Omar Ledezma

What was your motivation for becoming a Serve Louisiana member?

I wanted to make a difference in my community and wasn’t sure where to start. When I learned about the opportunities being offered I knew it was exactly what I had to do.

Tell us about your experience — the good times and the challenges.

While at the food pantry, I distributed nearly 80,000lbs of food to students in need. I am most proud of the work I did during the start of the pandemic to continue providing our services when it was most needed.

What did you do after your service term?

After Serve Louisiana, I was able to continue working for the people of Baton Rouge with Mid City Redevelopment and Capital Area United Way. I used the grant and connections I made through the LSU Food Pantry to go to LSU and earn my Masters in Public Administration.

I am currently working for Louisiana Association of United Ways as the Statewide Project Manager of Referral and Care Coordination. It is a new program that is connecting help seekers across the state with resources in their area. My term gave me the opportunity to refine my skills as a leader and as a problem solver - skills that I use daily for this job.

What did you gain from being a member?

Very rarely can you point to a singular choice you made that you can credit all your accomplishments too, but I believe choosing to serve as an AmeriCorps member is pivotal to where I am now. Before my service term, I was a recent graduate with no career prospects and was uncertain about my future. But Serve Louisiana gave me the space and time to figure out what I wanted to do. I have been able to capitalize on the experiences, the networking, and the opportunities that Serve Louisiana gave me.