling in.”

For Glen, the most valuable experience of her volunteer work was watching the New Orleans community come back together one person at a time.

“I really noticed the huge effect that small actions have,” Glen said of her experience in New Orleans.

“Just one person sitting down and giving love and compassion to another person is really what’s changing things around here.”

Reach Maureen Rohn at [email protected].