Cultural Leadership on the Road

Day 24

2008-07-09T15:15:00.001-07:00

Each one of us woke up in Memphis on July 2nd, day 24 of our transformational journey, excited, energetic, and exhausted, all at the same time. We were eager to spend our morning at the Lorraine Motel, also known as the National Civil Rights Museum, which served as an excellent culmination to our trip. After breakfast, we boarded the bus and headed out, notebooks in hand. From 9:00 AM until around 11, we toured the museum, soaking up every bit of knowledge we could. By this time we had visited many of the sites mentioned in the exhibits, such as Atlanta, Selma, Birmingham, Montgomery, and Little Rock, and it was amazing to look at the pictures and know that we had stood in those same spots. From the Edmund Pettus Bridge to the hallways of Little Rock's Central High School, we had literally been standing on history, and it had never felt so powerful. As we saw and read primary accounts of the events which had taken place throughout the Civil Rights Movement, we remembered what it had felt like to stand in their footsteps 40 years later and feel the remnants of their struggles. There was also new information in this museum which we enjoyed, such as the history of the Civil Rights Movement in the North, especially Chicago. Next, we had the incredible opportunity of hearing our very last speaker, Reverend Samuel "Billy" Kyles, who spoke of how he spent Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr’s last hour with him. He urged us to “take over the world, not just your town or community,” and to make use of a valuable tool: the Internet. Rev. Kyles spoke of how his own children were some of the first to integrate the elementary schools of Memphis, and how they were escorted by the police to the schools each morning. When asked about being there for Dr. King’s last moments, Rev. Kyles explained that for many years he didn’t know why God had put him there to experience his friend’s assassination. But now he understands that it is so he can be a truthful witness to the events which took place. Rev. Kyles really inspired us when he said that “You can kill the dreamer, but you can’t kill the dream, and the dream is still alive. But it’s a work in progress, and every generation has some contribution to make.” He summed up the sentiments of the entire trip perfectly, and we left knowing that we, as participants in Cultural Leadership, will be change agents in our communities working towards a better world. After a 4.5-hour bus ride, we were home! At Temple Emanuel, we were greeted with love by our families and some members of previous Cultural Leadership classes. We had each prepared a 45-second speech about a particularly inspiring place or person we had visited, and we shared these with our loving audience. Finally, we hugged each other, our fantastic trip leaders, and the amazing Karen Kalish, and went home to relax with our families. We all embarked on this journey knowing that it would be inspirational, but we had no idea how truly life-changing it would be. I am truly thankful for my Cultural Leadership family and this opportunity to live history. We are now equipped with the knowledge, contacts, and courage it will take to be change agents, and we couldn’t be more ready. Look out world, because here we come!

~Meredith Stoner

Day 23- Jenny Harris

2008-07-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

We began our day with the Rock N Soul Museum in Memphis. The museum is filled with information about the emergence of music through the mixing of black and white culture. The two music styles, blues and country, merged in the great city of Memphis because of the northern migration. The entire museum showcased the evolution of music through the twentieth century and had a wide range of song samples to listen to while moving through the exhibit. Every single one of us enjoyed the music, the information and could be seen tapping our feet throughout the entire visit. After a quick lunch, we met with Judge D’Army Bailey, a civil rights leader and an integral part of the creation of the National Civil Rights Museum. He left our students with two gems. He told them that, “students by their very nature should be rebellious,” and that, “your days of youthful innocence are gone.” Our students, over these past three plus weeks, and the six months prior, have gained too much knowledge and information to go about their lives quietly as bystanders. They have the responsibility to rebel against the social ills they witness and no longer have the luxury, as ignorant kids, to overlook them. If knowledge is indeed power, they are well equipped to fight the injustices in this world.

Day 22- Jenny Harris

2008-07-07T09:24:00.000-07:00

We arrived late last night in Little Rock, AR still dressed in our church clothes from that morning in Jena, LA. After a good night’s rest and a yummy breakfast, we headed to Central High School, site of the 1957 mobs incited by the integration of their all white high school by the Little Rock 9. We walked the halls of this high school on a wonderful tour led by Christian of the National Parks Service. He relayed appalling stories of the struggles these nine students suffered during their time at Central. The humiliation, torture and harassment these nine students endured must have been unimaginably horrific. One student, Minnie Jean Brown eventually pushed back. After being tripped by a classmate in the lunch room, probably for the hundredth time, she turned her bowl of chili over on his head, then calmly marched up to the principal’s office to receive her punishment—expulsion. We later heard from her daughter, Spirit Trickey, who now works as a park ranger at Central High School. Spirit relayed that her mother kept her story largely private – even from Spirit – until explicitly asked about her experience. Nevertheless, she undoubtedly learned the invaluable life lesson of perseverance through her mother.

