What belonging looks like in action!
Last month was filled with opportunities of community, learning, and deeper connections. We were honored to welcome back our Duke Divinity Intern, Tatum Tricarico, who spent a couple of days with us in community, including leading two Stations of the Cross: Disability Justice gatherings. Tatum shared about her experience visiting L’Arche and the community we’ve continued to build since she graduated a few years ago. Continue reading below to learn more:
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I had a wonderful time visiting L’Arche NC for the Stations of the Cross a few weeks ago! While I was in town, I noticed something I didn’t expect that made me love L’Arche even more! One evening, I was riding in the L’Arche van with Laura and a core member. Before we went to our destination, we dropped off the core member at a fun event they were attending. While we chatted, Laura communicated who would be driving to a few other events too, like L’Arche NC events, coffee meet-ups, doctors’ appointments, and more.
As someone who is functionally Blind, I am unable to drive. I often say that not being able to drive is the hardest part of my Disability. Some weeks, I spend hours (literally, I’ve counted), trying to figure out how I will get somewhere, who will drive me, who will pick me up, what time they’re able to go, and more. I’ve missed events, been stuck for hours before or after, been put in uncomfortable situations with drivers I don’t know well, and so much more, when everyone who can drive doesn’t have to think twice about these things.
Watching Laura and the team plan rides for the core members and get them everywhere they needed and wanted to go was incredible to me. The core members knew they could get where they needed to go, when they needed to, safely and without hesitation. Honestly, I was a little jealous, and very impressed. I have often said that “L’Arche NC means freedom,” and this experience showed me just how true that is on levels that most folks probably don’t even notice.
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Tatum’s words capture something essential about what community looks like in practice. It is not just shared space; it is shared responsibility, where people show up for one another in ways that create real freedom and belonging.
We’re so grateful to Tatum for helping us reflect on our work in a new way, and for reminding us that read more
The Sip, See, and Support Recap
Dear Friends, For those who were not able to join us at the L'Arche NC house for our first event, WE MISSED YOU! The Sip, See, and Support provided an opportunity for local friends and supporters to visit the house for a tour filled with stories from former and current members of L'Arche communities. Our storytellers beautifully articulated the essence of L'Arche as more than just a house but a home where memories are made, and lives are transformed. They shared touching stories that we believe capture the heart of what we hope to achieve in our own L'Arche community in North Carolina. One poignant story was shared by Megan, from L’Arche Atlanta about a birthday celebration for a Core Member that included a beautiful tradition: “The guests encircled [the Core Member] and shared what they valued about her—her smile, her warmth, her sense of humor. Previously, her life had been marked by loneliness and rejection; she now beamed with a sense of belonging as she was surrounded by voices recognizing her value.” It's these simple yet profound moments, the celebration of individual triumphs, quirks, and existence, that read more
L’Arche NC receives Citizen Involvement Award
We are absolutely thrilled to announce that L'Arche NC has been honored with the 2023 Citizen Involvement Award by the Raleigh Mayor’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities! This recognition warms our hearts and reinforces the importance of our mission. At L'Arche NC, we're all about celebrating diversity, promoting inclusivity, and fostering a sense of belonging for people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities. This award is not just a testament to our organization, but to the incredible individuals, volunteers, and supporters who make up the L'Arche NC Community. Your dedication and passion drive us to create a more inclusive world for everyone. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to the Mayor’s Committee for this acknowledgment. It fuels our passion to continue making a positive impact, fostering understanding, and embracing the diversity that makes our community so vibrant. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this journey. Together, we are breaking barriers and building a world where everyone is valued and included. Laura Steed Lorino, our Executive Director, and Kyla, a volunteer at L'Arche NC, accepted the award from Mayor Baldwin. read more
Renovations and Contractors
Dear Friends, I hope you are well and filled with the same sense of excitement and purpose that I have as we embark on this next phase of the L’Arche NC journey together. Today, I am reaching out to you not only as the Executive Director of L'Arche North Carolina but also as a proud supporter and believer in the incredible mission that unites us. Over the past two weeks, we have met with General Contractors and other skilled experts to discuss the necessary renovations to make this house a L’Arche home. We will need to renovate one bathroom for accessibility, create a safe egress from two bedrooms, repair outdated electrical components, and create an accessible entrance to the house. These projects, along with the regular operating costs of starting a L’Arche community, will require a great deal of resources. As someone who has been fortunate enough to witness the transformative power of L'Arche firsthand, it is both an honor and a privilege for me to personally contribute to our current fundraiser campaign. The heartwarming stories, the genuine connections, and the profound impact that L'Arche has on the read more
See Our New Home!
