Adam Harris 
A Heart to Give 
A Journal of Transformation

In March of 2007, I embarked upon a trip to Louisiana to help rebuild a community devastated from post Hurricane Rita in 2005. During a week long service event hosted by United Way, I joined 150 students from across the country to help in the never ending recovery. During this very humbling experience, I began to realize how important it was for me to be involved in my community locally. Upon return to Southeastern Michigan I felt that Detroit was undergoing an economic downturn that left many communities crying out for help.

When reminiscing about my Alternative Spring Break experience, I was empowered to get more students involved in the Metropolitan Detroit area. Talking with United Way for Southeastern Michigan in a meeting, I dreamed about bringing Alternative Spring Break to Detroit to help rebuild local neighborhoods, and community agencies in need. This experience was very historical to United Way because it was the first time they hosted an experience outside of a post hurricane devastated area.

A Heart to Give looks inside my thoughts and journals during my experience in 2007, and documents how empowered I felt upon return to Detroit, Michigan. Realizing that we all can make a difference, I am thankful to all the students who gave of their time to help revive the area of southwest Louisiana. I hope that by my example and the example of the many other students apart of the ASB experience, that citizens around the country can notice the importance of being involved in their own communities.

A propos de l’auteur

Currently Adam Harris is working on his Masters degree in Community Counseling at the University of Detroit Mercy. He graduated with his Bachelors degree in April of 2008 from the University of Michigan-Dearborn in Business Administration. During the same year (2008), Adam received the Universitys Distinguished Student Leader Award, and became a finalist in the Governors Service Awards under the category of Youth Volunteer of the Year. Adam resides in Southfield, Michigan, where he is currently substitute teaching and coaching high school girls basketball. Within the next 10 years, Adam hopes to have graduated with a Ph D in African American Studies.

To contact Adam Harris, send him an email at: aheart2give2010@hotmail.com