We then headed over to the Clinton Presidential Library to hear from Skip Rutherford, Dean of the Clinton School of Public Service. Hearing about their program gave many of our students ideas about the future and who knows, perhaps we’ll send a few CL graduates their way in the coming years. Finally, we visited Heifer International, an organization dedicated to lifting families and communities worldwide out of poverty by organizing the donation of animals to families across the globe. These animals provide families with the means to earn an income. The most compelling piece of this organization is the agreement by families who receive animals to “pass on the gift” to others in their community by donating one female offspring to another family. By this means, Heifer International creates a movement that is self-propagating. Similarly, Cultural Leadership hopes its students will “pass on” their knowledge and understanding to their own circles of influence creating a similar wake of influence and ultimately positive change in our world.

Day 21- Jenny Harris

2008-07-07T09:23:00.000-07:00

At 7:30, we left Jacob’s Camp to make our way to Jena, LA. On the way, we stopped in Natchez, MS to find the synagogue that houses the oldest Jewish congregation in Mississippi, Temple B’nai Israel. We asked multiple people for directions. No one knew where it was—few even knew it existed. We eventually found an address in the phone book. Sadly, a gorgeous temple – in the heart of downtown – goes largely unnoticed and is an illustration of the past vibrancy and current dwindling state of Jewish communities in many small southern towns.

Around 11 a.m., we arrived in Jena and headed to Trout Creek Baptist Church for morning services. We were, as always, welcomed into their church with open arms. After services, we had an unbelievable opportunity to meet with John Jenkins, father of Carwin Jones of the Jena 6. We also met with Justin Purvis, a black student at Jena High School being charged for an arson crime he did not commit. We were all held captive by their stories and it stirred up anger and resentment at the prevalence of racism. The students felt a little powerless, desperately wanting to find a way to help Justin through this time. However, I noticed Justin’s expression go from timid and a little wary to open, smiling and hopeful. Just making the trip to Jena, listening to his story, giving him a hug and truly wishing him the best lifted his spirits. In showing their genuine care and support, CL students were far from powerless, they became his allies.

Fired up, we then headed to the other side of town, feeling it was important to hear all sides of this story. At First Baptist Church, we spoke with Reverend Dominic DiCarlo. Out of this session, our students learned the important lesson of tolerance. The Reverend did not share our opinions or our rage at the situation. He denied the existence of racism as a factor and truly believed that justice in this small Louisiana town was color blind. Tolerance, as our students learned, means hearing out the opinions of everyone, even those you would spend a lifetime refuting.

Before leaving Jena, we stopped by the high school. It quickly became clear why the infamous tree was such territorial ground. The front courtyard of Jena High School is scorching hot and that tree undoubtedly provided the only shade. In an attempt to “uproot” the problem, the tree has been removed. Perhaps they truly believed removing the tree would solve the problem. Seems like a waste to me. All they really removed was some perfectly good shade under a perfectly good tree in the middle of an otherwise barren and depressing landscape.

Day 20 - June 28

2008-07-04T13:47:00.001-07:00

Today, all of us woke up at Jacob's Camp expecting an easy day. After all, we were told that we had a free day. What we didn't expect was to plan and prepare a Christian Church service for the Jewish campers who had never experienced a Christian service.
Our morning was spent planning, practicing, and praying. In the afternoon we took a break to visit the Museum of Southern Jewish Experience, where we learned about life for Jews in the South. Many Jews had a hard time, both emotionally and physically as they received the same anti-Semitism in America they had left in Europe. After touring the museum and asking questions, we were free to once again prepare for our service, which was to take place in the synagogue in the museum.
I must say it was truly moving. Every group was doing its job; the ushers were ushering, the choir was singing, the preachers were preaching, and the dancers were dancing. Everybody, especially the campers, really enjoyed it. In fact the campers enjoyed it so much that we were invited to spend the rest of the night to fellowship with them. Everyone had a great time and learned a lot at the same time.
Erik Mills Class 4

