 |
||
Welcome
Page |
Sunday, March 3 Today, we drove 334 miles from on the final leg of the trip: from Lexington, Kentucky, to Ann Arbor, MI.  We were't used to the cold we found when we returned!  Joe and Jenny after arriving back at Alice Lloyd residence hall. Read an excerpt from Rosa Osorio's concluding journal entry: ... I really enjoyed the entire trip. We met amazing people and what impressed e the most were the people who continue to make a difference today. Bob Moses has turned to education with the Algebra Project. Hollis Watkins and Dave Dennis started and run Southern Echo for leadership skills to empower groups. John Lewis is in Congress so that he can continue to make changes for the betterment of everyday citizens. Constance Curry and Margaret block are writing books to allow people to educate themselves on what happened during the Civil Rights Movement. Others run museums and speak to students/groups to continue to spark change. Each one of these individuals did something and each continues to do something to further the cause. They are a great inspiration to anyone because not only have they lived through and been a part of the civil rights movement, but they also continue to fight for equality today! I just hope that their work is appreciated and that others see the possibility of making small changes because we still have to do many things in this country to end segregation and equality not only with race, but also in education, and socioeconomic statuses. We as people, have to accept our differences and use them to grow and become stronger not distance ourselves from each other as we are becoming weaker. I believe this can happen; we just need to start speaking up because others believe this too but don't feel that their voice will matter. If anything that the civil rights movement has shown the country is that cohesion among people brings about necessary and possible change!!!! Excerpt from Jenny Nathan's March 3 journal: . . . I wrote a ton at the beginning of the trip-detailed accounts of where we went, who we talked to, and how I felt about it. I was not writing nearly as much by the end. If I had to sum it up, I'd say that for me, at least the first few days were about developing my own personal sense of the movement-asking questions, changing opinions, having my optimism affirmed…and then, somewhere probably between the Sleep Inn in Jackson and the bad Chinese restaurant across the street, it just kind of clicked. By Jackson (after Hollis Watkins gave us his somewhat divergent opinions on both the Freedom Summer and the youth of today), I think that a lot of us began to internalize the message of the movement, and the trip's emphasis subconsciously shifted to the developing cohesion and unity of our group. I may not have written much from Jackson on, but LORD did I listen, and LORD did I talk! There was no time to write because we were perpetually laughing and discussing and debating and etc…and beyond that, I think that we found ourselves wanting to spend the time together as opposed to alone-capitalize on the group dynamic, if you will. . . . Excerpt from Steph Fitzwater's March 3 journal: . . . Boy, did I not want to go back to my room after dropping off the vans. I had enjoyed the trip so much. I felt like I was doing something, learning something. Some aspect of me that had been lying inside of me, whispering and murmuring, "Go out and act. Make a difference. Learn," was now up on it's feet screaming, shouting, doing everything in its power to make me pay attention, even if it drowned out everything else. I had always though that the activism aspect inside myself had been fairly strong and active. However, coming from the trip, I realized that it had only been a fraction of what it now was. I didn't want to go back to my room, mostly because I wanted to submit to that urge and satisfy it instead of quelling it for the sake of schoolwork. We would do anything to hold on to that last little bit of the trip and its magic. Joe, the trip changed us in ways and strengthened us in others. We grew in more ways than we thought possible and are all very thankful for that. Thank you so, so much. Anytime, and we'll be there. . . . Joe's trip epilogue: |
|
 |
||
Opinions expressed on this website do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Michigan or any of its schools or colleges. |
||