Girls Can! 2019

EXPLORE POSSIBILITIES!

Thank You Hammond Family for 7 years of investing in the futures of young women!

Thank You for your partnership!

PUBLISHER’S VOICE

Should Colored Children Travel?

Photo by Wesley Amica III Explorers served as youth delegates during the Sister to Sister City Exchange from Kalamazoo, Michigan to Numazu, Japan. From left: Syann Hollins, (Aliyah Adams - Numazu scholar), Shemiah Lawler, Maya Daniels, and Sierra Ward.

I was hurt, then angry, and then just disappointed. The wom-

en’s snide remark shocked my 8th grade student during our annual gift-wrapping fundraiser to study abroad. “I work every day and I haven’t been to Europe,” she said. The woman admitted she often gives to organizations that “helped” people, not for girls to travel.

After she left our booth, I explained to the girls that comments like those keep me motivated to do what I started 11 years ago; to provide opportunities for girls to see their full potential and use it to give back to their community and world. We never ask for a handout; those provide a temporary fix. We seek investors in girls who will one day give back to their communities and their world in their own way.

The skills they learn in photography, writing, and videography can be used in any career they choose. Their experiences as travel writers allow them to go back to their families, schools, and communities to share what they know about Hiroshima, Pearl Harbor, the annexation of Hawaii, and other issues some only learn from a U.S. history book. The goal is to plant seeds in our young women that will sprout into fulfilled dreams... dreams our organization helps to water through opportunities many of our girls otherwise may never have experienced.

Merze Tate started that dream in 1927. It was then that the highly intelligent Michigan native could not secure a job teaching high school in her own state because she was African American. She moved to Indianapolis, Ind., where she taught history at the segregated Crispus Attucks High School.

She started a Travel Club to much dismay of white press.

“Should Colored Kids Travel?” the newspaper asked. The reporter doubted that children of maids and chauffeurs could behave properly on such a journey let alone benefit from it in their futures. Tate ignored their ignorance as did her students. Tate remained in touch with her students decades after she left for her own adventures. Many had gone on to become Tuskegee Airmen, doctors, teachers, and world travelers!

Today, Explorer alumnae are Fulbright Scholars, teachers, photographers, leaders of nonprofit organizations, and yes, world travelers. Should Colored Kids Travel? All people should travel. In travel we learn that the world does not revolve around us, but because of what each of us has to offer someone else.

Keep Dreaming!

Sonya Bernard-Hollins, Publisher Community Voices & Founder, Merze Tate Explorers

4

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

1932

2019 Learn more at https://www.merzetate.org www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

5

Explorers & Community!

Fundraising, community service, and priceless partnerships have allowed the Merze Tate Explorers to explore career and college possibilities for the past 11 years. Thank you for your priceless support!

1

4

2

5

3 8

6 7

1-4: Explorers partner with the Boy Scouts Explorers to expose girls to careers in media and the medical field. Explorer founder Sonya Hollins was awarded the prestigious William Spurgeon III Award by the Southern Shores region for her work with girls.

Explorers helped honor Mayor Bobby Hopewell as a Distinguished Eagle Scout.

5: Sonya Hollins poses with Pamela Roland after both were awarded awards from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc. 6: Syann Hollins & Sierra Ward pose with Kalamazoo Kiwanis President Jim Shriner after a presentation to the Kiwanis Club.

7-8: Pastor Michael Scott of Galilee Missionary Baptist Church in Kalamazoo, prayers for the Explorers as they depart for international experiences in Japan and South Africa.

6

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

9: Ed & Kathy Knox host the 4th annual Explorer Family Pool Party.

10: Olivet College sponsors Explorers in 2nd Annual Girls Leadership Camp.

9

11-12: The Kalamazoo Institute of Arts partners with the Explorers for fundraising community service at Art in the Park.

13: People’s Food Co-Op customers give $1,588 in change to support Explorers!

14: Aliah Ward and other Explorer Girl Scouts mentors after school Girl Scouts at Washington Writers Academy and earn new Explorers Girl Scout badge.