Brittany Campbell - Day 19

2008-07-02T06:41:00.001-07:00

Day 19 of our transformational journey was amazing! We began our day by going to the Medgar Evers home museum where I found out so much information that I did not know. Our tour guide informed us about the many precautions that people who were in the NAACP and other Civil Rights groups had to take in order to be safe. One ritual that has a significant purpose in the Medgar Evers story is what he did when he came home at night. When Medgar Evers would come home, his wife would turn off all the lights and he would drive into his car port, slide over to the passenger’s side (the side closest to the door) and exit from his car. He performed this ritual every night except for the night of the assassination. See the irony? Of all the things that I learned from the Medgar Evers museum, this stuck out to me the most.From the museum we went to Beth Israel, a synagogue in Jackson, where we learned about Jews and their history throughout the south. The most memorable part of the day was when we drove from Jackson to Utica, Mississippi to go to Jacob’s Camp. When we walked into Jacob’s Camp, I was so excited to meet and interact with the other campers. Everyone including the staff welcomed us with open arms and dazzling smiles. My favorite part of the first night at Jacob’s Camp was when we sang songs and danced around the stage. Everyone was so willing to teach us the dance moves that went with the songs and included us when they would join hands to make a circle. Never once did I feel like an outsider or a foreigner. At Jacob’s Camp, the color of my skin served no purpose in the way the campers and staff treated me. I remember being asked to sit at a table for dinner and feeling so happy that people who didn’t even know my name were enthusiastic to invite me to eat with them. I will always remember walking into the dining hall and being asked to sit with people who I did not know. I will never forget going to the home of Medgar Evers and learning about Jews in the South. Day 19 of our trip was one of the best days that I’ve had and I am looking forward to sharing this information with people who are willing to learn.

Baron Ross- Day 18

2008-07-02T06:38:00.001-07:00

Our first meeting began with Jimmy Travis and Hollis Watkins, to very soft spoken, yet powerful civil rights activists. Mr. Travis first got involved in the movement in 1961 by going various sit-ins. He later moved on to registering African Americans to vote, a very dangerous job at the time. It was in doing this that he met Mr. Watkins, who got involved in the movement via SNCC (Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee). Voter registration served as a gateway to a friendship that has lasted 47 years. These two extraordinary men have never had a disagreement in the 47 years they’ve known each other. Mr. Watkins also founded southern Echo organization, which gives technical assistance for people of any age to help find work. After we were given their background stories, the two men taught us their freedom songs. These songs were used while demonstrating in order to keep themselves non-violent and positive. Next, we met Dr. Aaron Shirley founder of the Jackson Medical Center, in Jackson, Mississippi of course. This center was created for the sole purpose of providing free medical care to everyone, regardless of his or her current insurance status, or income. For his achievements, this man was given a Genius grant, which enabled him to better his facilities. Dr. Shirely was the first black pediatrician in Mississippi; it was 1965 when he received his degree. Last on the list was Jerry Mitchell, a small un-intimidating, investigative reporter. But don’t let size fool you. This man helped lead to the conviction of various top leaders of the Ku Klux Klan for unpunished crimes done throughout the 50s and 60s. This includes helping find those responsible for the murder of Vernon Donner, Medger Evers and the Mississippi burning case. Because of the work he has done, Mitchell has received various death threats from current Klan members. But as he said, “They don’t scare me.” This small man has a big heart and he is not afraid to let it be known. All of our speakers showed us how strong a single voice can be. They have, and still are accomplishing, many things simply because they have the will power to do so. Jimmy Travis is currently a freshman at Jackson state, working to get his degree to teach middle school history. He is 65 years old. It was great to meet such influential and inspirational speakers simply because they can get you motivated. I learned from all of the speakers today to never get intimidated just because you are facing a daunting task.

Chris Watkins- Day 17

2008-07-01T14:52:00.001-07:00

Today, we went to the Breman Jewish Heritage Museum. The mail exhibit at the museum was the Leo Frank exhibit. The Leo Frank case was about how they found a girl dead at the bottom of the National Pencil Company which Leo Frank was the manager of at that time. Then, while he was in jail for the crime, a group of angry people came up to the jail, removed him, and lynched him. Many still wonder if Leo Frank truly committed the crime and to this day, he is the only known Jew to have been lynched. The second thing we did today was that we went to a Masjid, a holy place of worship for Muslims. My opinion about the Masjid is that even though I didn’t agree with everything they did, I thought it was a very good experience because it is good to expose yourself to new things. In conclusion, I think the mail theme of today was that not everything you do in life is going to be fun and you aren’t going to agree with everything, but you have to keep an open mind.

