We Are Family Still Building Community Ties
Written by DCist Contributor Stephanie Taylor
Mark Andersen came to Washington decades ago as a student of international relations, but was heartbroken by what he saw right in his own backyard. What he describes as the distance between the city's idealism and its reality, particularly in terms of radical income disparities and the effects of historic racism, were too much for him to ignore. So he became a different type of diplomat, founding Positive Force in 1985 in an effort to motivate D.C.'s punk rock community to become activists for social change and empowerment.
The volunteer organization We are Family was born out of Positive Force and also has found shelter under the umbrella of the Northwest Settlement House –- an organization that has been working to build community in the Shaw neighborhood since 1934.
We Are Family focuses on building relationships between the young and old, across the boundaries of race, religion, sexual orientation, and even hair color. Every Saturday, volunteers from all walks of life assemble to make visits to the elderly who would be unlikely to congregate at the local senior center. (Senior leaders who live in the buildings they visit let Andersen know who might be in need of a little extra help.) During visits, volunteers chat and laugh, mentally noting who needs assistance with groceries, cleaning or getting an apartment manager to fix the air conditioning. Andersen, the only full-time staffer, spends the week following up on the needs assessed by the Saturday visits. Those who would like to get involved but are unavailable on Saturdays are given a senior to visit, call and befriend on their own time. Irregular book clubs are also held that discuss books related to social justice issues.
A Saturday during a holiday weekend in October found 16 people who were willing to get up at 10 a.m. Several students from GWU, including one young woman from Jordan, met up with a handful of local musicians, a couple of young locals from Shaw, and Fred Simms, a senior citizen from Maryland. Simms reminds the volunteers of the racial realities of the Washington he remembers as a 7 year-old boy -- being white, when he walked down the sidewalk, blacks were required by law to vacate as he passed.
Photo by terecico
Andersen wants heal those old wounds.
"We believe our community can be brought to its highest potential if we get to know one another," Andersen said.
The volunteers are assigned into groups and sent out. One group consists of a freshman lacrosse player from GWU, an out-of-town law student visiting for a job fair and Sarah Lawrence, a Canadian partial to a punk aesthetic on vacation who used to be very active with We Are Family when she lived here a couple years ago.
Alma Williams, 86, enthusiastically greets Lawrence, an old friend, complimenting her blue with violet-streaks hair. Alma tells the group tales of her family and shares pictures of an assortment of people, some famous. Parting is difficult for both Lawrence and Mrs. Williams, but she inquires about the next visit, enticing the group back.
"What size do you wear?" she asks. "Next time we're taking out the shoes."
For those who would like more information, you can email Mark at wearefamilydc (at) aol.com.