Blog 2
I don't want this to turn into one long winded paragraph, but I feel like there is so much to be said. I will try to keep it short, simple and to the point. The past few days in Richmond have been a blur of information and inspiration. Most notably, I was surprised with what prior knowledge everyone brought to the table. As I mentioned, I was raised half in the South, half in the North, so some of the things told to us shocked my peers, but came as no surprise to myself. That said, I felt like being surrounded by my social justice peers allowed me to see my life here in a different light, Walking around the first museum, I noticed there were three different perspectives: the North, the South, and the Slaves. Although I appreciated the effort in providing the third perspective, it really didn’t add any educational quality. The perspective stated things like “ Child slaves lives went on as normal” indicating that slavery was normal. And maybe back then it was, but in the present day, it felt like they were neglecting to acknowledge the injustice of slavery. All in all, I found this first museum to be the most intriguing and thought provoking. There was a lot of information (one may argue too much), but I felt like the owners were at least making an attempt. Well, I felt that way until our reflection that night when I was informed that the museum was privately owned and selling confederate flags. At that point, I began to question whether the additional perspective was to appease audiences so that the owner could continue condoning the advocacy of the confederate flag.
Now, I should say that although this news did and does make me upset, I found that I was more frustrated by the lack of accommodations in the museum for individuals with special needs. As I was walking around the museum, I couldn’t help but cringe each time the metal “bar graphs” were scraped up the metal tube, eliciting a terrible screeching noise; or wonder how the museum was wheelchair accessible (since we walked down two flights of stairs to get to the museum). I thought of the different ways the museum could become interactive, with foam raised bar graphs, or puzzles to solve, or for there to be chairs or benches to sit in along the journey through history. Or better yet, if there was a childrens place for our future generations to learn what happened so history never has to repeat itself.
I feel like that might just sum up one of my biggest takeaways (so far) for this trip: there is so much to be done with the information that we have (or that we need to seek out), but it should be about something you’re passionate about. I saw and felt Priya’s passion while talking about social injustice, particularly where races and sexes are concerned. I can empathize, support and encourage her, but as Bonners, I feel like it is our responsibility to be agents of change for whatever it is that motivates you, inspires you, wakes you up every morning. I had this moment while walking through the museum, talking with Ryan, where I realized my brain is geared towards individuals with special needs because although the facts about the war were angering, I became increasingly more and more frustrated with the lack of true effort to create a museum that could be accessible to all. At this point in my life, I’ve questioned everything about myself; it was a beautiful thing to remember once more, that without a doubt, I am where I’m supposed to be. I look forward to seeing what the rest of this trip has to offer.
Blog 3
Have you ever felt like there was so much to be said that you were rendered speechless? As if all of your thoughts were giants all trying to run through a human sized door at the same time? Quite the visual picture, I know. That’s how I feel about this Richmond trip, and in the best way possible.
On this trip, I feel like I have learned more about our history of the Civil War, then I have in my entire middle school and high school career. The information presented to us, in combination with the poignant questions asked by myself and my peers, came together to create a beautiful recipe brimming with truth. From the first museum with the three perspectives (which I talk about in my previous blog), to the White House of the Confederacy museum, to the Slave Trade walk, I feel like I have gained a whole new understanding of our history. The White House of the Confederacy didn’t truly have any information that I felt was particularly surprising. The tour and museum basically summed up what learning about the Civil War was like in the South. However, walking through the museum, the conversations of my fellow Bonners brought a new train of thought as they argued certain facts and figures. I began to realize that I have some work to do. What I mean is, I had heard history lessons from the North before moving to the South, so I knew some of the things said and taught couldn’t have been completely accurate, but I never argued it. I just sat and listened. If I didn’t agree, I kept it to myself. In fact, sometimes I find myself continuing that habit. Unless, of course, it has to do with education or special needs-- in that case, you might want to grab a bucket of water because I can get a little fiery. All jokes aside, I found that realization to be my biggest take away for the White House of the Confederacy.
The Slave Trade walk was honestly overflowing with information. I know it's not necessarily realistic, but I wish we could have separated the walk into two different days; halfway through the walk, my legs hurt, I was thirsty, and my brain felt like oatmeal. On one hand, that was great! It was like I was getting a more real life perspective on what the slaves must have felt. On the other hand, I wasn’t able to absorb all of the information. And I really wished I could have.
The discussion we had in the Disability Support Services was… honestly, I’m still looking for the word. Enthralling. Amazing. Emotional. Thought-provoking. The ice breaker activity was one I would love to do again. We were given two options ( e.g. pencil, sharpie) and asked which one we felt we were more like. After hearing some of the explanations, I gained a new appreciation for the people surrounding me. Not only were the reasons well thought out, but each person was so articulate, and so unique in their answers. I was reminded once more, why I loved the people around me. The room started to feel less like a room full of Bonners, and more like a family. I think one of the best parts of that morning was our discussion about diversity and inclusion in Bonner. Bonner staff does a lot to get a group of diverse people together. It’s about time we step up and start being more inclusive.
And finally, our service at the Thrift Shop reminded me of why I became a Bonner. Sometimes, I feel like I get sucked into the rut of completing my hours for the sake of my hours and I forget the reason I’m here in the first place: I love to give. Being in that thrift shop, I got swept up in my job. Time no longer existed-- all I wanted was to complete the job to the best of my ability and make sure that the people around me felt comfortable and confident to complete the jobs set out for them ( shoutout to Ryan and Katie for picking out some amazing outfits to put on display!). I felt like I was back in my groove. And man did it feel good to know that the work I was doing was palpable. People could see the differences in display and layout. So much so, that one of the outfits Katie put out ended up being sold 20 minutes later! The service didn’t feel like service; I was happy to do it and I would do it again.
All in all, I felt this trip to be one of the most rewarding service trips I’ve been on. From the drive down, the conversations that transpired, the information gleaned and the rewarding service, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.
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