Student Reflections & Projects

e Tim Menejias

This piece of artwork is one that I made with a dual meaning. It represents the duality of what Jewish people were going through during World War II and what Jewish people are still widely going through, along with other minority ethnic, racial, and religious groups in today’s world. It represents Jewish people’s fight through the Holocaust and how through it all they still looked out for one another and depended on their faith to get through it. The eyes represent duality as well, both the watchful eyes of the angels, the guardians of man, and the watchful eyes of a fascist government. While I myself am not a religious person, as a Jewish person I find it incredibly impressive and moving, that through it all many Jewish people kept their faith and it helped them get through one of history’s most horrifying events.

While I already knew of Irena Sendler, hearing the story more recently and far more thoroughly has really shown me what it means to be a hero. To be someone so selfless, and to help so many is something truly amazing. Many people face social justice issues, even in today’s modern world there is ignorance and hate. As a Jewish person I have faced some discrimination in school when I was younger for being different, and even for looking different, even when I appear to be white. Because of this, I can only imagine how difficult it must be for people of color. Social justice issues occur across the world, and while they may vary from place to place, it is overwhelmingly clear that we could use more heroes like Irena Sendler. I hope to be an agent of change through actual activism, not just performative activism that we see many people participating in today. I will attend protests and help people in any way I can. I hope to help the world, and I hope other people wish for the same thing.

Although the term "unsung hero" is relatively new, the concept of unknown or forgotten heroes has been around since society has been established. In oppressive and archaic societies, many people did brave and heroic acts for others in the shadows. Even today in our modern world, people are still putting themselves before others when they see injustices being committed. As with Irena Sendler’s story, many unsung heroes’ stories are erased and hidden by the oppressors. Their stories may have been lost because people feared the consequences and thought that sharing a courageous story was not that important. The book, Life in a Jar, shows how a hidden story can be told many years later and still hold importance and inspiration for everyone.

It is evident that many people are working towards equality and equity for all, but we are still in desperate need of people who value justice, kindness, and fairness, and choose to act when they see others suffering. It is everyone’s responsibility to actively work towards bettering the world, whether it be donating millions of dollars to charities or volunteering at a homeless shelter. Another responsibility we have is sharing people’s inspirational stories with those around us. Although it seems like a menial and futile task, the act of sharing unsung heroes’ stories is very important and transformative for everyone. For example, three girls from rural Kansas, Megan, Liz, and Sabrina, discovered Irena Sendler’s amazing story and decided to make it known. Little did they know that they would change so many people’s lives and bring to light a story that needed to be shared. They understood the gravity of Sendler’s story, and knew it was up to them to tell the world.

While many of us will not have the opportunity to discover an unsung hero, it does not mean that we are not responsible for sharing their story. Although Megan, Liz, and Sabrina told Sendler’s story, it is our job to continue their mission. Some people know about Irena Sendler because of their play and the book, but sadly a lot of people have never heard of her. I did not know anything about Irena Sendler before I read Life in a Jar. Now, I try to live by the message of the book and help everyone I can. I also have recommended this book to my family members and friends. Even though this seems like a futile act, we are not aware of how much Sendler’s positive message can impact someone’s life.

Like Sendler, many unsung heroes are forgotten, erased, or hidden. Some people, like the Nazis and Polish government in Sendler’s case, tried to erase the heroes, because they knew the importance and ripple effects of their stories. When the girls interviewed Holocaust survivors in Poland, they said no one was allowed to talk about the Holocaust, or even build memorials honoring those who have suffered and died. Just like unsung heroes’ stories, the government wanted to erase the events that took place. They also threatened Sendler and forced her to go into hiding because of the amazing work she did. While trying to understand why unsung heroes are hidden, a quote by Erin Gruwell rings true: “Silence ensures that history repeats itself.” By silencing unsung heroes, the oppressors are ensuring that what happened is unknown or forgotten by everyone. It is an ancient and effective tool that people use to conceal the truth.

