Let the Good Times Roll

Hello! I hope y’all had amazing weeks and weekends since we last talked (there’s that southern accent getting to me). Teaching a class at Boaz & Ruth, celebrating black history, a concert from one of my favorite bands, and a weekend at the Chesapeake Bay highlighted the best week I’ve had in Richmond so far!

The week started with quite the experience, as I found myself teaching a class of Boaz & Ruth apprentices at 8:00am Monday morning on the topic of “Giving back and supporting society.” It was an eye-opener for me to facilitate this class because I got to hear a lot of the emotions that the people in the program have towards society and how it has treated them. Coming out of prison, a majority of them are struggling just to ‘make it’ through this time in their life because of the obstacles society places on them for being convicted felons. Many of them are relying on the support of family or friends to just have an extra pair of shoes or a couple changes of clothes. Obviously, they are frustrated by these mainly financial constraints, so it is understandable why many are frustrated by the small wage they receive from Boaz & Ruth. Therefore, the idea of giving back to society is completely foreign to a lot of these individuals, which is completely understandable given their perspective on society.

Another focus of this class was the importance of knowing thyself and taking care of you before giving of yourself to a community. It only makes sense that you must be able to live with the way you are before you can confidently go before the rest of society. One trainee by the name of Melvin of whom I’ve spoken before shared some very enlightening insight during this part of the class. Over the weekend, he wrote some reflections on his life and life in general that really can apply to any person. I will be sure to post these sometime during the week for everybody to read as a lot of the words really touched my heart.

Another highlight of the week at B&R was getting to partake in their celebration of Juneteenth on Tuesday evening. I am guessing most of you from the Midwest have not even heard of this, and would be surprised to learn that it is one of the most important dates in black history and American history that this country has seen! In short, Juneteenth is the day that the last enslaved Africans in this country were notified of their freedom (they were in Texas). The date is commonly known as June 19, 1865, or almost two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. During the festivities of the evening, I learned some fascinating things about our country’s history that are unfortunately not well known within society. For one, I was shocked to learn that the Emancipation Proclamation was written as a political maneuver by Abe Lincoln. Its sole objective was not to free all the slaves of this country, as it only proclaimed freedom for those slaves in states in conflict with the Union. States like Texas were not in direct conflict with the Union by definition; therefore it took a few more years before total emancipation became a reality.

What’s even more interesting is that many African Americans, even today, see Juneteenth as their Independence Day rather than the traditional 4th of July. A perspective that I had actually never realized before was that Independence Day pre-Civil War was only a holiday for whites in the South. I got the impression that some blacks still celebrate the 4th with a grain of salt, if you will. I guess I will find out for sure in a few weeks!

While work is always a pleasure, all week I was really looking forward to Friday night and the Drive-By Truckers concert. Every Friday on Browns Island near downtown Richmond there is an event called Friday Cheers, where a fairly well-known band plays a free concert outdoors. This week, one of my favorite bands was coming to town and I was pumped! I ended up being in about the third row for the performance, which was one of the best I had ever seen. It was the perfect kickoff to an absolutely fun-packed weekend!

Earlier that Friday, I had been invited by friend and co-worker Josh to head out with him to his family’s lake home on one of the tributaries feeding into the Chesapeake Bay. Josh is a great guy who graduated from Davidson in 2006 and moved back to his hometown of Richmond to take an AmeriCorps intern position with Boaz & Ruth. Thankfully, I had no plans for the weekend yet so it looked like a weekend of boating and fishing was in store for me!

On Saturday morning I headed out to the area, which is only 1.5 hours from Richmond. There we met up with a lot of Josh’s friends and roommates from Richmond. We spent hours on high speed cruisers, being pulled on tubes and having battles of male supremacy to see who could knock who off the opposing tube. We even casted a few lines in the water and pulled some Croaker fish out of the saltwater which we later fried for dinner that evening!