Day 17 - Sean Joyce

2008-06-26T17:42:00.001-07:00

Today was no ordinary day of Cultural Leadership. On the 17th day of our trip we radically changed from our usual comings and goings. Prior to this time our curriculum had focused on educating ourselves through discussions and speakers. Afterwards we would reflect on our newly acquired knowledge and discuss our different attitudes towards our new experiences in our nightly processing sessions. We learned, we listened, we observed, and we discussed.
This day was different then all other days. Because on this day, Cultural Leadership did not merely learn, listen, observe, and discuss. On this day we helped build a house for Habitat for Humanity because we had observed the forgotten and unresolved plight of New Orleans. Three years after Katrina, New Orleans is still devastated like Katrina happened a month ago; after reading about the plight we observed the rows upon rows of decimated and dilapidated housing still untouched since the storm first turned them to drift wood. Even worse were the plots of bare green stretching almost as far as the eye could see in some directions- these empty shadows of past glory were merely ghosts, haunting long abandoned and forgotten ruins. And on this day we did not only plan for action in later days; on this day we took action.
For hours I watched our group of young leaders sweat and toil under the hot New Orleans’ sun. We happily put in ventilation, painted the house, and cleared the brush which had quickly grown to nearly resemble a jungle. At the end of the day the fatigue from hours of hot work did not set in because we enjoyed our labor, and reveled in the simple and fulfilling work. Because at the end of the day we had not merely learned, listened, observed, and discussed focusing on contemplated action in future days; through our hard work that day, we had given a displaced family a home, and pushed a ravaged neighborhood one step further on the road to redemption.

Day 16 - Emily Menedez

2008-06-24T21:08:00.000-07:00

“1,500 lives lost, 780,000 displaced, 350,000 homes destroyed, and 220,000 jobs lost.” Dr. Hector Ventura uttered these facts during our breakfast with Ochsner Medical Center. He along with other members of the center recounted their stories from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. We were all impressed by the hospitals ability to remain open during and after the hurricane struck. We learned that even with the damages to the hospital (44 windows broken, 3 boilers lost, little to no pumping water, and no air conditioning for weeks) the employees came together and faced their problems head on. Dr. Ventura described the events as pure heroism and altruism. “The true human spirit came out. Everyone began taking care of one another.” While the media captured the negativity and devastation outside, magic was happening inside this hospital. There were doctors who went down and helped cook and serve food to make sure that their patients were healthy and receiving three meals a day. They had leveled the playing field and everyone was pitching in. After three years they have learned a lot about preparation and readiness. They taught us about disaster planning which we can take with us to St. Louis. They gave us a glimpse at a positive outcome in so much devastation. Afterwards, we headed down to R and O’s restaurant for some fantastic seafood with special guest Jeff Smith and Darren from Class 3 of OUDC. Then we boarded the bus with Mickey Doll of the National Guard to take a tour of ground zero, the lower 9th ward of New Orleans. The tour sparked a lot of emotion. We were all sad and angry that after almost three years there are still so many houses that are boarded up and have not been touched since the hurricane. Most houses still had the watermarks stained to their walls and search “X’s” on their boarded up doors. We took a tour of the devastation of temple Beth Israel and learned about the displacement of thousands of New Orleans citizens. It was a huge wake up call for all of us. I know when we get back we will take our pictures and experiences and share them with everyone we know because this is still a real problem and issue.

Day 15 - Jillian Lynum

2008-06-24T21:06:00.000-07:00

Today was a very intriguing day. We visited the Southern Poverty Law Center, Rosa Parks Museum, Dexter Avenue King Memorial Church, the Parsonage of Martin Luther King Jr. and the Foundation for Moral Law, and the Holt Street Baptist Church. I enjoyed all of these places because it actually felt like I was there, for example, at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church where Reverend Martin Luther King served as the minister. As far as the Rosa Parks Museum, it went into great detail about what happened with the Montgomery Bus Boycott as well as all of its preparations. This is information that you would not typically find in a textbook at school. The Foundation for Moral Law visit was mind-boggling for a lot of us. It is interesting to see how people try to “interpret” the Constitution and laws in their own way. This organization uses the First Amendment to fight for their interpretation in cases around the country. Today is a day not to be forgotten like so me in the past on this journey. I am sure there will be more to come!