Another unsung hero who has a story similar to Sendler’s is a Dutch teacher named Johan van Hulst. According to History.com, van Hulst was a principal and teacher at a college before the Nazis invaded the Netherlands. After the invasion, a theater across from the school became a deportation center for Jews. Jewish children were taken from their parents and sent to this place. Van Hulst secretly collaborated with the workers at the center, and smuggled a total of six hundred children out of the city. They were smuggled out in similar methods used by Sendler. The children were passed over hedges and then hidden in baskets and sacks. Van Hulst and his collaborators smuggled the Jewish children to the countryside where they could hide for the rest of the war. Walter Suskind, a Jewish man who did the record keeping at the deportation center, would then erase the children’s names from the records. This operation only lasted one year because the man organizing this, Henriette Pimentel, was sadly sent to Auschwitz.

For Johan van Hulst’s incredible work throughout his life, he was named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem in 1972. A few years before, in 1965, Sendler was also named Righteous Among the Nations. Just like Sendler, he regretted not saving more people. He told Yad Vashem, “You realize that you cannot possibly take all the children with you. You know for a fact that the children you leave behind are going to die. I took twelve with me. Later on I asked myself, ‘Why not thirteen?’” This quote reveals how similar his values were to Sendler’s. Even though both van Hulst and Sendler went above and beyond to save people, they still felt as if they could have done more. Their characteristics of selflessness, courage, and empathy are deeply reflected in their actions and words. Today, you can visit the Dutch National Holocaust Museum, which was previously the school that van Hulst worked at. In conclusion, unsung heroes are an important and necessary part of history. People like Irena Sendler and Johan van Hulst changed the lives of so many people and inspired even more. Their great sacrifices and accomplishments created a minimal obligation for everyone to share their stories and live by their values. Even though unsung heroes are hidden and erased, it is still everyone’s responsibility to find their stories, as the girls did for Sendler, and share it with the world.

Blacks have lost their voice within the community due to racial injustice

Lost the lives of so many due to police brutality

Always accused and never trusted due to the color of our skin

Confusing as to why we are treated as less than human in a world that voices justice and equality

Knowledgeable of the fact that people already have premade perceptions of how we are

Living in a world where we fear the police because we believe they are not always on our side

Interrogated because we can drive nice cars but interrogated because they seem out of our reach

Violent, loud, dangerous is what people think of us

Eventually people will understand why we protest, or why we feel so unsafe in certain situations

Some will never experience the things we experience because they will never be our color

Majority of people overlook us because we were never a factor in this world

As a race we stick together because when the world is against us we will always lift up our own

Together as a family related or not, we stand together as a unit

Together we try to make a difference, we try to be heard and understood

Everyday we spread love because we never know when our last day will be In this world

Racially profiled just because of our attire, or our body language My project is based upon black lives matter and all the injustices we face as a whole community, while also touching on how we are treated in society today and historically. A lot of things have not changed for African Americans. History seems to repeat itself for us. My place in this issue would be me being an African American young lady experiencing a lot of different things. Constantly being judged and wondered about. People trying to take me out of my element to prove a point. Being this skin color definitely opens my eyes and makes me wish to be heard and actually see some improvement.

Life in a Jar illustrates the true story of a courageous unsung hero who in trying times risked her whole life to save the lives of those who were not given the same opportunities and chances as she. Irena Sendler’s acts of heroism saved the lives of thousands of Jewish children who would not have had a second chance at life if it were not for her and her colleagues. By learning about Sendler’s story, inspiration has filled me to go out and use my voice, and to stand up and make a change. Like Sendler, we can all be examples of leaders in our community and stand up against racial injustices when we see them. During these times especially, we should all stand up in unity against racial injustices and treat everyone with the human dignity and respect they deserve.