As fun as Saturday was, Sunday took the cake for the weekend. Most people left for Richmond on Saturday night or early Sunday morning, but Josh, Justin, Elizabeth and I went out for more fun and physical punishment on Sunday. I tried and failed to wakeboard for the first time, but did get up on water skis for the first time ever! I definitely came back battered and bruised from all my falls and all the saltwater I swallowed, but it was well worth the reward.

In many ways, being back on the water in the Chesapeake Bay area reminded me of Minnesota more than any other experience I’ve had out here so far. The beautiful houses amongst majestic trees on the shoreline seemed like something right out of northern Minnesota. I guess the Minnesota accents that the four of us imitated through the day helped as well! In any case, I was grateful to have made some new friends and rejuvenated myself for what should be another unpredictable week. Just 7 more hours until I teach class again tomorrow morning!

Me, Josh & Justin

Gettin up on the skis

Simply beautiful

Josh, el capitan

Elizabeth, Josh & Justin

New Phone

One more update... my new phone has arrived, so I need your #. My number is still 763.843.6967 so give me a call or leave me your number if you would ever like a call from me!

Week 2: Becoming Acquainted with a New City and New Cultures

Week 2 here in Richmond really pulled me in a lot of directions. I continue to be immersed in different cultures and the struggles and insight that provides. In addition, Boaz & Ruth continues to challenge and provide ample opportunities for learning, growth, and ownership. I am becoming more acquainted with the city of Richmond and all the treasures it holds, and I am beginning to develop more substantial relationships with new friends.

After only a couple weeks, I have experienced more discussion on race and culture here than I ever encountered in Minneapolis. Some of that, of course, comes with working in an organization that strives to connect people cross-racially, but another part is simply being in the old capital of the Confederacy where many of these issues run much deeper than in the Midwest. To give an example, there is a road just a block south of where I live called Monument Ave. that has 8-10 statues in the middle of intersection for a few mile stretch (see last week’s blog and pictures). Expectedly, most of the statues are of dead, rich, white males who served for the Confederacy in the Civil War. A few years ago, they were planning to add a statue of Arthur Asch, an African-American tennis legend and native of Richmond. Apparently there was a big uprising among the many locals claiming it didn’t belong with all the Civil War heroes and others. That statue ended up being erected on Monument Ave, but the example proves the battle still being fought down here.

Every Thursday at lunch, the interns at Boaz & Ruth gather to talk about books we are reading and other issues at work. This week’s discussion was particular fascinated as if revolved around race and also the social injustices facing prisoner reentry into society. Five of the seven interns are white, and for most of us it is the first time we have been a part of a community where we are the minority. We talked about the feelings of uneasiness that come with that and how it can sometimes influence your personality. It was also interesting to hear how easy it is to have internally racist thoughts, especially since working with ex-convicts can be frustrating. It is often surprising how one negative encounter with a person in a group stereotyped by society can lead to these thoughts. I catch myself making unfair judgments about people I see in the impoverished neighborhood surrounding Boaz & Ruth just because of a negative interaction I witnessed at work that day. One of the interns named Randy is in his 50s and going back to school at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU), and he spoke a lot about growing up with racist parents and how difficult it was for him to overcome that way of thinking instilled in him by his parents. I don’t believe racism is something we’re inherently born with, but rather comes about through our upbringing in interactions with parents, friends, and the one that is probably most present nowadays, the media.

One of the joys of being in Richmond has been the many opportunities to interact with people of different cultures every day. Last Monday evening, I attended a Baptist service structured around the launching of a new prisoner reentry program being launched by a collaboration of churches. It was truly unlike any other experience I have had with religion, with the mostly black congregation singing and shouting out praises at any time. The preacher from the evening was nationally recognized and from Washington D.C. His hour-long sermon was filled with fire and emotion, yet was poetic at the same time. As he proclaimed unto the people his message, they would often respond by standing, shouting, and clapping.