We're excited to share that we've purchased our first L'Arche NC Home! We closed on our first L'Arche NC house on Thursday, July 27, 2023. We are excited that this beautiful home will bring belonging and community to the Triangle.
Celebrating the ADA: Book Recommendations
During the month of July, we celebrate Disability Pride and the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act on July 26th! We celebrate this important civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. This month and always, we seek to learn and grow together. Our former Duke Divinity Intern, Tatum Tricarico, has book recommendations! Tatum says, "These books have helped me feel known, validated my experience, given me language to describe myself, and given me mentors and friends in my community. They truly have changed my life. I hope you enjoy!" Introduction to Disability Demystifying Disability, Emily Ladau Disability History Of The United States, Kim Nielsen Autobiography Being Heumann, Judith Heumann Haben, Haben Girma Year of The Tiger, Alice Wong The Pretty One, Keah Brown Exile and Pride, Eli Clare Sitting Pretty, Rebekah Taussig Anthologies Disability Visibility, Edited by Alive Wong About us, Edited by Andrew Solomon Disability Justice Care Work, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha The Future is Disabled, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha Disability read more
Help Make a House a HOME: $100K in 100 Days!
Our dream is to transform a house into a loving home, a place where laughter echoes through the halls and where bonds of friendship and family are forged. With your help, we aim to raise $100,000 in just 100 days for essential renovations that will make this dream come true.
Recap: A Joyous Event Filled with Community Spirit and Celebration!
If you missed the BBQ & Bingo Event last month, you missed a fun celebration! This gathering for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, in support of L'Arche North Carolina, was an incredible event filled with joy and community spirit. The evening started with the tantalizing aroma of barbecued delights wafting through the air as volunteers served up a delectable feast for all attendees. We are grateful to Southern Harvest Catering and Knucklehead Barbecue for donating the delicious meal. Families, friends, and supporters gathered together, sharing laughter and stories, creating a warm and inclusive atmosphere. The main highlight of the event was the lively picture bingo games. Our friends, Kyla and Maggie, called out Bingo as participants of all abilities eagerly played, their eyes filled with anticipation. Prizes were won, and cheers of celebration filled the air, fostering an atmosphere of camaraderie and encouragement. Our prizes were donated by local restaurants: Namu, Alpaca Charcoal Chicken, and Trophy Brewing. This event was more than a community gathering... It was a celebration! We celebrated the program space at the Bulla Center, where we hold inclusive and accessible monthly events. One read more
Tatum’s Reflection
My year at L’Arche NC has been nothing short of wonderful! I had no idea when I agreed to be the Duke Divinity intern for L’Arche NC that I would get so many amazing opportunities to do such meaningful work and get to connect with so many lovely people along the way. One of my favorite pieces of L’Arche NC is the way that we are committed to caring for the people in our programs so well. By focusing on social, educational, and spiritual aspects of people’s lives, it truly feels like L’Arche NC is committed to being in community with the fulness of every person. I got the opportunity to engage in and lead fun social events like tie- dying t-shirts at crafternoon and going to lunches and coffee with L’Arche friends. L’Arche is committed to even more than just social gatherings though, and so I also got to lead events like a book club and a panel focusing on Disability and Employment in order to educate the community about Disability rights. As a Divinity student I was also grateful for the opportunity to serve in a read more
