New Orleans bleeds both its charm and its trouble. Since my first trip here in Feb 2007, my connection to the city has been strictly via the arts (shout out to National Performance Network!) and entirely as a tourist, a spectator, and an administrator. I have long been eager for a way to get involved with its recovery efforts from devastation and poverty. As the Manager of Community Affairs and Campus Engagement [CACE] at Berklee, I am delighted to have the opportunity to get out from behind the desk and roll up my sleeves. Not only is it personally meaningful, but I believe that doing so makes me better at supporting others in their public service efforts as part of my day to day job responsibilities.

I arrived here thanks in part to the support of students in The Movement, CACE’s student-led program that uses music as a catalyst for social change. I’m excited to share with them how our group of faculty-staff has thrown themselves into the culture here, and worked as hard as possible building homes for families-in-need. We are volunteering alongside a group of undergrads from a small school in PA which makes me miss our students even more. I know that they will feel as inspired as we do by Berklee’s ongoing commitment to community activism–what an awesome, tangible demonstration of how to use college resources to make a difference!

–Eve Alpern

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