While I’m on religion, I have observed an entire sub-culture based on faith that I have never truly experienced before. From my observations, and in speaking with a few other locals, it seems like religion strongly correlates with social class in the South. No matter the denomination, though, faith generally seems to play a larger role in people’s daily lives than in the Midwest. There also appear to be more organizations based on Christian ministry serving the urban areas. While I have the opportunity, I hope to attend some services of different denominations and gain more insight on how faith differs across race and class.

Another unique experience I was able to partake in on Saturday was a Native American Pow-Wow of the Mattaponi Tribe on a reservation about 50 miles east of Richmond. Established in 1657, this reservation happened to be the oldest in the country! It was the first time I had ever been on a reservation where I could actually get a glimpse of the living situations these people face. A lot of the houses seemed characteristic of impoverished areas, which begged the question of how most of these people were able to make a living. That aside, the Pow-Wow featured a lot of native dances and music, all in traditional Indian dress. It was another truly unique experience!

Me, Aaron, & Kevin at the Pow-Wow

Back at Boaz & Ruth, things are beginning to become a little clearer for me in regards to my area of work this summer. I will start by working on the business plan for Diamond Catering & Café. The catering division mostly caters in-house events, while to Café is a small building adjacent to Boaz & Ruth selling sandwiches. I am finding great joy in working with Josh, an intern of Boaz & Ruth for about a year that holds more responsibility than most staff members, and Chef Ed, a 52-year old graduate of the B&R program with a solid background in cooking at many restaurants.

There are still many frustrations and struggles I face at Boaz & Ruth, but instead of coming from working with ex-convicts, they have stemmed from organizational issues resulting mainly from the rapid growth of B&R over the past year. I am surprised by the at-times strict hierarchy that exists in an organization with fewer than 15 staff. The founder and CEO, Martha Rollins, is a very dedicated and driven person with a huge heart, yet at the same time she has been described to me by those of the organization who know her as a shrewd business lady and a control freak. I have already witnessed that even minor decisions must be approved by her. I do appreciate the fact that she has challenged me and others to achieve at high levels, but I don’t feel like most staff are being trusted to independently make important decisions in their area of expertise. While this may be a cynical perspective influenced by working with STLF, a non-hierarchical organization, for the last few years, I still feel like her ownership of the organization is the root of many communication and strategic problems we face on a daily basis. I think her approach is more equip to running a for-profit business rather than a client-based nonprofit. Like I said, though, her drive and leadership is the major reason Boaz & Ruth is achieving such great things. Sounds like a good scenario for a case study.

Well, those are just some of the main observation I had from the past week. I continue to become closer with many of the apprentices at Boaz & Ruth. I can’t wait for friends to visit and meet some of these amazing people. I am also looking forward to showing off my growing knowledge of the Richmond area to anybody who visits. There are many great local restaurants and amazing sights to see. I am also very impressed by the college campuses I have visited, which include VCU and the University of Richmond. I was able to walk around U of R with my roommate and U of R alum Kevin on Friday evening. He mentioned that the campus was voted one of the most spectacular in the nation, and I could see why. I hope to go there during the day sometime this week and post some pictures!

Other highlights from the week included seeing a movie for $2 at the magnificent Byrd Theater. The Byrd is a local landmark and shows movies in the stage between mainstream theaters and release onto DVD. I also volunteered for a few hours at a 9-year old indoor soccer charity tournament benefitting the Virginia Tech Memorial Fund. Keeping with the soccer theme, I got two pickup games in this weekend despite the ridiculous heat. If I keep playing at this pace I will come back a skinny man!Looking ahead to this week, I am looking forward to teaching a morning class tomorrow at Boaz & Ruth on the topic of Community Engagement. I am also interviewing briefly for a possible part time research position with a professor at VCU. The topic of my research would be philanthropy. As always, many other unforeseen surprises with occur, so stay tuned!

