I help my local community by volunteering with my university's community service center as well as being the Community Service Chair for my school's Organization of Black students which has allowed me to collaborate with Chicago residents. I think I am inspired to do service because of the injustice I see around me. There are many people I have met who do great work for the community and who I admire deeply, but overall, my drive to go out and volunteer is because it is unfair to reside in an area where so many people are overlooked and or exploited.

I have helped with community gardens, food pantries, local social event, tutoring, and so on. My goal is not to solve one specific issue or really solve anything at all as much as it is to simply be there for others. I think that with community service and more people showing solidarity with those they live with, problems will naturally subside.

I gain a lot of happiness when I do service. It truly is so much fun to work with others who have a similar tasks as you and are passionate about said task. Community service truly gives me hope and reminds me of what really matters in this world. I go to a university where many students do not interact with community members. Working with community members, I have been told countless times how they do not like interacting with students from my school because there is an obvious apprehension towards locals. I have been told it is nice to know that students who go to my school do care and want to work with the community. I think that it impactful in a way, knowing that I can show people that there are people within certain institutions and structures who do care. It is impactful that I, even just a little, can bridge the gap between the southside Chicago community and my university.