Serving others with dignity is a concept that was introduced to our team at A Wider Circle. Ellen Barr, our representative from A Wider Circle, dispelled the myth that people living in poverty did not deserve the best things. Their values were different from Goodwill despite their overall goal being similar. A Wider Circle would not put anything on their shelves that you would not give as a gift. There was a learning curve with our team understanding this concept because we were only familiar with thrift shops that one would find in Iowa City. On many occasions, members of our team would say, “Is this good enough?” and, “This only has a few pieces missing, is it okay?” when considering what to send upstairs to the shelves. It was apparent that we were not used to the concept of serving with dignity in a donation distribution environment. After learning the specific quality of items that were allowed upstairs, this standard leaked into our sorting at Bread for the City.

As we were working on sorting clothes for the clothing pantry, our team was noticeably throwing clothes with even mild wear and tear into the trash pile. Our team had began to grow further into understanding the concept of serving with dignity. We started considering even faintest stain or rip on a jacket when deciding what to allow on the shelves. Although this skill took a full two days to gather, it was something that became ingrained in the way our team did service.

As we travelled back to Iowa City, many of our team members discussed the topic of dignity and how it transfers to donation distribution within our own communities. Many items we would have previously donated, we no will no longer consider for donation. Everyone deserves to feel dignified and respected through service. As we continue to grow and serve, we will ensure to preserve the highest level of dignity through the service projects we pursue.

During our time at A Wider Circle, some of our team members had a negative experience with micro aggressions. We had a long discussion regarding those aggressions during our debrief that night. We recognized that even when you are well intentioned, you can do damage to those you are working with if you are not culturally and self-aware. Our team discussed the particular instance of micro aggression for hours, and the importance of cultural immersion. We eventually came up with a plan to call and address our concerns with the organization the next day, so we could prevent it from continuing to harm others in the future.

Our group addressed micro aggressions head-on and were able to listen to the concerns of those impacted to support and validate their experience. We evaluated how we interact with others and did self reflection on how we would have responded to the issue at hand. Several of our members were introduced an example of a micro aggression for the first time, and will now be more aware of these instances in both the past and future.

We believe the value of unity perfectly encompasses the importance of working with communities versus working for communities. Our first day of class, we were introduced to a quote by Lilla Watson. The quote states, “If you have come here to help me, you are wasting your time. But if you have come because your liberation is bound up with mine, then let us work together”. As we entered our first service partner, A Wider Circle, this same quote was painted on the walls of the warehouse. This painting served as a reminder throughout our service that we were not there to provide our services to a community, but rather work with the Washington, D.C. community and its citizens to achieve one unified goal.

Unity in service also facilitates learning together throughout the service process. Working as one allows both parties to learn from and grow with one another. One of the most valuable experiences we had on our trip was interacting on a personal level with the community members. We were able to hear their stories, learn their needs, and work together to try to fulfill those needs. Whether it was finding the perfect couch or the right color of baby clothes, learning about clients as we worked with them allowed for a more unified and dignified experience for everyone involved.