Historic Byrd Theater

Week 1: New Experiences, New Relationships, and New Challenges

As I reflect upon my first week in Richmond, a lot is going through my mind. Mainly, it has been a week of connecting within a new community. It has also been a week of new experiences that have pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me many lessons.


Let me begin with my reflections on my first week on the job at Boaz & Ruth. I can already tell that this is going to be an amazing learning and growing opportunity for me, just as I had hoped. Going into my first day, I still didn’t know exactly what my role or job title would be. It wasn’t until day two that I sat down with founder and current CEO Martha Rollins and learned that much of my work would be around developing business plans for the different enterprises of B&R with the goal of adding structure and sustainability to each of them. The different business they operate are: three antique stores, a food services division with a café and catering venture, a moving company, a lawn mowing company, and a construction and renovation division that is doing only in-house work. My position will be one with a lot of autonomy and creativity, and of course challenges. Martha is the kind of person that will lay out the vision for the job with the potential of the person in mind, but let you struggle and succeed in carrying out that vision. I appreciate this because it is where the most learning will come from.


My first week was focused on orientation, which entailed meeting as much of the staff and apprentices (ex-convicts participating in the program) as possible. Everybody was very welcoming; however I am still trying to get a grasp on the overall culture and attitude of the workplace. Any one day at B&R can be a rollercoaster of emotions, and the attitudes of the staff or apprentices can surely reflect this. In fact, I have already rode part of this rollercoaster. On Friday when I was working at my desk, I left my cell phone on it while I went into the computer lab for a half an hour. As I came back, my phone was nowhere to be found. It was tough yet valuable wakeup call to the environment I am working it. (I should be getting a new phone towards the end of the week, so if you really want me to have your number leave to me in a comment, facebook, or email! Otherwise, I’ll find you when I need you.) Many of the apprentices and even staff can come from fragile home situations as well, which can hinder anyone’s normally upbeat nature. This is something I must keep in mind as I work on various projects more in-depth with my co-workers. As one of my fellow interns Josh stated, personal relationships are impossible to distinguish from work relationships at B&R since so much of the program is based on interaction with the complete person.


The other piece I love about the people at B&R is that each person brings a unique and inspiring story and history. There’s Charles Satchell, or “Satch” as we call him, who spend the previous 30 years of his life incarcerated, but turned his life around before being released and now is a senior apprentice and an inspiration to many just beginning the program. Or Melvin, who I would describe as one of the of the most genuine and caring people I have met, yet spent his earlier years selling drugs on the streets of Richmond. Or “Pe-Bo,” who to my surprise holds certifications as a plumber, electrician, auto-mechanic, and other trades which I can’t even recall at this time. His dream is to build a house from start-to-finish by himself.


As much as love gathering these stories, it is still sometimes a struggle to conduct simple conversation with some of the apprentices. I am told that it takes some a few weeks of basic interaction before they will open up. In any case, I am slowly learning ways of connecting with people of completely different cultures and backgrounds than me. But the main lesson, I’ve found, is just to be yourself!


In addition to all this interaction, I was able to experience the various business enterprises of B&R first-hand with those who run each of them. This was a critical piece for me, since the focus of most of my work will be around developing these businesses. I spent Tuesday afternoon with Chef Ed and Diamond Catering, Wednesday with Block & Jerome and the Mountain Movers, Tuesday with Ruth in the Boaz & Ruth at OAR store and with Linda in the Boaz & Ruth at Carytown store, and Friday with the construction team at the Firehouse. The Firehouse is a historic building being renovated into a sit-down restaurant and an entrepreneurial incubator with space for local entrepreneurs to open up their businesses. It will open in September.


The final piece of B&R that I experienced was the morning classes, which go from 8-10am and focus mainly on emotional competency skills. I found these to be very insightful- not just on the topics and information that was being presented, but how the apprentices responded and interacted with each other in the classroom. Some of the topics covered are: anger management, co-dependency, spirituality, fatherhood, and boundaries. I find that many apprenticies struggle with communicating a message they want to get across, which leads to misunderstanding with others and eventually conflict. It is amazing to me how much time is spent just trying to clarify a point instead of having constructive discussion. However, I realize that this is one of the training mechanisms B&R is using to help the apprentices improve their communication and discussion skills.


