Honda Civic Engagement

Thank you…thank you…I know…that was not a good pun.

This week I started on my civic engagement. The only reason why it has taken me this long to get into it is because I have been very picky with what kind of volunteerism I wanted to do, so I have just now received some bites.

I came out here with an interest in social justice and between the nature of my work at the Office for Civil Rights, the group of friends I have fallen in with at church, and the volunteer opportunities I have found I am beginning to think it might develop into a passion. Maybe? Maybe? I don’t know…

This weekend I stayed overnight at a women’s homeless shelter called Pathways. It was an incredible experience. I can’t say much more because I need to do a better job honoring the confidentially agreements I have been signing. I am actually signed up to work at three of these kinds of shelters, all told, doing the overnight monitoring. The next one I am going to do is a men’s shelter, so it will be an entirely different experience. Basically, all I do as an overnight monitor is diffuse contentious situations and deal with emergencies. So, on a quiet night, what I do is smile then sleep. It is awesome getting to talk to the people you get to work with. They can teach you a lot about life. The night was kind of hectic, but it was really rewarding.

That was Saturday. Then, on Sunday, I attended a Mennonite church that I went to last week on invitation from a co-worker. The pastor invited me over to his house for a post-service fiesta. I got my first chance in a while to dust off my Spanish speaking non-ability…yeah, I was even worse than I thought. I made friends with a fellow who had just turned 18, but had already been through more than I could stand in one lifetime. His life is a remarkable story.

Monday was some of the best Washington Center programming yet. We had the Secretary of Commerce come and speak to us. He was an excellent speaker with excellent things to say. My roommate got up and asked the second killer question in a row. This time, he actually got it answered. Last time it was to a panel of former congressmen. You can guess how directly they answered it. I really enjoyed what the Secretary had to say—so much so that I did not notice the Secret Service agent in the aisles.

Tuesday, I got the opportunity to do client intake at the free immigration clinic in Fairfax County called Just Neighbors. My partner was a former tax attorney. My partner and I worked with one client the entire evening, basically just asked a bunch of questions, making copies of documents, and calming her children. This was one of the most rewarding experiences of the summer; a chance to interact with attorneys, a chance to interact with disadvantaged clients, and a chance to do what I want to do with my life.

Today was just a busy day at work. I have done extra hours the last two days just because we are approaching a deadline. That prison rape policy recommendations report is due to Congress, I suppose.

Maybe I should talk about Independence Day weekend. My roomies and went and saw the parade.

This picture is the entire parade. No. I am just kidding. I just had to take this picture because I thought it was so sweet.

We were just trying to watch the bagpipers when this helicopter flew over us and landed on the White House lawn. Apparently, GW was coming in from swearing in some new citizens at Monticello (Thomas Jefferson’s old flat). So I guess I can say I saw the President at the White House while I was in town, eh?

I guess while I am on the pictures and talking about the parade. I might as well post this. I have been promising my roomies a ten page exposé, but this will have to do. These are the two the came along to the parade. The Fourth was actually out campaigning for Obama that morning. What makes that even better is that he is not even a U.S. citizen and he has been more politically active than us Americans. The fellow with the Indian’s hat is Gary Richard Thaxton from right around Cleveland, Ohio. He works at Interpol (which I found out is a branch of the Department of Justice). The fellow on the right that the creepy guy in the background is recording is Joseph Ducharme. He is from Massachusetts. He works with the Metropolitan Police Station. Can you tell that I didn’t really watch the parade?

After about halfway through the parade we were hot, bored, and burnt. So we walked around DC while, since there were no crowds (everyone was at the parade). We went and got our pictures taken by the White House.

Yeah. That is me to try to be cool. It does not always work, but I am pretty sure this one worked out. Maybe? Maybe?

In a surreal moment, I was taking a picture of the White House and I realized there was a fellow standing on top of it taking a picture of me through digital binoculars.

Of course, that night we went and saw the fireworks on the Mall. We were right in front of the Washington Monument. Check out this picture. You can see the Lincoln in the background and the Reflecting Pool.

And lastly, here is the one and only artistic thing I will probably get around to doing this summer. I call it TIMElaspes When You are Having Fun in DC.