During WWII, members of different groups, especially people who were Jewish, were persecuted and discriminated against because of their beliefs or race. They were tormented in unimaginable ways. Although WWII and the evil practices that were inflicted on millions of Jews during that time were later abolished, discrimination and racism towards certain groups of people was never resolved. To this day, we can see many accounts of discrimination and racism towards those who have been labeled as having less value, or even as not being seen as equal to everyone else. The unfair treatment towards someone because of their religion or the color of their skin is what Sendler fought so strongly to end. It is something that we, as people, should follow suit. Sendler risked her own life on numerous occasions to give those who were being persecuted another chance to life.

In the world today, I have witnessed many accounts of unfair and cruel treatment towards my friends who are people of color. Before this year, I was rather sheltered to the harsh reality of the world and its cruel treatment towards people of different groups. Hearing and witnessing the unjust treatments towards my friends and the ones I love brings about feelings of great sadness and anger. It leaves me feeling unsettled and eager to make changes in the world. These strong emotions are ones that Sendler displayed throughout the story and acted upon by saving others. After reading and learning about Sendler’s courage and of how she stood up against those who were oppressing others, I felt compelled to act in the same manner. Reading about Sendler’s mission and how fearless she was made me realize how I possess the same power as she does. In fact, each of us possesses the same power to go out in the world and use our voices to help put an end to racial injustices. Sendler used the privilege that she had, as an Aryan woman, to help those who were not viewed as having the same “value” as she. This same privilege that Sendler had during WWII is something that I can use and follow her example by helping those whose voices have been silenced. Not only can I use my voice to help those who are silenced by society, but to speak even louder to make their voice heard and mine as well. To stand up against oppressors and use my voice and privilege in ways that help others has been something that I have been gradually learning. Especially this year more than ever. Learning to use my voice and stand up for those being oppressed has been a life changing experience. Reading about accounts such as Sendler’s has been a major wake-up call for me and many others in the world today.

Throughout Life in a Jar, Sendler emphasized the importance of living fearlessly and standing up to those who do harm to others. This mindset is one to which I aspire to achieve. To replace fear with courage and to use emotions of anger to drive your passions and beliefs until the end is something that Sendler advocated for, and something I aspire to do. Sendler advocated that instead of aiming your anger towards something negative, direct it towards an issue for which you are passionate about changing. As Sendler herself once quoted, “Fear makes you weak; anger makes you stronger.”

Sendler’s acts of courage stand as a beacon of hope and inspiration to all people, despite the color of your skin, beliefs, or religion. The story of Sendler has inspired me to go out in my community and be a voice for those who are in need. Her story and other stories of unsung heroes have opened my eyes towards injustices that are taking place all around me. Reading about fearless people who used their voices and their presence to bring justice to the world has encouraged me to go about doing the same. Life in a Jar is a story of courage that brings about hope, especially in the society that we live in today. Sendler’s story shed a light on the tragedies of the Holocaust and racial injustices that are still seen in the world today. Not only did Sendler’s story illustrate the tragedy of oppression and discrimination, but also showed the strength of an unsung hero who was willing to risk her life so others could live freely.

A major theme that I have taken away from reading Life in a Jar is that you should always help people when they need help. No matter the consequences. One aspect that was emphasized was that you are the only thing stopping you from being heard. The only limitation standing between you and giving your all to make a difference is yourself. As Sendler’s father once said, “If you see someone drowning, you must save them even if you cannot swim.”

e Kaitlyn White

My culminating project is a piece of digital art, depicting several social justice movements and their leaders, with the central theme of coexistence and tolerance. There are seven sections, and they all meet in the center. Each section has a different color. There is red, blue, green, yellow, black, white, and gray. At the center is the word “coexist”, made up of different cultural, religious, and other symbols.

I chose to place the three movements having to do with oppression of Black people in the black, white, and gray sections. In the black section is the Black Lives Matter symbol and “#BLM”. In the white section is a silhouette of Martin Luther King Jr. In the gray is a silhouette of Nelson Mandela and the symbol of Anti-Apartheid. The colored sections have little significance to the movements they are paired with. In red is a silhouette of Mahatma Ghandi. In blue is the star of David, and silhouettes of Anne Frank and Irena Sendler. In green is the pride flag and a symbol of the LGBTQ+ community, two hands holding. Finally, in yellow is a symbol of women’s equality and a silhouette of Malala.

