Karma

Article by Claudia Kittock

I do the work I do because I believe in social justice and equality.  I believe that I am required to do this work. I was born lucky and I didn’t choose that luck.  I was born to parents who loved me, provided a home for me, and urged me to read and to learn.  Some people are not born with that luck through no choice of their own. I am required to give that luck back. What I have learned is that for every bit of effort and every bit of investment, it comes back to me 1000 times. 

   I work as a tutor in the GED program at YouthLink.  Every week, I bring freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Today I was at Seward Coop buying butter and chocolate chips.  I often get asked about what I’m doing with all that butter and all those chocolate chips. I tell them about my job as “Cookie Lady” and tutor.  As I was walking to my car in the parking lot, a stranger approached me and asked me if he heard my story correctly.  When I told him he had, he said, “I don’t have much money, but take this for the cookies.” and gave me $10.

At a DMNA meeting a few years ago, a group of us on the board brought several proposals forward.  Each of these proposals were about spending money on programs that offered assistance for people experiencing homelessness.  Several neighbors and friends were there in support.  Brett, a good friend and running partner, also someone who had experienced homelessness passed me a note as he left.  The note read, “The opposite of addiction is not sobriety.  The opposite of addiction is connectedness.” That note is now framed and hanging in our home.

What I have learned is
that for every bit of effort and every bit of investment,
it comes back to me 1000 times.        

When the clothes closet at YouthLink gets low in clothes, an email is sent out.  I forward that email to people in my building, and bags of clothes appear at our doorstep. I have never asked for help without an overwhelming response.  At one point, the volunteer coordinator had to ask me to slow down bringing in the contributions as the clothes closet was full.

I take those bags of clothes to YouthLink every week. I have NEVER taken in these bags without 1-5 kids coming out to help me.  I always insist I can carry them myself, but I am never allowed to do that.  As one young man said to me, “M’am, I KNOW you CAN carry them, but you aren’t going to.  I’m carrying them for you.” Every . . . single . . . time . . . and always with a different group of youth.

The very first day I ran with residents of Higher Ground, I was met at the door by Jose. He explained where we would be running and said, “Don’t forget. I have your back.”  After our run, Jose reminded me that wherever I go in Minneapolis, he will always have my back.  All I need to do is to say, “I’m with Jose.” Jose lives at Higher Ground, has always had my back, and, I believe, always will and I walk my city with more confidence because I know Jose has my back.

Every Saturday afternoon, 40-50 neighbors, known as the Friends of the Mill District Singers, gather to rehearse under the direction of JD Steele, accompanied by his brother Fred Steele.  MacPhail, the Mill City Museum, the Guthrie, and the American Academy of Neurology give us a space to rehearse . . . because we ask.  JD and Fred lead us in raucous, joyful singing. The Singers are free and open to all, and we sing our hearts out.  We begin with hugs and greetings and leave the same way, knowing that there is hope and joy in our community, believing that things will be better.

If you listen to the news too often, you may be led to believe that there are many bad people in our city.  You may be led to believe our problems are insurmountable. That is simply untrue. Our city is filled with kind, caring people who go out of their way to do the right thing, to care for each other, and to extend kindness whenever they can. Our problems are being solved every day by people who insist that there are answers and those answers are workable. I am honored and so very thankful to be part of this community. We are stronger together!

Claudia can be reached at claudia@millcitymedia.org