The Civil Rights Movement is part of what allows me and my family to vote and have more opportunities. It is still surprising to me to learn more about this in my 20's and realize that I was not taught about these events more thoroughly in grade-school. I still see parallels in what was happening back then in history and what is happening now, and it makes me sad that we have not irradiated institutional racism in our country. At the same time I am glad we are progressing, but at times I feel we are replaying history due to the lack of education about our past and the blind eye many Americans turn to the racial divide in our country.

Working with BTE and doing service with high schoolers at Trenton High West has shown me the disparities in the quality of education my students get compared to children in affluent neighborhoods. One of the efforts of the civil rights movement was better education for students of color. Even today you can see the disparity in the educational systems, and the lack of resources students in urban areas have. I want my students to be able to get the same education and have equal opportunity as other students. I also wish to students around the country to get a clear education on the history of our country and to have a multicultural curriculum integrated into their schooling. If students can learn history through the lens of the minorities in this country then perhaps they'll have a more open-minded approach to individuals of other ethnicities and backgrounds. I want my students to know from an early age how critical the individuals that fought for our rights are. I want ALL students to understand how crucial the individuals that fought for our rights are.

I hope to learn more from the Atlanta Trip to spread this knowledge with students I mentor. I look forward to learning more about the history of Atlanta!