Day 14 - Jazzy Collins

2008-06-24T21:05:00.002-07:00

Today, June 22,2008, my Cultural Leadership allies and I drove to Selma from Montgomery listening to some “unforgettable” speakers. One thing that was really unforgettable was our day in Selma, along the way we stopped in the middle of two cities in an area that was known as “Tent City”. Tent City was basically a housing, a very poor housing for African Americans where they had to stay in tents with their outnumbered families. Imagine yourself in this tight situation. After, we met with Joanne Bland who gave us a riding tour of Selma. We drove from the G.W.C. projects housing to the Brown A.M.E. Church and then to the Edmund Pettus Bridge, at this stop we were honored to walk across it with our heads held high like the people before us. For lunch we ate at Essence- the best soul food restaurant in Alabama (to me). Really quickly we met Mayor James Perkins, the first black mayor of Selma, who provided us with words of wisdom. Then our last stop was the slavery museum where we looked at and treated like slaves and lets just say the experience was quite overwhelming.

Day 13 - Arnold Bullock

2008-06-24T21:05:00.001-07:00

Cultural Leadership students spent the day in Birmingham, Alabama. Our day began at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, where we learned about different events that took place in the Civil Rights Movement. I learned many details about the Civil Rights history that I had never had the opportunity to learn at school. We then met with Audrey Hendricks and Clipton Casey who were great primary sources describing their involvement in the Children’s March. We were lucky enough to take a short tour of the 16th Street Baptist Church, where the four little girls were bombed and killed. Like the participants in the Children’s March, we left the church and headed to Kelly Ingram Park. Standing in the very place where fire hoses and dogs were turned on children, who demonstrated for equal rights in education, was a very emotional experience that both the African American and Jewish students shared. We ended the day with a newly gained knowledge and ice cream as we headed towards Montgomery, Alabama.

Day Twelve - Jen Golden

2008-06-24T21:04:00.002-07:00

We started yesterday morning at the Jewish Heritage Museum. First, we listened to Andre Kessler, a survivor of the Holocaust. It was really interesting to hear his stories and the personal struggles he had to go through. Even though he never had to go to a concentration camp he had to live isolated, hiding in his apartment for 18 months. Over the course of the Holocaust, he lost 120 family members. Next we had a tour of the museum. I thought the museum itself was very interesting, especially the exhibit on Leo Frank. However the tour was quite dull and we were not given much time to roam around by ourselves. In the afternoon we went to the Atlanta Masjid. I was nervous to go there because I had never been to a Muslim Temple before. The girls couldn’t have any skin showing besides their face and hands and we had to hide our hair as well. Upon entering they gave the girls headscarves so we would be dressed appropriately. However, I had a difficulty keeping the scarf on my head throughout the service. The girls sat in the back and the boys in the front so we wouldn’t be a distraction to them. We all sat on the floor. Overall I would say it was a good learning experience to see how another culture works. We ended the day at the house of Pamela and Ben Holmes’ home (Kala’s aunt and uncle), or as we called them, Aunt Pam and Uncle Ben. We had such a great night, eating a home cooked meal and hanging out in their beautiful home. The boys finally played basketball, something they’ve been dying to do since the day we left. There were intense card games, cup games and, or course, lots of gossiping. It was a rejuvenating night for all of us.

Day 11- Lauren Caskey

2008-06-24T21:04:00.001-07:00

“We are free from slavery, but not from racism,” were the words that struck me this Thursday evening. They are the truth, and those who deny it are blinded by ignorance, veiled in privilege, and uplifted by the stage of power. As I silently toured The King Center in Atlanta, Georgia, the life of Martin Luther King Jr. unfolded before my eyes. The strength of racism was prominent in this city long before King took his first breath on January 15th, 1929, and segregation in marriage, schools, public facilities, transportation, entrances, and diners was not uncommon. The separation of race was strictly enforced and dominated the “good old” south, and it just so happened that “Colored” was not acceptable. Martin Luther King Jr., nicknamed “M.L.” was no exception to this institutionalized oppression. His race would always be a determining factor, as it was for those before him, and sadly for generations to follow.
Martin Luther King Sr. exposed his son to the shallowness of racism when he took M.L. to a white-owned shoe store where they were asked to go to the back of the shop to try on merchandise. The owner feared that potential white customers would witness Negroes trying on “white shoes.” This makes no sense to not accept people for the color of their skin, when all money is green. Martin Luther King Sr. exited the store that day still thinking, “No matter how long I have to live with this [racist] system, I will never accept it.” To sum it up in two words: Challenge Authority.
As we all are influenced by personal experiences, Martin Luther King Jr., also realized his abilities as a philosophical orator could ultimately serve the greater community. We must use our God-given skills to address the issues around us. With this in mind, I have begun to understand that I must absorb my experiences like a dry ground drinks rain, let truthful words flow out against injustices as water flows in a stream, and in the end, mold it all together like a sculpture of earthen clay. Because if I do not challenge a problem then I must conclude only the worst is likely to happen. With that said, Thursday’s left me with “life’s most urgent and persistent question ‘what are you doing to help others? (MLK Jr).’”

