The quiet power of incremental change is a game changer

Jun 02, 2023

Alfred "Shivy" Brooks, Larry Irvin (founder of Brothers Empowered to Teach) and Amen Rahn attend the Teach Jam Conference, an urban education conference where educators receive professional development, inspiration and training in an atmosphere that is similar to an HBCU homecoming.

On the first anniversary of the launch of Louisiana Inspired, a weekly section that focuses on people and organizations who are working toward solutions to make their communities and the world at large a better place, we take a look at some of the organizations we've featured in the past year and what progress they've made toward achieving their goals.

As children, we learn about Aesop's fable of the tortoise and the hare. It's a familiar story with a clear message: Slow and steady wins the race.

Children may not grasp the long-term significance and depth of the story. However, eventually, the quiet power of incremental change becomes clear despite its tortoise-like pace.

Organizations often work to change one life at a time — or one area of a community or policy at a time. The benefits of such efforts are many and often go beyond the intended goal or mission.

"Any time we enlist ourselves to volunteer, to give our attention to the people of our communities, someone else benefits from our goodwill," said Sarah Berthelot, president and CEO of the Louisiana Association of United Ways.

Sarah Berthelot, President and CEO of the Louisiana Association of United Ways.

Likewise, Berthelot says, when an individual is able to do for others and feels like he or she has made a difference, there's a tangible benefit to the one who put forth the effort as well.

"It's a very joyful feeling," Berthelot said.

Living in Louisiana offers plenty of opportunity to help others.

When faced with disaster, time and again, people show up — resilient and ready to help others.

"We see the best of people whenever we're faced with that type of challenge," she said.

Some ways to help are less obvious and require more than a strong back. They require logistical planning, a coordinated marketing plan and volunteers with real expertise.

For example, United Way sites throughout the state recently coordinated tax preparation services where volunteers and partner organizations provided free tax preparation for families in Louisiana. Volunteers helped individuals file taxes properly, avoid predatory lenders and more and places millions of dollars back into the pockets of hardworking Louisianans each year.

Berthelot notes that one clear way to improve the lives of many Louisianans is to help more individuals and families build financial stability. United Way has several financial capability centers that have opened in the state to provide financial literacy classes and financial coaching. They are helping families put together the building blocks toward a more prosperous, less stressful life — to be able to provide for their families.

Overall, the goal at United Way is to keep families and individuals moving forward — slowly and steadily.

"It is so magical to be a part of something that truly changes the trajectory of someone's life for the better," Berthelot said.

About three months after the New Orleans-based nonprofit, Brothers Empowered to Teach was featured in Louisiana Inspired's first issue, the organization was notified that it was the recipient of a $2 million dollar grant.

The nonprofit recruits and trains Black men to become teachers through mentorship, programming and paid fellowship programs. CEO Larry Irvin said the money has been a game changer for the organization.

"The grant has made a big difference. Now, we can do this work from a place of sanity. We are not in a constant survival mode," Irvin said. "We can be more creative knowing I can make payroll for the next two to three years."

In the last year, the organization has relaunched its alumni program, which had been put on hold during the height of the pandemic.

Alton Harris, left, and Reginald Blouin Jr. participate in a professional development cipher, which Larry Irvin said the Today Show filmed in real time.

"We're making a deeper investment into our graduates," Irvin said. "We've recruited a fresh new body of undergraduates for the program — 30 in New Orleans and 30 in Baton Rouge."

As of last fall, Brothers Empowered to Teach had placed 174 men in classrooms in New Orleans and Baton Rouge since its inception. They will not be placing more until spring of 2024. Irvin describes the organization’s approach as layered, including “Adulting 101,” or as Irvin puts it, being a grown man.

To be in the program, potential members must have a 2.5 GPA, be enrolled at least half-time in college, and be a young man of color. If accepted, the program offers the member a paid fellowship. BE2T recruits at New Orleans and Baton Rouge colleges.

The program is currently working in two schools, Sophie B. Wright Charter School in New Orleans and in a partnership with the Head Start program in Baton Rouge.

"We have to refill the cupboards," Irvin said. "I love seeing these young men grow — even though growth can be painful."

Irvin said one thing he's notices with the young men his program works with to train as teachers is that the younger generation wants to see the impact they're making now.

"Impact is at the forefront of their ambitions," Irvin said.

With a single, fast-acting injection in the neck, Louisiana military veterans are taking back their lives.