I wanted to have all of these movements be separate, but also come together on one point: coexistence. World peace does not have to be that everybody loves everybody; just that nobody hates anyone for being who they are. Coexistence is saying: you are different than I am, and that is okay. I believe that that is our role in society. Only when someone begins to hate is it our responsibility to stand up for those being oppressed.

He was gay His name has been heard but not by many Under appreciated, underpaid, unrecognized, and not very well known Yet he walked beside

Martin Luther King Jr. and yet not his name in sight Bayard Rustin, was his name. Stood up for the Civil rights movement One of the organizers of the Washington jobs and freedom march Segregated public transit Not only was he arrested for his beliefs he was punished And pushed, felt compelled to stand up for what he believes in . . . He was gay, not only is there very little to no record of him loving a man But because of it, he was introduced to no fame or fortune in his day. Bayard Rustin to say his name out loud, to carry on his fortune 100 years later and doing what he was doing, Bayard Rustin his story of being gay and what he believed in will be lived on.

Unique Hero

Bayard Rustin was a gay man who got no attention because of his sexuality. It really hit home for what this country is going through, with history repeating itself. He stood up for Black Lives Matter walking with Martin Luther King Jr. getting no spotlight for his actions, barely known. I believe he worked hard for what he believed in and I always looked up to that. I definitely want to work hard and be able to make a change not only in the world and even if it is for just one person. Reading about Irena Sendler really made an impact on me. Knowing she worked hard no matter the consequences, being the person on the opposing side from the Germans, but still doing what she could to help others, really opened my eyes. Opened my eyes to how willing I need to be in my life to help other people. Having integrity is so important to me. I believe Generation Z is already doing as much as possible to help each other and help their peers by guiding them through the protests of Black Lives Matter. I know I can do the same right where I am standing now. I think that is why I have chosen to become a therapist. Gay rights have been changing lately, slowly moving forward with how we continue to express ourselves and that means a lot. I think that is why I chose to do a poem. Knowing Bayard Rustin stood up for what he believed in, and it was not for nothing, shows we as a generation are doing something right. Here is to moving forward as a generation and as a psychologist to helping people and remaining on the right side of what I believe in as a human.

When it comes to social injustice, we all walk on a sensitive line. For my culminating project, I settled on a different kind of approach. Originally, I had planned on the gif containing phrases that would have changed with each frame, but I scrapped the idea because I thought that it would draw attention away from what was happening within the gif. Instead, the gif is meant to be interpreted uniquely by each individual. It is up to the viewers to understand how the gif is symbolic to them.

Centered within the gif are two overlapping circles (very similar to a Venn diagram) where the right side is gradually distorted and broken. You could say that the circles could be symbolic of the world and how we are becoming more divided and how the splatters of the red could represent those that are further divided from a society. In the center of the overlapping circles, two figures can be seen on either side of a platform. The figure on the left pulls out and wears a top hat before flicking the figure on the right side off the platform. A few frames later, a new figure falls back onto the platform and assumes the role of the figure on the right side of the platform before the cycle repeats. The figure on the left of the platform could represent an individual that tries to ensure that he/she remains in power. The figures on the right of the platform could represent those that work hard and are treated poorly as they try to make a difference, and how if one-person fails, another is ready to take his/her place. In the bottom right, there is a silhouette of a traditional balancing scale. The scale will begin to tip as two individuals are kicked off the left side of the scale; this causes an imbalance where the left platform rises to a higher elevation while the right side lowers. The scale could be symbolism for the unequal distribution of wealth or power among different individuals and groups of a particular gender, race, or ethnicity. The ladder could represent an effort to rebalance the distribution of wealth or power. But ultimately, the endless cycle continues.

The gif is composed of fourteen frames that were all drawn by mouse using an art software known as Fire Alpaca. The objects have a fluid like appearance with wavy outlines to resemble water. I used this style because I wanted to show how unpredictable it can appear. In conclusion, I find that my culminating project effectively uses symbolism to tell a story even with the absence of any words or phrases.