Day Nine- Maurice Cooksey

2008-06-24T21:03:00.001-07:00

Today was a great day for Cultural Leadership, a talk with the other students made our outlook better for today. The day started off with the Holocaust Museum, which was a great time. I learned a lot about the Holocaust, things that I didn’t know especially things about Adolph Hitler. It would have been an even greater tour if we had had a little more time to look at the pictures at the museum. After the tour we heard from Holocaust survivor, Nesse Godin, who really inspired me in a deep way. When she was done, I left with a deeper appreciation for her life and struggle. She taught me that no matter what tragedy happens in your life don’t let it stop you from sharing your experience to the world. After the speaker we went to go see Jabari Asim, the author of the N-Word. The conversation served as a great experience for me because I have a hard time giving up the word and with his words Asim showed me how to replace the word with another. When Jabari Asim was finished we listened to our next speaker, Lawrence Guyot, who I did not like because in my opinion, he did not know how to confront issues or how to address people. The day was topped off with a tour of the National Mall, which was awesome. I saw I lot of things that I wanted to see but never got to see, which was a blessing. I would also like to say for the record that allowing us free time was good and it made the day go by smoother.
P.S. Love you Aisha and Jenny. You girls keep a smile on my face and you to Patrick and Scott. I really love the things that you have taught me.

Day Seven- Emalie Jacobs

2008-06-24T21:01:00.000-07:00

Today after church, Cultural Leadership went to the Sixth and I Synagogue to hear some very inspirational speakers. First was Mr. Julian Bond, who was and still is a part of many organizations, organizations that are a great asset to America and the Civil Rights Movement. The organizations consisted of the NAACP, SNCC, Congress of Racial Equality, and the National Urban League. One piece of advice that he gave us was that the people in organizations who knocked on doors and handed out pamphlets were of equal importance to its leaders.
The next speaker was Mr. Peter Edelman, who was big civil rights activist. He spoke to us about his work on poverty, civil rights, and a little on agriculture. One thing that stuck out to me was when one person stands up for what they believe, they send out a small ripple. If enough people send ripples they end up in a huge wave, meaning stand up and fight for what you believe in.
After this was Mr. Mark Hanis. He was speaking to us on genocides and how to help prevent them. He recommended a book called “A Problem From Hell: American in the Age of Genocide” by Samantha Power. In this book Power comes the 3 conclusions on why we fail at stopping genocides. Protection, political will, and permancy are these conclusions. What we all need to do according to Hanis is educate, advocate, and donate. Something important he told us was the number 1-800-GENOCIDE and also to google the words “Responsibility to Protect”
Today was an inspirational and eye opening day. I know I will remember and use everything that I heard today. This trip is amazing and it’s just the beginning.

Day 8

2008-06-24T06:25:00.001-07:00

Blog Day Eight- Porsche Pool

I woke up excited. Carroll Gibbs, African Diaspora Historian extraordinaire, had promised to return the previous day. I had been so enthralled with his presentation on Ancient African history throughout the world that I had managed to persuade him to come back for an additional history lesson. So, I rolled out of bed and showered and went downstairs to eat breakfast. We moved to some sort of auditorium and I knew we would remain there for the rest of the day. I relaxed knowing there would be no strenuous treks all over Washington D.C. At 8:30, we had the pleasure of listening to Leonard Pitts, renowned reporter for the Washington Post and he talked about various issues in the Black community as well as the prevalence of the “N-word.” Next, Coleman McCarthy came to discuss teaching peace in order to solve the ills of the world. He made a poignant comparison8 about how students can learn about various wars but few schools teach conflict mediation or the value of peace. Since Carroll Gibbs made his triumphant return, lunch was hastily grabbed from a local deli and I for one was very afraid to even leave my seat to get one for fear of missing a single treasured word. Mr. Gibbs continued on from where he left off the previous day and our kindred spirit hood was forever sealed when he gave me a copy of Washington D.C.’s Black newspaper for the day. Hopefully, I will be able to maintain contact with Mr. Gibbs because he had a lot to share, and I have a lot to learn. We took a brief break before beginning our 6-hour facilitation seminar hosted by Todd Ewing and Maria Morukian. We received packets detailing ways in which to make facilitation more effective and broke up into groups in order to practice being facilitators and implementing facilitation techniques. We had subway for dinner and aside from the excitement following the discovery of roaches in our dorm, the day ended quietly.
June 24, 2008 5:52 AM

