A Life-Changing Trip: Students Connect Past and Present Through a Civil Rights Journey
This spring, 27 students participated in a high school immersion experience to the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Legacy Sites in Montgomery, Alabama, which are powerful institutions that examine the history of racial injustice in the United States, from slavery to mass incarceration. In collaboration with Buffalo Prep, the trip was organized and facilitated by the Education Collaborative of WNY (EdCo) which facilitates collaboration among educators, students and community partners in Western New York to learn, share and connect to build a just and thriving future. Students who applied and interviewed for the opportunity visited the EJI Legacy Museum, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, and Selma, places that hold profound historical significance in the ongoing story and struggle of civil rights in the United States.
This trip was supported by the Greater Buffalo Racial Equity Roundtable. It was part of the Roundtable’s Narrative Change initiative, which recognizes that when we heal the wounds of racism, we can help build a stronger, thriving community where everyone experiences a sense of belonging.
“Proximity to history is key to making a deep impact on education,” said Eric Yarwood, former social studies teacher and Executive Director of EdCo, who traveled with the students. “Montgomery was the domestic slave trade capital of the country for quite some time and when we bring students, they connect to that history and share this deeply meaningful experience with other students.”
The experience left a lasting impression on students, many of whom he described as having transformative, “small moments with big impact” that shaped their perspectives. One student reflected on meeting Barbara Barge, a Selma based Civil Rights Activist, who shared her history and encouraged students to better understand past and current voting rights and talking with EJI staff attorney Sofia McDonald helped students consider new career goals and enhance civil rights awareness.
Another student, Niya, shared the following: “I’ve learned to never silence my voice for the comfort of others because to get to a real place of comfortability, we have to remember and talk about the hard past, because it’s still our present.”
Beyond the sites and conversations, students developed a deeper understanding of the role they can play in creating change within their own communities. The experience encouraged them not only to learn history, but to connect it to present-day realities and consider how they can contribute to a more inclusive future.
“The impact on the students has only begun to surface. In their conversations, through our debriefs, we are gaining a better understanding of how they will take this experience into college, into the world and into their local community,” said Eric.