This class first started when everyone had to read Life in a Jar: The Irena Sendler Project by Jack Mayer. This multi-narrative book entails two stories, one about a woman named Irena Sendler and her network rescuing families from Warsaw ghettos. The other story described three high school teenagers’ journey discovering Sendler’s story and meeting her in Poland. In Sendler’s time, which is World War II, it was tough to speak against the central authority or the dominant social group. Hitler was making it very difficult for regular people to live ordinary lives, but the problem was that Hitler did not view Jewish people as typical. He was very adamant about Jews not being regular people; he decided to put them into concentration camps, ghettos, and kill them. His army was not terrible to just Jews, but to the LGBTQ community, the mentally and physically disabled, any person of color, and so many more. Sendler did not see race or religion; she truly only saw the good and bad in people. Her father taught her that you should not judge people by their race and religion, only if they are good and bad. He told her when someone is drowning; you save them. Sendler did just that.

The best parts about Sendler were that she continued saving families even though she could have been killed herself and that she did not discriminate. The Holocaust is undeniably one of the most prominent examples of discrimination. The Holocaust ended seventy-five years ago, and discrimination still exists. People are still being discriminated against for their religion, race, sexuality, gender, etc. Muslim women cannot walk down the street without people staring at their hijab. Many Muslim men and women are still being blamed for the incidents on September 11, when they had nothing to do with that. Black men and women are being beaten to death by police officers. People believe that the LGBTQ+ community members should not have the right to love each other, and women worldwide are still being treated as less than by their male counterparts. As a young Black woman with a Black father and a Black family, it is genuinely frightening to see them being hated. Hate groups are still lynching African Americans. Police officers are still beating to death of our civil black people. I pray that no one I know must ever experience a terrifying situation like that. Too many names have already been hash-tagged.

As a woman now, it is scary to see higher powers wanting to take away decisions that I should be able to make myself. Women still do not earn the same amount of money as their male counterparts, which goes for any job or industry. These social justice issues are not just national; these are global problems. Quite honestly, America is one of the freest countries, and that is very ironic. In Middle Eastern countries, Muslim women are being forced to wear clothing because men say they must. In South Africa, racism was very legal, and it is still prominent today. Countries worldwide experience social injustices, and as a society, we must be able to reach everywhere.

The most significant way to get people to understand is through education. In First Year Seminar when we worked with the “problem tree,” we were asked to come up with solutions. The most effective solution being education. There is such a thing as generational discrimination. People grow up racist or discriminatory because of how they were raised. Instead of being educated on America’s problems, these people are more comfortable in their “better than them” ideologies. Racism is taught; therefore, it is easy to learn to love others. With education being a solution, we must have informative conversations. Having those uncomfortable conversations with people that only think about themselves will genuinely make a difference. If you had one hundred people, and only three people developed an understanding, that is already making a difference. Sadly, violence is the first solution for most. Violence solves nothing, so conversing, educating, loving, and debating is one way to solve social justice issues. As someone who firmly believes in equal rights for everyone, it is only right to make sure the people I converse and spend time with share the same loving ideologies. Social media is one of the most essential tools currently. Fact checking and making sure what I post and what others post could make a huge difference. Advocating for those who cannot speak for themselves will have a significant effect. For example, those detained by ICE and are being separated by their families need people to advocate and defend them. I can be that person.

Being introduced to Sendler’s story has truly pushed me to be a better advocate for those being mistreated. When Megan Felt, one of the high school students that met Sendler and her old History teacher, Mr. Conard, talked to Avila’s freshmen, it was very eye opening. They were able to have conversations with Irena Sendler. They told us she was the most selfless person possible. She never took credit for the rescuing of the families. She always mentioned her team and said if it were not for them, those 2,500 children would not have been saved. One thing Felt said that stuck with me was that we must question if we are doing enough to make a change. That day, I wondered if I was doing enough to make an impact. First Year Seminar has made sure to let us freshmen know that we can truly make a change. This whole experience has allowed me to see the growth I still need to make. As I grow older, I will become more educated, empowered, and selfless to help those around me.

