Front, L-R: Katrice Gray (volunteer), Timeka Carelock (volunteer manager), Sonia Sanchez (poet and convention speaker), Chante Worth (volunteer), Andrea Carter (volunteer). Back: Frank Kelly (volunteer manager)
Martin Luther King, Jr. said that, “Everybody can be great because everybody can serve." This importance of volunteerism and civic engagement was illuminated at the recent convention of the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) in Raleigh, where volunteers gave $11,439.20 worth of their time and talent to make the event happen.
With the convention theme “Black Economic Empowerment,” ASALH attracted more than 700 attendees from around the world. No doubt putting on a convention of this magnitude takes treasure, but the volunteers played a critical role in filling service gaps and added to the convention’s overall success.
Time and talent are equally as important as treasure, but their value is often diminished because of the overwhelming emphasis placed on treasure. Volunteer manager Angela Caraway reported that 70 people volunteered a total of 630 hours…and according to the 2008 Independent Sector monetary equivalent for volunteer hours in North Carolina ($18.10/hour), those 630 hours added up to nearly $11,500 worth of contributed time and talent!
Volunteers came from far and near and from different occupations. They were young adults and older adults, and all gave selflessly as their duties were performed with diligence and tenacity.
Of particular note were the young adults volunteering from area colleges and universities (Shaw University, Saint Augustine’s College, North Carolina Central, South Piedmont Community College and Johnson C. Smith, to name a few). The Corporation For National and Community Service tells us there is a correlation between young people volunteering and their participation in other forms of civic engagement, such as political and social issues.
The ASALH convention, its 95th, was held in Raleigh from September 29 to October 3. Founded in 1915 by Carter G. Woodson (considered the “father of Black history”), ASALH’s mission is to promote research, preserve, interpret and disseminate information about Black life, history and culture to the global community.
Some of the well-known speakers and panelists included Sonia Sanchez, poetess; Dr. William Barber, president of the North Carolina chapter of the NAACP; Dr. Evelyn Brooks Higginbotham, author and professor of history and African and African American studies; and Mary Francis Berry, history professor and civil rights advocate.
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