Blog Day six - Hannah Novack

2008-06-18T05:57:00.000-07:00

On Saturday morning we all woke up early to be ready by 7:15 a.m. We loaded up the bus, and left for the National Action Network (NAN) rally.

The NAN's headquarters in Harlem, New York holds a rally every Saturday. Today, speakers at the rally discussed current events in the community as well as the country and brought attention to civil rights injustices such as the Hercema (New York) Three who are in a similar situation as the Jena Six. The rally concluded with an inspirational speech by Reverend Al Sharpton.

After the rally, we waited for some time to meet Reverend Sharpton and take a quick picture and then get on the bus to head to D.C. The bus ride was very long and many people were very tired from the early morning and took long naps. Erik probably won the award for deepest sleeper.

We had a quick pit-stop in Maryland and drove for about 5 hours (we were delayed because of traffic) until we finally arrived at our destination and home for the next five days – Howard University.

Porsche and I were excited to find out we were roommates, but our enthusiasm decreased when we discovered all the damages and complications involving our rooms. Our blinds fell off the window, one of the lights would not turn off, things that were supposed to be attached to the wall quickly ended up on the floor, and our shower would not shut off. We are moving rooms on Monday!

Once we were settled we were officially welcomed to Washington, D.C. by the Operation Understanding D.C. group. We ate dinner together and talked about our different experiences. Everyone was so nice and welcoming, and it was fun getting to know other teens outside of St. Louis, who have similar goals to us.

Blog-day 5 by Ethan Joseph

2008-06-18T05:56:00.000-07:00

Visiting Crown Heights was the main activity of Cultural Leadership on June 13th, 2008. We woke up at 7:30AM and took the subway to Kingston. It was about a 45 minute ride and I stood the whole time. My legs were hurting, but I stood anyway. When we first arrived in Crown Heights, we walked to the Chassidic Discovery Center and met with Rabbi Beryl Epstein. He gave us the Chassidic Jewish perspective of life and their traditions. We learned about their views on the soul, their relations with God as well as their laws and habits. As we spoke with Rabbi Epstein, the thing that stood out to me most was their beliefs in the way that music and lyrics connected people. Chassidic Jews do no listen to the popular music that we all do because they believe that when you listen to someone's music, a piece of their soul enters you. To remain as close to God as possible, they only listen to music written by people who write music about God. When we finished exploring and learning about the Jewish community in Crown Heights we went to lunch at the home of Richard Green. Richard Green runs the Crown Heights Youth Collective community center, a mainstay in the community for thirty years. He fed us some good and some interesting food. The French fries were good but the patties were different. I ate them though because I was hungry. The other part of the day that stuck out to me was our meeting with Mr. Mark Morial and the National Urban League, an organization committed to empowering African Americans. Not only did the president, Mr. Morial, meet with us—the entire office came to greet and inspire us. After hearing from all the staff at the Urban League, one quote that stuck out to me was "Nobody can save us, but us." After hearing everyone I heard today, this is what I remember for some reason. It was short, it was clear and it is something that is necessary in the minds of all those who wish to change the world.

Day 1 through Day 4 by Patrick Banks & Scott Friedman

2008-06-14T17:04:00.000-07:00

Patrick Banks
Scott Friedman

Day One
So we are already 4 days into the journey of a lifetime! We started off the trip with an early morning flight to New York. For some this was their first experience on a plane. Even traveling out of the state was a new experience for some. While we were all a bit tired, the excitement of spending our first day in Harlem kept us engaged. Our first stop after dropping our bags off at our hostel was to walk to a soul food restaurant called “Manna's Soul Food.” Following a great meal, we visited the Harlem Children's Zone. Located in the center of Harlem, one of its key components is a charter academy-dedicated to closing the achievement gap in the neighborhood (within a 50-block radius). We even got to meet Geoffrey Canada, the inspirational head of the HCZ and spend a few minutes with him in the 98 degree heat in front of the HCZ. Afterwards, we heard the heartfelt story of Dorothy Zellner's involvement in the civil rights movement. She began by telling us how at age 22 she read a story about a black man who was denied service at a lunch counter. Following that she was inspired to join the civil rights movement in order to combat the obvious racial injustice that she read about. Lilly Kurland, a Clayton High graduate, followed Ms. Zellner with her story about how she organized a walk-out to protest the district's attempt to end the desegregation program. Everyone was exhausted and hit the hay early.

