The topic of the radio workshop on the day I attended was for homeless people to shine a light on what it is like living with a disability and how it has affected and is affecting them in their daily lives. The first thing that I noticed when I walked in the room was the love in the room. Everyone there has been through things, horrible things, yet they have a smile on their face and are excited to get an opportunity to do something that sheds a light on issues they could relate to. Not only that, they were excited for their peers to get to talk about something that they know is affecting them and making it known to more people. The love exuded not just to each other, but to the fellow volunteers and I, was clear as day.
One situation that can perhaps give you a glimpse into how special this workshop is in general, but also for these people, is this: The first group of people just finished talking about their experience with disabilities, and how it had affected them. The main room was discussing the next section, what certain people could contribute and what sort of questions would be asked. It was agreed upon that a woman named Rosa would be a perfect contributor to the conversation. The problem, though, was Rosa wasn’t quite feeling up to it. She seemed nervous about saying the wrong thing, and was saying over and over again how she thinks it would be better if someone else had time in there for this certain section. Immediately, as the room sensed her nervousness, two or three people went over to console her, and around 8 people all at once started to chant “Rosa! Rosa! Rosa!”. She eventually, with the help of her peers, built up the courage to go into the recording room and tell her story. After, everyone was so happy for her and when she walked out of the recording room, a round of applause ensued.
Things like that only happen out of love. When people truly care for one another and want each other to thrive, an environment is created where vulnerability becomes strength, and no one has to face their fears alone. I will finish with giving one more vignette from my time there relating directly to me: My Spanish level, as it stands now… is not the best. It was difficult for me to follow a lot of the intricate details of things being said, and I was mainly at this workshop to see what it is like volunteering with the Participatory Action Research side of this project at Voluntario Global, and to take pictures. One of the men saw that I was a bit uncomfortable, and came over to me and asked me where I was from, how I was liking Argentina, the place I am staying, and doing so in a way where I was able to understand, and he did so solely to help me feel more comfortable. People don’t do things like that without love, and there was, as I’ve said, plenty of it in that room.
Everyone in that room grew as a person, whether that be through getting to experience a glimpse into the less fortunate in Buenos Aires, like myself, or through getting a space to express the struggles they have faced their entire life, like most of the people in that room. I was so proud to be a part of the growth of a perfectly functioning team on that day.
