Allison Rogers, everyone. She can be found strutting up the stairs on Wednesday mornings at 6am, motivating friends and strangers on Friday mornings before enjoying NPBK, or dressing up as Cinderella for Mardi Gras in order to finally catch her shoe. Allison’s vibe is unparalleled and we’re so sad to be losing her to NP Chicago. But law school awaits and we cannot wait to hear about all of the great things she accomplishes in ChiTown. But for now, please enjoy this farewell letter from her!
Dear November Project NOLA,
Thank you. Thank you for the hugs, thank you for the encouragement, thank you for the friendship, and most of all, thank you for the love you have shown me over the last eight months.
Nine months ago, when Glenn and Paige encouraged me to #justshowup, I had no idea what I was in for. I figured that I would arrive at Champions Square exhausted because I was accustomed to my 10am work schedule. I promised them week after week that I would show up and then every time my alarm went off, I hit the snooze button and stayed in my cozy bed. What could I really be missing out on, anyways?
Then it finally happened. On the last Wednesday of November, I rolled out of bed, into my car, and dragged my feet into Champions Square. I know most people will say from their first NP that they remember the hugs or the bounce or yelling “FUCK YEAH!” at 6am. I do remember those things and I remember being amused, but it wasn’t until they announced the workout that I realized what I had gotten myself into. Everyone stopped bouncing and one of the coleaders shouted,
“It’s the last Wednesday of the month! Know what that means?”
Yes, if you know what that means, you’ll know that my first November Project workout was PR day. And I’ll tell you a secret – I love PR day. The first moment that I realized this was a community I wanted to be a part of came at the end of my first lap during that first PR day. I felt slow and discouraged and then I saw Louis keeping time – he had a smile on his face and already remembered my name! He gave me a high five and told me “great job, Allison!” That small moment was all I needed to get through the next lap. From that point forward, the run was easy. I was giving high fives to everyone, we were all encouraging each other as we saw one another trying to finish the workout, and I came in from my third lap to a human tunnel cheering me on for finishing the run. I felt at home.
From my first workout to my last, you have all shown me the power of positivity. You have taught me that I can bring myself up by telling someone else they’re doing a good job. You have shown me how easy it is to love someone just because they’re a part of your tribe and how important it is to show them love every chance you get.
To all of you, I cannot say thank you enough. To Paige and Glenn, thank you for encouraging me to #justshowup. To Mia, Louis, and Glenn, thank you for creating bad ass workouts and leading them with smiles, dances, and music. And to this entire tribe, thank you for finding me when I needed you most.
I was lost when I came to my first workout. I had just graduated college, I was working a job that I hated, and I felt like every friend I made was temporary. I was trying to find myself and couldn’t help but think that I needed to reinvent myself to do so. I didn’t believe in myself or who I was until I met all of you.
Back in high school, we had this stupid website called FormSpring where people could send you anonymous messages. I joined because everyone joined and hoped for the best, thinking that I was confident enough to handle the messages. Then, my worst nightmare came across my computer screen.
“You’re so annoying. You’re loud, obnoxious, and no one likes you.”
“U have such an annoying voice.”
“Idk why you’re so happy, you have no friends.”
Every single message that came in was negative. And they just kept coming. Now, I had been told I was too loud or too excitable before, but to see it written in front of me was too much to handle. I fell into a depression and my confidence tanked. I decided when I got to college that I needed to be different. My true self wasn’t good enough and I couldn’t make friends by acting and talking the way I always had. I tried to fit in. It worked for a while, and I actually started to believe that I could be a chill, introverted person. I played that game as well as I could, but I wasn’t happy. I wasn’t myself.
Coming to November Project, meeting over a hundred people who wake up at 6am jumping up and down yelling “FUCK YEAH!” and giving as many hugs and high fives as I possibly can was a home I didn’t know I needed. I could never have imagined finding so many people who accept me for who I am and for my personality as it stands. Every week I am thankful for the shouting and for the energetic people around me. I’m comfortable in my own skin and my extroversion never feels like a nuisance. I am confident to be myself because of all of you, and for that, there aren’t enough thank yous in the world.
I’m moving to Chicago and will be joining November Project Chicago when I arrive, but a piece of my heart will always belong to this tribe in New Orleans. Thank you for teaching me that who I am is good enough. Thank you for teaching me how to love strangers and hug when I’m sweaty. Because you have all lifted me up, I aim to lift everyone I meet up in the same way. I am good enough, and I know that because of you.
Love and miss you already,
Allison Rogers
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