Avila’s missions and values clearly state that they want students to feel included, understood, and be at peace. Avila has a peace initiative that encourages us “to interrogate harms and injustices, elevate the voices of the marginalized, and apply methods for building positive, sustainable relationships.” The Buchanan Initiative allows students and others to come together to build a generation that utilizes the nonviolent tools they need to make peaceful social change possible. We have a community that pushes for unity, and it is our job to understand and fight against social injustices.

e Sarah Fuller

Drawing is one of my favorite ways to digest the world. It is my way to analyze and represent my perception of reality. One of my favorite things to draw are people, so I connected the two together. I wanted to focus on the nation’s current racial and social justice issues and movements. I wanted the person I chose to draw to be just as determined, passionate, and intellectual as Sendler: An unsung hero. I found the perfect person, Alicia Garza. She is one of the three co-founders of the Black Lives Matter movement. The Black Lives Matter movement is an international social movement, formed in the United States in 2013 after the murder of Trevon Martin. It is dedicated to fighting racism and anti-black violence, especially in the form of police brutality. Garza is beyond inspiring, and an overall graceful and accomplished woman. In the picture, I wanted to portray her beauty and strong presence. I wrote “BLACK LIVES MATTER” in horizontal rows in the colors of the Black Lives Matter movement. I wanted the writing in the background to remind the viewer of the protest signs that flooded the streets after the death of George Floyd. While researching Garza for the project, I learned more about her specific views and opinions on the current situation of the nation, the 2020 presidential election, the Black Lives Matter movement, and other current issues such as climate change and women’s rights. This topic means a lot to me, because during May and June I participated in the local protest in Tulsa, OK. It was a hard time for my family and me due to opposing viewpoints on the situation. This time in my life and the situation America was facing caused me to think about hard subjects and challenged me to speak up and take action for what I believed. I made my own choices to attend the protests and took the time to analyze my morals and standpoints. During this time, I listened to so many logical and passionate activists just like Garza speak. Their words moved and sparked me to change the world for the better. I believe that Sendler and Garza both felt this spark as well. I hope my art piece honors Garza and her contributions to make the world a more equal and just place.

Iwrote a poem about how we are all more alike than not, which is very true. It made me really think why we all are so separated as race, why are there stereotypes of each other. To me it does not make any sense. We literally could be born in the same place, talk the same, do the same things, but just because you look different, you are judged about it or not accepted. I think the problem is we all try to make each race seem more superior to the other. It is just competing back and forth with no end. Instead of competing with each other why do we not help lift each other, help bring peace, help stop problems around the world. We just have to sit back and think, we all bleed the same and have the same goals. My responsibility is to inform more people about how similar we are, and spread positivity instead of hate.

Bleed the Same! We all are more alike than you think, we all end up losing our way, we all go through struggles and make mistakes, we all bleed the same color and breathe the same air, We all live on this planet, so why not stand with one another, We all feel the same pain but yet we’re so different? I don’t even get the world we live in, If we’re going to fight, Let's fight for and with each other, Remember at the end of the day we all Bleed the same color

Within this semester of our First Year Seminar class, we have discussed many relevant issues in our society; however, one of the ongoing conversations we have had involved the concept of unsung heroes as it relates to Irena Sendler’s story. After reading the book and having discussions in class about the relations and the power of Irena Sendler, my ideas of unsung heroes had shifted. Irena Sendler was not only a brave soul, but was also extremely humble, as she never took credit for her accomplishments and good deeds. Our society has depicted heroes as these physically strong, invincible, “celebrity-like” individuals who defy the typical everyday people. However, Life in a Jar presented heroes in a new light; the four girls proved that anyone can be a hero and showed that there are many unsung heroes that have not been discovered. Through these various self-realizations, I have experienced whether it be from class lectures, presentations, or everyday situations, I have discovered my responsibilities in society and thanked unsung heroes in my life.

