Nurturing Community Resilience and Collective Healing: Going Home to Louisiana

At the heart of all of my work lies a profound recognition of the importance of community and the power of shared experiences. This past week, I was on travel working, thinking and reconnecting in my home state. I had the honor of collaborating with community leaders in Louisiana, embarking on a transformative journey of co-learning and resilience building. My initial reason for the visit was to deliver a set of workshops about organization building. Specifically, I was to offer insights about the importance of internal resilience building within organizations, focusing on scaling, establishing legal and accounting compliance mechanisms, and prioritizing the well-being of your team and yourself. This took place. What occurred was that together, we explored the intersection of the climate crisis and the digital divide, understanding the unique challenges faced by marginalized communities, and envisioning a future where empowerment and protection are paramount.

This was part of my work with the Consortium for Equitable Disaster Resilience, an organization backed by Tulane University and Walmart, and The Undivide Project. The goal or collective mission is to help strengthen communities’ ability to adapt to climate change and increasing disasters. In the conversation about climate change, digital justice and resilience, it is important to think about our collective journeys, shedding light on the significance of community and shared experiences,

Communities form the bedrock of resilience, offering support, strength, and a shared purpose. Being able to engage with community leaders in Louisiana allowed us to tap into the collective wisdom and experiences that lie within these communities. It became evident that the challenges posed by the climate crisis and the digital divide not only disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous and Latino communities, but also rural ones, like Cajun and Creole communities in the Southeastern part of the state. By acknowledging and embracing the power of community, we sought to amplify their voices, uplift their stories, and co-create solutions that address their specific needs.