Stay Woke
The group is starting to have family like moments with each other. Over the course of the past week or two, I've been able to see the respectable growth among the behavioral interactions between each and every one of us. Whenever I've been a part of a program during the summer or during the school year, the key to making the experience even more memorable is being surrounded by individuals whose backgrounds are diverse and who have, at the very least, semi-fun personalities. When that's available, then the bonding truly becomes unique.
In the midst of our enjoyable interactions and planned activities though has been a stealthy passing of the remaining duration of the Global Church and Society program. I forgot who, but someone managed to bring up the fact that we only had two more weeks remaining in the program. I think I can speak for most of the group when I say that we didn't notice how quickly time has flown by. We've been going to our workplaces and museums and tours that it didn't feel like we suddenly had a seemingly somewhat limited amount of time left. This is just the first example of us having to stay woke, as we become more time conscious about our doings and whereabouts.
We certainly had a surprise this week. On Wednesday, we changed our location for bible study and journeyed to a community center not too far from Maryland. While the primary theme was incarceration among black people in the Washington D.C. area, the film also took an exclusive look at the effect on families and what kinds of reform are looking to be catalyzed. I definitely think the aspect of family stability and relationships among each member goes overlooked when talking about imprisonment. The absence of a head figure often affects a child's maturity and growth when they're unable to maintain a consistent means of communication or guidance. There is certainly a litany of other effects of imprisoning black people at an alarming rate. But for now, it is important that we stay woke about this topic of discussion and understand the systemic influence present.
In the midst of our enjoyable interactions and planned activities though has been a stealthy passing of the remaining duration of the Global Church and Society program. I forgot who, but someone managed to bring up the fact that we only had two more weeks remaining in the program. I think I can speak for most of the group when I say that we didn't notice how quickly time has flown by. We've been going to our workplaces and museums and tours that it didn't feel like we suddenly had a seemingly somewhat limited amount of time left. This is just the first example of us having to stay woke, as we become more time conscious about our doings and whereabouts.
We certainly had a surprise this week. On Wednesday, we changed our location for bible study and journeyed to a community center not too far from Maryland. While the primary theme was incarceration among black people in the Washington D.C. area, the film also took an exclusive look at the effect on families and what kinds of reform are looking to be catalyzed. I definitely think the aspect of family stability and relationships among each member goes overlooked when talking about imprisonment. The absence of a head figure often affects a child's maturity and growth when they're unable to maintain a consistent means of communication or guidance. There is certainly a litany of other effects of imprisoning black people at an alarming rate. But for now, it is important that we stay woke about this topic of discussion and understand the systemic influence present.
The indubitable learning highlight for the group had to have been the visit to the National Museum of African American History. I keep saying to everyone that it is impossible to fully take in the full experience of the museum in one day, so I wonder how everyone went about exploring the different exhibits and artifacts Friday. It was my third time going, and I still had at least two to three full sections to visit. I finally stayed in the outstretched line for Emmett Till's casket. I tell you, when you think about the horrific, physical attacks that young man suffered, it strikes you internally. Especially when you consider that we officially found out just a few months ago that his death was a planned set up. For the remaining time, I mainly stayed in the Civil Rights era of the museum and acquired information on important figures that I haven't heard much about. This museum is a masterpiece and highlights the chronological obstacles that African Americans had to overcome in their history with the United States. After visiting the museum to accent the week, it important the we stay woke about what has happened and how history eventually tries to repeat itself through new and modern form of the system.
Khary Armster
EYA Intern
Blog #6
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