Today exhausted and exhilarated me more than any other on the trip so far. At the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, I was hit hard by both the exhibits and museumgoers I saw. Watching families--especially those including young children--interact with the museum was hard, but ultimately hopeful. It's uplifting to see people working to educate themselves, especially when they have access to a resource like this one. Seeing the 16th Street Baptist Church was painful, especially alongside information regarding the attack on the church. But it was also beautiful to see others on this trip walking the church's steps, confronting and healing from this history. My experience with the bridge in Selma was similar. I'm still processing my time with the activists we met, but suffice is to say that I came out of it different. I was especially affected by Catherine Burks-Brooks' statement that, "once we no longer fear death, we are free."
-Anonymous
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