One of the moments that pushed me one-step closer to discovering the truth about unsung heroes and our generation’s role in society was during the Harry S. Truman Distinguished Lecture with Norm Conard and Megan Stewart Felt. During their presentation, I could immediately tell that although Irena Sendler was no longer physically alive, her legacy and love lived on. One of the specific moments occurred when one student asked how the girls continued to share Sendler’s story with the world, when they were going through their own personal struggles. Megan Felt’s response was simply, “I did it for Irena Sendler. Whenever I am struggling or need a little push, I think of her and she gives me strength.” This statement opened my eyes to the amount of power and influence one person can have on another person’s life. Although my initial thoughts and opinions on WWII and the Holocaust stayed the same, I will say that if Irena Sendler found a way to make a difference during the most horrid, dangerous time in history, we can too.

When speaking about unsung heroes, I tend to think about courageous people who have done heroic acts solely out of the goodness of their heart. Instead of bragging about their achievements, they act as if it were an everyday situation. People that are unsung heroes to me are my parents. They have made so many sacrifices for me including flying from California to visit me when I first was injured. Yes, they might be my legal guardians and are responsible for me, but I am forever grateful for them as they constantly inspire every day. Whether they were cheering for me at my tournaments in person or through live-streaming, they were always supporting me. Through my parents, I have learned how to become an unsung hero as well. To be an unsung hero you simply need to treat people with respect and provide them with support when they need it. Life, especially now, is pretty difficult and unfortunately others have it way worse than you, but you can be someone’s hero, whether or not you realize it, by just listening to them and being a shoulder for them to lean on. This also comes into play when you see something that you know is not right or might be offensive to someone. Instead of waiting for someone else to step in, you need to be the one who is going to stop the event and be that “active by-stander”. By stepping in you have shown others what is accepted in our society, which results in more people helping.

Lastly, tying this back to society and our world today, we are facing many issues whether it be political, racial, or economical. Our job is to not put an end to all this negativity in our world, because that is a big job and is sadly impossible at the moment. What we can do is take the little steps in lessening the amount of hatred and injustice. To create a more positive environment for our world, we need to educate ourselves and look back on our history. When we look back and reflect, we have the ability to learn from our mistakes and possibly discover other unsung heroes to share with the world. We can then teach and guide others with our wisdom. As they always say, “knowledge is power” and we all can be heroes when we obtain that power and spread the love. Irena Sendler’s story was just one of many and it is our job to uncover the rest, to give hope and inspire others to make a change. Through these experiences, I can relate them back to Avila University, as its mission is to put their students on the path to success through education in hopes of creating confident and decent human beings.

I do believe that each of us has the capability to be a hero. We were each created differently with a purpose or job that we must complete in this crazy world. It is our job to discover our path and purpose. Each one of us wants to leave this life knowing we had an impact. How you do this is up to you. Everyone’s path differs, but as long as you are determined and passionate, you can make a difference.

FREE

Where does freedom come from? Apparently it must be given Isn’t being free, free? It depends on who you are Isn’t this the land of the free? It’s starting to feel like it will never be Are we free now? Everyone thinks we are So we were never free? I don’t think we know what freedom is.

This poem is about things heard and learned about freedom and equality. The 13th Amendment abolished slavery. However, Black people are still fighting for equal rights to this day.

The Black population has been suppressed for a long time. African Americans are put in areas where it is hard for us to make a name for ourselves. Black people are heavily discriminated against. People stare when you are inside stores. Many Blacks are denied jobs because of their names. Harsher sentences are given based on race. According to the United States sentencing commission “Black male offenders received sentences on average 19.1 percent longer than similarly situated White male offenders.”

Black people are associated with committing crimes. People continue to overlook the fact that Black people who live in impoverished areas have to hustle to make ends meet. This could mean working multiple jobs or can lead to committing crimes. When generations are brought up around crime it is what they will continue to do. Police know this; so they heavily police these areas, which leads to more incarcerated Black people. These people are locked and their “freedom” is taken away. Slavery has been abolished, but Black people are still slaves to the system. Unless there is change, Black people will never be free.

