Oh, everything was going so sweet. And then cut so very short. In my last blog entry I discussed the very big plans Heritage Hub's Operations Manager, Ms. Meltonia, and I had for the nonprofit. We were going to have a garden party! - kind of. The Heritage Hub farm-to-table dinner event was supposed to be a fundraiser to support the Hub facility itself, as well as the weekly Frenchtown Saturday Market. To me however, it appeared also to be the perfect opportunity to (at least for a few hours) bridge the social divide that seems to plague Tallahassee. The economic disparity between historically black local neighborhoods and the associated persons of Florida State University shows itself in many ways, one of which is the general lack of social interaction between the two community's members. One underlying effect of the fundraiser was that it was going to be a chance to bring people together from the two very different communities, and facilitate conversation and encourage the formation of connections. Unelected community leaders, Frenchtown families, FSU staff and students... people from such varied backgrounds would be together with the common purpose of supporting a valuable community resource. Unfortunately, with all the chaos surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, this project has been postponed. Up until recently, most of my work with Frenchtown Heritage Hub and its staff has revolved around planning for the farm-to-table party - creating Sponsorship letters, designing event tickets, generating sponsorship levels, shopping for decorations, etc.
With all physical preparations put on hold, and having to attempt to intern from afar, I feel as though my overall productivity has declined significantly. I have decided however, to do the best with what I can. Aside from offering Ms. Mel my assistance over email, I figured the best thing to do in this global down time would be to continue with event planning - even if it is for an event next year. Being taken out of my normal work routine, and having to do all kinds of tasks while beneath a stay at home order, has reminded me that no plan of action is ever written in stone. It is always subject to change. While hopefully never again on the same scale, something unexpected will always be thrown into the mix of work or life and require me to adjust my approach. Interning in this current situation is teaching me a little bit of patience and a whole lot of adaptability. Our awesome plans for the Heritage Hub haven't been cancelled, just slightly delayed!
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