Marie Holzer and her cohort recently coordinated ongoing efforts to help the victims who were devastated by the deadly Nashville tornados that blew through the city last spring. Holzer, Rachel Inman, and the rest of the cohort could not sit idly by and do nothing and knew that they needed to help in some way.
“There was a stirring feeling within my cohort,” Holzer said. “Once we established that everyone was safe & secure, we all wanted to do something to help those who weren’t. We had just spent the past semester and a half learning about the social work values and principles and here came an opportunity to put what we have been learning into practice. Everything else that was requiring our attention as graduate students seemed insignificant after seeing the damage and destruction that rocked the emotional, physical, and financial security of so many of our neighbors.”
Once they found out the specific needs, the students all came together throughout the semester and delivered food, water, toiletries, comfort items, and many other essential items to neighbors in North Nashville that experienced the most damage. “In addition to delivering items, we also cleaned up and tried our best to organize the chaotic mess the tornado made,” Holzer explained. “I actually learned how to wield a chainsaw to cut up some of the massive limbs that had fallen. It was incredibly empowering to see everyone come together and do what they could, and to learn what they could in order to help. I have never seen such destruction in my life. It was a humbling reminder that no one is immune to fragility and the force of Mother Nature. It catalyzed me thinking of social work’s role in natural disasters, ecological destruction, and how to best serve those who are most vulnerable to these horrible events.”
No stranger to volunteering and helping others, Holzer has worked with several different organizations in Nashville. “I have long been involved in food justice and have had a lot of experience working on community farms that gift fresh, nutritious produce to food insecure Nashvillians through The Nashville Food Project,” she said. “Additionally, I have been exercising my grant writing muscles to empower the work of BIPOC-led food justice community gardens in Nashville, and have done a lot of volunteer work for people with disabilities who have a very deep spot in my heart.”
As for what she wants to do after graduation, Holzer has several ideas in mind. “I flirt with a lot of ideas about what I want to do once I graduate, which is why an MSSW is so awesome,” Holzer stated. “It opens the door to so many opportunities. I would love to continue working with a food justice organization, the United Nations, or any other organization that strategically challenges the status quo. All I know is I will definitely continue learning and unlearning!”