By Tyrone “Brotha T” Henry
I reminded myself to be open to what’s coming, and to be sensitive to other folks and their newness to me. I tried to walk light and observe as much as I could about my environment and the people I was around.
As a group travelling to COP21 we developed a method of learning how to live together, and I appreciated that. The process of organizing with all those calls, conference calls, emails – everything that went into even just getting us to the airport and us coming together as this unified nucleus that could move and work together – was beautiful to see.
Folks started to learn their known and unknown positions and qualities. It wasn’t always easy to have 30 different heads, 30 personalities, in one space. But we kept working and reassessing to move forward.
I saw the roles and responsibility get more defined as time went on. We realized what we were all good at, and as people learned their strengths and we built a flow. We found a rhythm living with each other.
Now I’m applying this rhythm, including everything I learned in France and all of the relationships that I built, back in New Orleans. I’m working on the Healing Home Project to create holistically sustainable living spaces in New Orleans, and to do this I’m working with other GSR delegates and we’re applying things we learned in France. Conversations from the Gulf South Rising trip to COP21 are turning into practice in our region.