Last September Louisiana Inspired spoke to Andrew Ward, a veteran and the founder of Acadiana Veterans Alliance — an organization that is helping to reduce post-traumatic stress disorder in Louisiana military veterans with the stellate ganglion block procedure.

From left to right, Levi Kastner, Ross Gresham, Andrew Ward, Hollis Conway, Diogo Tavares, Josh Guillory and Sarah Mary Toce-Donlon gathered to celebrate the unveiling of a new Veterans Park sign in Lafayette.

The AVA had a 75% success rate in treating PTSD, with 18 successful procedures by September last year. A year later, the Heal Program, which helps to fund the treatment, is delivering even better results.

"We're at an 80% success rate," Ward said. "In total, we've had up to 42 procedures, most in Louisiana and a few outside of the state through our national partner."

Ward and his team have applied to several grants in the past year to support the Heal Program. This month, they were awarded a $22,000 grant from the Disabled Veterans National Foundation.

"One hundred percent of the funds will go into the Heal Program to give more SGB shots to veterans," Ward said.

From left to right, Tyler Racca, Andrew Ward, Levi Kastner, Millicent Nugent, Todd Buckman, Chris DeGuelle and representative Beau Beaullieu gather to advocate and write legislation for a property tax exemption for disabled veterans — which passed with an overwhelming majority.

At the end of the month, the team will find out if they receive a grant from the Fisher House Foundation. If they are included in the top five, AVA will be featured in Military Times, a media network that provides information on issues for the military community.

"The fact that we're actually recognized by some of these bigger philanthropic organizations at a national level tells me that we're continuing to do something right," Ward said.

Since September, AVA has worked with Higher Heroes USA to connect veterans with workplace opportunities, partnered with the Louisiana National Guard and wrote legislation for a property tax exemption for disabled veterans — which passed with an overwhelming majority.

"If we're going to go out and say the future of Louisiana is a great place to bring your family and live here," Ward said. "We're going to have to do some things as a state to make that happen."

Jennifer Richardson's group of litter warriors has multiplied — in size, supplies, donations and number of days the volunteers with Keep Tiger Town Beautiful head out to clean the city.

"The community has come together like gangbusters to help us," Richardson said. "They’re just swooping in like, 'What do you need?' They see that we are really doing something."

Since the fall, Keep Tiger Town Beautiful has picked up almost 12,000 45-gallon contractor bags of litter, cleaned up at least 50 abandoned homeless camps, distributed around 140 public trash cans around the city and participated in Love the Boot Week while filling up two dumpsters of trash from Tigerland.

Various Keep Tiger Town Beautiful volunteers head out around 6:30 to 7 a.m. almost every day to pick up litter in Baton Rouge.

Richardson often interacts with unhoused individuals, panhandlers and drug addicts — while always conscious to greet them with love and grace. In the almost three years she's hosted cleanups, she has helped one individual to go through detox, rehab and sober living.

"I feel like that's my biggest accomplishment yet," she said. "If I could help 1,000 people, I would. That would be better than picking up litter. I would love that with all my heart."

With a few Facebook followers to now some 5,000 people, members pick up trash every day, more than two to three times a day. Richardson started with 10 members at a pickup. Now there's over 100 volunteers on some days. They have received countless donations of contractor bags, trash bags, safety vests, grabbers, trash cans and more. Local companies also donated a van, storage unit, advertising and branding.

R.J. McGimsey, owner of Premier South Roofing and Sheet Metal, donated a van, contractor bags, grabbers, carts and a gas card to Keep Tiger Town Beautiful in July 2023.

"It's truly a God thing," Richardson said. "When I told God, 'Yes, I'm going to do this,' and started doing it, He has just totally paved the way. People have just stepped up."

While the pickups often provide instant gratification, there are incremental changes and room for improvement, as well. For example, when volunteers first cleaned the "Siegen hell hole," as Richardson calls it, regarding the I-10 overpass on Siegen Lane, they had 65 contractor bags of trash. They've now shoveled everything out and only pick up around 12 bags.

They keep going back, trying to get the area cleaned up. Richardson believes that the area should be walled off, as it's unsanitary and unsafe with insects, feces, drug needles and more.

A Keep Tiger Town Beautiful volunteer cleans out a drain in Baton Rouge.

Nevertheless, community members and leaders are noticing a difference in the city.

"We keep doing it, and we do it with a joyful heart. We're like a family now," Richardson said. "We love turning blight to beautiful in one hour. There's nothing like that feeling. Nothing."

Email Lauren Cheramie at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter, @LCheramie_.