In the wake of increasingly frequent climate disasters, a promising initiative is taking root in Swannanoa, North Carolina. Drawing inspiration from successful post-Katrina recovery efforts in New Orleans, we’re helping those working to establish a professional Resilience Corps that builds upon the extraordinary efficiency of existing mutual aid networks.
The Foundation
At the heart of this initiative is Saket Soni, a veteran of disaster recovery with nineteen years of experience in post-hurricane restoration. His work creating Resilience Force in New Orleans demonstrated that disaster response can simultaneously create career pathways for marginalized communities and build lasting resilience. Through Soni’s work, undocumented workers gained professional skills in disaster home renovation, while a Resilience Corps emerged to coordinate rapid response efforts.
Now, we’re hoping to bring this model to our farm at 15 Riparian Way – a historic property that carries both the weight of difficult history and the promise of healing. This land, which launched Buncombe County’s first massacre, is also home to an undefiled Native village site that witnessed 5,000 years of indigenous presence; the archaeology was done across the river on the part of the village that was on the land of Warren Wilson College . Today, three double weave basket weavers from the Eastern Band will be tending the river cane, marking the beginning of what could become a multicultural educational initiative that will also heal the river post Helene.
The Vision
Our approach is two-pronged:
- A Professional Development Path: Creating an internship program that transforms often-undocumented individuals into professional disaster home renovation experts, building on Soni’s successful New Orleans model.
- A Resilience Corps: Professionalizing the remarkable pro bono work currently being done by mutual aid networks. These network weavers bring professional-quality expertise that deserves to become a sustainable livelihood.
The goal is to build geographically distributed enterprise workforces capable of responding swiftly to disasters. Soni’s existing network includes thousands of renovators, but the success of a local Resilience Force will depend on the dedication of our current network weavers.
The Broader Impact
This initiative represents more than disaster response – it’s a replicable model for coordinated collective bioregional climate response that could significantly reduce costs after future hurricanes. We’re already engaging with regional funders, including a cohort of flexible community development finance institutions (CDFI’s), and we plan to showcase this work at the Neighborhood Economics conference in Asheville this April, followed by our national conference in Chicago next September, where the MacArthur Foundation will serve as anchor sponsor.
A Personal Note
As I watch this initiative unfold on the farm where I once imagined growing old, I see something even more valuable taking shape. Beyond the practical aspects of disaster response and professional development, we’re creating a space for healing and bioremediation. This work represents my commitment to supporting younger generations who are building something meaningful – something that might one day draw my grandsons back to Swannanoa after college.
After more than two decades of working to accelerate the flow of capital toward positive change, this initiative stands out as particularly promising. With Soni’s proven track record and our community’s extraordinary mutual aid networks, we have the potential to create something truly transformative. As we move forward, we’re guided by a simple truth: interdependence is the path to our collective and individual survival.
The real power of this initiative lies not just in its practical benefits, but also in its potential to heal, unite, and build resilience across communities. It’s a testament to what’s possible when we combine professional expertise with community wisdom, creating pathways for both individual advancement and collective strength.