As a young Black man living in America, I do not think change will come in an instant. Our parents and their parents before them taught us different things. It would take everyone to be on the same page for change to happen. We would have to communicate peacefully and listen to each other to make change. We would have to teach our children to not judge and not treat people wrongly because of our differences. If we can understand each other, there will be change.

e Annamarie Circello

For this project, I chose to create a drawing representing equality, or at least how I perceive equality to be. At the top of my drawing I drew out the word “equality” very big and I decided to color it in red, white, and blue. I chose those colors because those are the colors of the American flag. America is a free country. Below that, I drew an equal sign, again tying in the theme of everyone being equal. At the bottom, in the center of the page is a faceless and colorless person. I chose to leave the person blank because no matter what their facial features look like or what color their skin would have been, we should all be treated the same, which is one of the biggest issues for me. There is nothing more that I hate than people being discriminated against because of something they are unable to control. In recent events, I know the Black Lives Matter Movement was very huge, so I also decided to draw in the fist to support that whole situation. At the bottom right I decided to draw in the LGBTQ+ flag. This is another big issue for me because, as a free country, people should be able to express their feelings and love towards whomever they desire. Some people genuinely cannot control who they feel love towards, so again that is a very wrong thing to be discriminated against. Next to the flag, I drew the universal symbol for men and women. We should also never be discriminated against because of our gender! It is how we were born and raised; again meaning we did not choose the life we were put into.

On the left side, I decided to draw one of many possible religious symbols. This cross is there to represent Christianity; however, I drew a heart in the middle to represent we love everyone! It is totally okay for people of different religions to come together and not hold grudges because of it. It is a part of life and we need to learn to accept the fact that everyone comes from a different background.

Lastly, at the bottom left I drew a dove holding an olive branch in its mouth. I thought this was an important piece to add, because of all the hate going on in the world. This dove is here to represent peace between all people, and hopefully others can find it in their hearts to keep the peace going!

Idecided to list most of the German decrees from the book, Life in a Jar, by Jack Mayer, because they have an impact of disbelief and shock. During the Holocaust, the Jews suffered in horrible degrading ways that leave a pit in the bottom of many people’s stomachs. Listing the German decrees (www.nux.cz) only shows how much Jews tolerated and feared. There are pages and pages of decrees and many rules that were not recorded which show how much hatred was allowed. Mistreatment was allowed because Hitler decided to use the Jews as a scapegoat, as a reason for people to unite, and allow others to treat them horribly. This was a way for Hitler to get followers and get power. This project shows how much hate there was, but it shows others how to do better, how they could be better, and what to avoid to stop hating others as many people did with the Jews. I can inspire people to do something with the video creation. It can be inspiring, because it shows a real history and real journey of the Jews and others close to them. Compassion, empathy, and open mindedness are needed in the world, because people are the problem. We are the problem. We come up with ideas and concepts and actions that carry our will do to them, and this negatively affects us. Many think they are above other people just because they are more famous, wealthy, think differently, or something that they tell themselves is better than others. That is the true corruption of life. We are one. We as humans are equal. We are not different in what we experience and deal with in our world, physically or mentally. I believe that everyone is the same, but experiencing different things. It may take a while to change our behavior, but the first step that Avila University has realized is that change starts with us: students, families and individuals. Because if we can reach an individual, we can reach a group of people, which then will grow and grow and grow.

Cites

Mayer, H. Jack. Life in a Jar: the Irena Sendler Project: Based on the True Story of Irena Sendler, a Holocaust Hero, and the Kansas Teens Who 'Rescued the Rescuer'. Long Trail Press, 2011. (www.nux.cz), Nux s.r.o. “Warsaw Ghetto.” Úvod, www.holocaust.cz/en/history/ concentration-camps-and-ghettos/warsaw-ghetto/.