The element which really drew me to B&R was their desire to connect communities across racial and geographical boundaries, and this past Sunday evening I had a chance to experience this through a remarkable program called “Beyond Dialogue.” In this, people of different backgrounds and races will gather to watch a film that focuses on issues of racism and then a discussion about racism and the feelings that invokes is facilitated by some members of the B&R Connecting Team. On Sunday, a group of high school students from central Pennsylvania was visiting on a Christian ministry road trip (Narrow Road Ministries, http://www.nrministries.org/) and many from B&R gather with them to watch Remember the Titans. The discussion that followed was fascinating to be a part of because, while none of the students were racist by any means, they were attending predominately Caucasian high schools and had little interaction with African Americans or any other culture for that matter. It was interesting to hear and relate to some of their perspectives on dealing with being the minority as whites in the black neighborhood of Highland Park where B&R is stationed.




Life has not slowed down one bit outside of Boaz & Ruth since I arrived. Much of my efforts have been geared around trying to ‘find my niche’ here in the Richmond community. I have been meeting a plethora of new people thanks in large part to my roommate Kevin and his willingness to let me tag along with him to various events at his church or parties. I am beginning to see many familiar faces and even met a guy who grew up in St. Cloud, MN! It has been surprising even to me how smoothly I have become connected to different communities within the city.


One of my favorite parts about coming into a new environment is exploring, which I have done amply both by rollerblades and car. Richmond is a beautiful city filled with history of our country. Colonial-style houses line the avenues, sometimes hidden by mature oaks and hardwoods. There are also many statues glorifying those who helped found this country along with lead the Confederacy, as Richmond is the old capital of the South. Monument Ave, in particular, has many of these statues plopped right in the middle of intersections!






I have already spent a few evenings down at Browns Island right on the James River, where they often have live, free music and food vendors of sorts. This island offers beautiful views of the city, the river, and the canal that borders it.

In one of my boldest moves since being here, I am also taking part in some Thursday evening ballroom dance lessons! The instructor guaranteed that after 10 weeks we would all be capable and proficient dancers. We’ll see how that turns out…

As I look forward to the upcoming week, I am excited to get my hands even dirtier at B&R as I begin to work on some actual projects. I will also continue to explore the city as much as I can and continue to meet new people and build new friendships. I have begun to read the book When Prisoners Come Home and hope to share with you my thoughts on it after finishing it this week. Until then, enjoy your weeks!


Eric Larsen
June 11, 2007

More than just a 21 hour drive

So, you’re probably wondering what would motivate a man to elect a 21 hour drive over a couple-hour plane ride into Richmond. Well, besides the convenience of having a car for runs to the store, commuting to work, and the many random weekend road trips that were sure to happen, I was actually looking forward to the two-day journey out to the old capital of the Confederate South. When I was first planning my trip out to Richmond, I realized the perfect opportunity to make the most out of my excursion. This past year on the Pay It Forward Tour, our bus had the pleasure of volunteering in and being embraced by the small community of Milan, a town of just over 1,000 people in the southeast corner of Indian. Milan was made famous (sort of) by the movie Hoosiers, which told the true story of the state champion Milan High School basketball team over 50 years ago. The hospitality of this community was something that left a deep impression on me, so the opportunity to return and be a part of that once again was something I could not pass up, especially since it represented a near perfect halfway point and a perfect place to spend the night.

In arranging my visit, I was able to reconnect with Todd Russell, director of the youth program at the Milan Church of Christ. Todd informed me that Saturday night would be an exciting time in Milan, as Kendra Walker, the valedictorian of her class, was holding her graduation party. Kendra’s mom was one of those people who I would describe as the pillar of a community and she loved to host people in her home. As my luck would have it, I would be spending the night with the Walker’s and apparently many of Kendra’s other close friends. I could already tell this would be a night to remember.