Day Two
This morning the students got to hear from Letty Cottin Pogrebin, a Jewish feminist author and activist. Offering her own definition of activism, Letty said “To be angry about something and become aroused enough to do something is activism.” The students also got a kick out of her story about meeting a Civil War veteran who shook the hand of President Abraham Lincoln! She stated, “If you've shaken my hand, you've shaken the hand of someone who has shaken the hand of Abe Lincoln.” Afterwards, Dara Silverman, the director of Jews Foundation for Racial and Economic Justice (JFREJ) discussed the concept of “solidarity” (a union formed from common responsibilities and interests) and showed the students how to demand it from anyone. In three simple steps she stated, “Get political power, develop moral authority, and have an influential voice”. The day continued with a trip back to Harlem, first to the Studio Museum which is devoted entirely to the works of black artists from all over the world. One of the highlights of this tour was Latifa Echakch's display of shattered Moroccan tea glasses. Our studies continued at the Harlem Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. The students viewed an exhibit about a powerful Muslim spiritual leader named Amadou Bamba. His influential teachings resulted in the development of a new Muslim sect. Near the end of the tour, we were all surprised to learn the ashes of Langston Hughes rested under the tiles on which we stood. To finish off another exciting day, we went bowling at the Harlem Lanes and enjoyed more New York style pizza!

Day Three
Our day began with a subway ride down to the tip of Manhattan to visit Ellis Island, the entry point into America for millions of immigrants from 1892-1954. Some of the Jewish students were able to search the archives for records of their relatives entering the U.S., but the African-Americans could not. This was a topic during our evening discussion. One student, DeAnna Tipton, rising senior at St. Elizabeth Academy, was able to compare the voyages Jewish immigrants took to Ellis Island with those of enslaved Africans across the Atlantic. Another highlight of the morning was passing the Statue of Liberty en route on the boat to Ellis Island. After lunch on Ellis Island we proceeded to the Lower East Side to view the tenements. Students discovered tenements were extremely small apartments that were sometimes occupied by as many as 10-15 people. At one time, this area had a vibrant Jewish community. Today immigrants still live in this diverse area. To wrap up the Lower East Side visit, we ate at Katz's Deli (founded in 1888). Many students were adventurous and tried traditional Jewish foods such as knishes.

Day Four
Many students woke up early to go to the Today Show – “live from Rockefeller Plaza”. After waiting an hour and a half, Al Roker approached our group on air! We shared our mission statement, motto, and Web site. The entire group then met up at the Simon Wiesenthal Tolerance Center. This interactive tour asked students to think about the power of words, ongoing injustices around the world, and then asked them about their own views on these issues. The students then ventured to the Air America offices to meet with Mark Green, president of this liberal radio station. One of his pieces of advice made all the students smile. He said, “Failure is not when you fall down but when you don't get back up.” We then walked to the Innocence Project offices a few blocks away. This organization uses DNA testing to prove or disprove the guilt of an inmate. At this point, they have successfully helped free 218 wrongfully convicted men and women; more than half of these people are African-American. This experience was enhanced because one of their success stories, Byron Halsey, who was in the room and talked to the students. Next we went to the American Jewish World Service (AJWS). This organization seeks to help poor people in underdeveloped countries. Aaron Dorfman, director of education, addressed the students. His advice was simple: “To be a good activist you have to know stuff.” Our final stop today was at the World Jewish Congress to speak with Rabbi Marc Schneier, an Orthodox rabbi and leader respected for his work to improve race-relations between African-Americans and Jews.

While this blog has certainly not been exhaustive, we hope you have enjoyed reading it. Please return daily to check for updates.

Cultural Leadership
Estelle W. and Karen S. Kalish Foundation
Kalish Communications
225 Linden Ave.
St. Louis, Mo. 63105
314.727.2727, 727.1122 fax, 314.580.6832 cell