From Austin Cole, BGSA Leader:
Hi all,
We are excited to announce that applications are open for the 2023 Civil Rights Immersion Trip. This trip, taking place over IAP, is an immersive, student-led, academic trip across the American Southeast, which will explore the history and contemporary legacy of the Black Freedom Struggle, popularly termed ‘the Civil Rights Movement’. We will bear witness to the movement by walking in the footsteps of those who put their lives on the line to fight for racial freedom and justice to deepen our understanding of systemic inequality, improve our perspective on effective leadership, and develop our ability to design solutions with a racial justice at the center. In addition, students will hear from current organizations and leaders that are taking the legacy of the civil rights movement and applying it to the current circumstances of their communities.
We are building off last year’s Spring Break trip. This year’s specific theme will be: Transformative innovations toward justice and freedom in the US South. Our reflections and supplemental readings will introduce us to less-celebrated leaders of the civil rights movement. Specifically, we will review the work of two innovative Black women organizers, Fannie Lou Hamer and Ella Baker, as well as take a deeper look at the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee and its pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement and later formations towards racial justice It is from these leaders that many contemporary organizations draw their inspirations and tactics. The experiences with history will allow us to engage with contemporary leaders and organizations continuing the legacies of the civil rights movement. In each of our longer stops, we will meet with and learn from current leaders who are continuing the march toward freedom and justice in their communities.The application will be open until Wed. Dec 14th at 11:59pm. See more information and apply here: bit.ly/mitCivilRightsTrip
Peace,
Trip Planning Team