My morning began very early (for me) on Saturday. I made it to Elgin, IL by noon where I took a relaxing break to enjoy some Noodles & Co. with some good friends from the area: Mike, Laura, Abe, and Phil. Just two brief stops later, I found myself in Milan after a solid 11 hour drive.

Kendra’s party turned out to be the biggest graduation party I think I’ve ever been a part of. I swear that the whole town of Milan was there! In addition to the usual attractions of a high school graduation party, Kendra’s boyfriend’s band and his dad’s band also played throughout the night.

The evening was capped off perfectly by a bonfire and by singing Wish You Were Here and Stairway to Heaven to the tune of a guitar and violin.

Kendra & I

In the morning, I was able to attend service at the Milan Church of Christ before getting on the road. It was great to see a number of familiar faces, although to no surprise, not many did recognize my face. However, when I told them I had bright red hair and a beard the last time I was in Milan, they knew exactly who I was!

The drive from Milan to Richmond was absolutely gorgeous the entire way, despite the overcast skies that lingered and the rain that persisted through parts of the day. I passed through forest-covered mountains of the Appalachians as low, wispy clouds settled in the valleys. This scenery definitely passed the time more quickly than the cornfields of Iowa or the nothingness of North Dakota!

My time of arrival in Richmond was 9:30pm, where I was greeted by my new roommate at colonial-looking apartment building built in the 20’s. Kevin Panicker is his name, and he is also an intern at Boaz & Ruth as a part of the AmeriCorps program. His stint started in January and will last until the end of August. I was very pleased by this, as living with a fellow intern would definitely make the transition so much smoother.

Kevin happens to be a remarkably interesting fellow in his own right. His parents are originally from south India, but moved to Kenya before Kevin was born. Kevin was raised in Kenya and attended high school at an American school. He then came to the United States to study at the University of Richmond where he graduated in 2006 with a degree in International Studies. I am very grateful and blessed to have Kevin as a friend, co-worker, and roommate.
I was pretty tired after all the driving and action in Milan, but at the same time highly anticipating my first day at Boaz & Ruth.

On the Eve of Adventure

Hello! Thanks for reading. I am about to begin a very exciting time in my life that I have been anticipating for months now. My journey does not have a specific destination other than to discover- new cultures, communities, friends, and challenges. I expected a very rewarding learning experience!

In just a few hours, I will embark on my journey to Richmond, VA for the summer. I will be working with a nonprofit organization there called Boaz & Ruth (www.boazandruth.com). Situated in a low-income neighborhood of Richmond, B&R works to:

• Provide life/work skills and re-entry assistance for released prisoners
• Foster commercial revitalization for the troubled community of Highland Park
• Bridge culturally and economically disparate communities within the Richmond metropolitan area

They carry out their mission through a number of social entrepreneurial businesses such as a cafe, furniture store, and moving company. These enterprises allow the apprentices (formally incarcerated individuals undergoing training) to gain experience in business and simultaneously boost the economy of this community. Boaz & Ruth is faith-based and places a huge emphasis on building relationships among their apprentices, staff, and within the community.

I first learned about Boaz & Ruth about a year and a half ago when I was organizing a service project in Richmond for a service trip I was co-leading called the Pay It Forward Tour. Our group of 40 students ended up spending an amazing day volunteering and learning from the staff and apprentices. I was truly moved by the amazing things Boaz & Ruth was doing and knew I wanted to return someday. I remember Martha Rollins, the founder & current CEO, mentioning the possibility of coming back to do an internship in the summer. Well, one summer went by, and when it came time to formulate my plans for this summer I had a strong desire to experience a different region of the US. What better place to do so, I thought, than Boaz & Ruth.

The next two and a half months will surely be filled with excitement, frustration, and memories. Please stay tuned to see what adventures may come my way!

Eric