If there’s one thing I learned during this experience, it’s that progress isn’t always immediately visible nor about large-scale change in the moment, but about the small steps that add up overtime.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, the streets of Asheville, N.C. are painted in hues of orange — from construction vehicles to cones, signs and tape. This bright color marks the steady progress of a city determined to rebuild.

For many in N.C., the impact of hurricanes is something we know all too well. I remember the aftermath of Hurricane Florence back in 2018. While my neck of the woods wasn’t hit as hard as Wilmington, the effects of Florence were still deeply felt across my community and the state as a whole. Watching the destruction unfold from the relative safety of my home, I felt a sense of helplessness. As the news reports and images flooded through social media, it was hard to reconcile what I was seeing with my own secure reality. It was a familiar feeling when I watched Asheville go through the same devastation five months ago.

When the opportunity arose to spend my spring break helping Asheville, I knew I had to take it.

Working with Asheville Greenworks

Asheville Greenworks is a local non-profit organization that has dedicated 50 years to building a greener, more sustainable and equitable community through programs focused on urban forestry, environmental education and disaster relief.

For the first two days, we worked on urban forestry, planting trees to help restore the city’s urban canopy that had been heavily damaged by the storm. Helene had felled countless trees and damaged the city’s green spaces, leaving a significant hole in Asheville’s environmental landscape. Greenworks was working hard to restore this vital part of the city—not only for aesthetic and environmental purposes but also for the ecological balance that trees provide in terms of air quality and stormwater absorption. According to Greenworks, thousands of trees were lost across the city. Our team helped plant dozens of trees in an effort to get the area back on track. Although planting trees is an effort that takes time to yield visible results, it’s an investment in the future.

Our second project was focused on rivers and roads. Greenworks’ “Rivers and Roads” initiative works to clean up debris in areas impacted by flooding and stormwater runoff. Specifically, we were tasked with cleaning the area just outside the River Arts District, by the Craven Connector Bridge.

By now, five months had passed, and the roads had been cleared of the larger debris, but remnants of the storm were still scattered. Broken tree branches, insulation from homes and personal items that had been displaced by the floodwaters. Physical reminders of the storm’s impact on real people’s lives. As I picked up the pieces of someone else’s life, I couldn’t help but imagine the chain of events that led to those objects being tossed aside.

It almost felt like an invasion of their space, a confrontation with their vulnerability. A sense of guilt hit me. What we were doing, no matter how necessary, felt like such a small drop in an ocean of devastation. While I was disheartened by the sight, what hit me the hardest was seeing my fellow volunteers, who had become more like friends by this point in the trip, so visibly affected. It made things feel more real, heavier. We all were carrying the weight of the experience, and a shared sense of responsibility together.

Disaster relief and the intersection of broader issues

Asheville’s recovery is a multi-faceted effort, with a mix of physical reconstruction and the difficult process of addressing the broader social and economic issues that have been exacerbated by the storm. These include disparities in access to resources, economic inequality and systematic social challenges that impact the most vulnerable communities.

According to a 2021 EPA study, socially vulnerable populations, such as low-income groups and minorities, are disproportionately at risk of climate impacts, including inland flooding caused by heavy precipitation. In Asheville, where flooding risks continue to grow as rain events and climate change intensify, addressing these vulnerabilities requires equitable rebuilding efforts, targeted resource allocation, and improved infrastructure in at-risk areas.

The recovery process in Asheville is not just about restoring infrastructure; it’s about addressing these deep-rooted issues that leave some communities more exposed to disasters like Hurricane Helene. Asheville’s recovery, much like any other, must integrate environmental justice and social equity to ensure the long-term resilience of all residents, particularly those who were most affected by the storm.

Greenworks, in addition to its environmental work, is committed to anti-racism, acknowledging that environmental work must also confront systematic inequalities and promote inclusivity. This focus guides their efforts to ensure that all communities benefit from the organization’s environmental initiatives.

After multiple discussions with the group, and between other volunteers at Greenworks, the weight of these broader issues began to feel overwhelming. I was struck by not only the scale of the damage, but the realization that the work we were doing, felt small in comparison to the vast social problems that needed attention.

My roommate, Lia, said something that stuck with me, especially during those moments of doubt and frustration. She encouraged us to look for “little signs of orange” amid the destruction. It was a simple but powerful idea: focusing on the small, visible signs of progress. It wasn’t about ignoring the magnitude of the challenges but rather recognizing that progress is often incremental. Whether it was the orange cones marking construction zones or the orange buckets filled with saplings ready to be planted, these symbols of rebuilding served as a reminder that recovery is happening, albeit slowly.

Personal reflection, a love letter to Asheville

I am passionate about the kind of journalism that creates connection, that has the ability to connect audiences to the story in the news — something I feel has been missing from coverage of Helene. Too often, the media presents disaster in a way that can desensitize audiences – we see images of destruction, we hear the statistics and we move on. But the devastation is more than just numbers and headlines. It’s deeply personal. As a journalist, it’s important for me to get in the field, get my hands dirty—it’s what allows me to tell stories from a place of empathy. But even I have found myself guilty of being desensitized. With this article in particular, I struggled to find a balance between telling the stark realities of what I’ve seen and heard this past week and conveying progress. While those hard truths are important and hard to separate it is so easy to get caught up in the negativity, to focus on the immensity of the problem and stall progress. Too often we are focused on the immediate impact – the destruction, the chaos, the devastation. I felt very strongly about not contributing to that and instead, leaning into optimism and hope.

This trip has taught me so much, not only about the challenges faced by the communities affected by Hurricane Helene, but also about the importance of collaboration and gratitude. The work we did wasn’t just about giving back; it was about being with the community, sharing in the effort to rebuild. It’s easy to think of service as just that; a service. But this trip has taught me that the true power lies in collaboration, in working together to create positive change. The real impact comes not from fixing the problems, but from listening, learning and growing together.

Special thanks to Mandy Vitale, Coordinator for Student Community Engagement; Thomas Hammontree, Adventure Recreation Coordinator; and Bella Esposito, Seahawks that Serve Manager for being incredible leaders and for making this trip possible. Your leadership, support and unwavering commitment to service have made this experience truly transformative. You showed us how to lead with purpose, how to be present in the work and how to approach service with humility and respect. Thank you to Greenworks for hosting us. It takes energy to give when you’re stretched thin, and I’m so grateful for the opportunity to work alongside people who are doing so much with what little they have.

Asheville, you have opened my eyes to the resilience of your people, to the strength of your community and to the beauty that emerges even in the aftermath of destruction. Your spirit, your love for the place you call home and your unwavering determination to rebuild has left a mark on me forever. This trip began as a service opportunity, but it has turned into something much more: a deep connection to your city, to your people and to the idea that real change happens when we work together, hand in hand. Thank you for teaching me that, and for giving me the opportunity to be a part of your journey.

While the road to full recovery is long and hard, Asheville is making a comeback. The city is open for business and eager for tourists. The simple act of visiting, supporting local businesses and lending yourself to the people of Asheville is an essential part of the recovery process.

For more information about Asheville’s recovery and how you can help, visit https://www.ashevillegreenworks.org/helene.