10

13

14

11

12

www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

7

* Created a college curriculum in the art * Uses history books to design costumes. of costume design * Traveled to Africa to research * Graduated from Hampton University African culture for Black Panther costumes * Earned the Career Achievement Award at the 21st Annual Costume Designer * Utilized 3-D printing to create the Guild Awards marriage hat worn by Angela Bassett in Black Panther. * Created costumes for 14 of Spike Lee’s films “My whole career, I’ve been dressing superheroes...Martin Luther King Jr., * Black Panther was her largest costumeMalcolm X, and T’Challa were all design job superheroes.”

8

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

Ruth Carter

An Exclusive Interview with Ruth Carter

*The Explorers interviewed Ruth Carter a few weeks before she became the first African American to win an Oscar for Costume Design. See video of the interview on the Merze Tate Explorers YouTube Channel!

Story by Avery Pratt * Photos by Syann Hollins GRAND RAPIDS (MICH.)-Ruth E. Carter is an African-American costume designer and the first African-American in her profession nominated for an Oscar. She has worked on movies such as, Do the Right Thing, Selma, You Gonna Git it Sucka, Malcolm X, Marshall, Black Panther, and many more.

great person but an amazing role model for young African-American women interested in media and creative arts. Carter is determined and has a great heart. She was super nice, inspiring, and motivating. I enjoyed every single second. This is an experience I will forever remember.

Carter grew up in Massachusetts and graduated from Hampton University. The Merze Tate Explorers had the incredible opportunity to interview the lovely Ms. Carter at Calvin College in Grand Rapids. She was one of the amazing professional featured in their 2019 speakers series. During the interview we learned a lot about her career.

She drew cartoons with her brothers and played with her mother’s sewing machine when she was a child. She had no idea these things would have a large impact on her future career. Spike Lee gave the new costume designer her first big break when she was hired for his film School Daze. Lee became a role model to her and continues to be a good friend.

After the exclusive interview the Explorers headed into the Calvin College’s auditorium to join hundreds of others who came to listen to her speech and answer audience questions. During that speech, I learned designing costumes could sometimes take months. When she was hired to design the costumes for the movie, Black Panther, it took a lot of research. The tribes and costumes in the film were based on real-life African tribes.

The Explorers was granted an exclusive interview with Oscar-winning costume designer during her visit to Calvin College. Above, Neveah Hughes asks Carter about creating costumes for the film Black Panther as Halle Hollings looks on. Below:, Saphira Muhammad asks Carter for her autograph.

Carter also gave a lot of advice to those in the audience. My favorite quotes from her speech was, “Do the right thing,” (ironic, right?)

Another one of my favorite quotes from her was “Know who you are.” She explained that, knowing what you want and who you are is essential in or out of art. She further explained that art is a way to express self. Art is you, just on a piece of paper, or in a costume.

Syann Hollins, one of the Explorers, asked Carter if she thought she deserved an award for a specific movie she had created costumes for in the past? Her response: “You don’t need an award to say that you’re first place. All that matters is that you’re always first place in your heart.”

That inspired me. I can take that advice and apply it to what I do each day (school, Explorers, Girl Scouts, etc). The opportunity to meet and interview Ruth E. Carter was awesome. Not only is she a www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

9

Living on Campus at Olivet College

By Nya Kuhn

OLIVET (MICH.) - The Explorers took part in the Olivet College Girls’ Leadership Camp in June to learn ways to be successful in life. This was my first time at Olivet College, so when I got there, I was pretty excited! I checked into Dole Hall where I received a bag that had my name on it. The bag also had a shirt, water bottle, and workbook packet.

The college assistants directed me upstairs to the second floor to get my room key, bedsheets and pillow. At first, I shared a room with my sister Alayna. But when Explorer Sasha arrived, we decided to move to a room with three beds.

Our room was so cool! It had three beds and three desks. I put my suitcase away and put the sheets and blankets they gave us on my bed. Then I went to see the other girls’ rooms.

It was fun to see all of the dorm rooms and how each was decorated. Some girls even had Christmas lights on the walls! Some rooms were bigger than others, but roommates gave each one their special touch.

The bathrooms were very interesting. There were three bathrooms on each floor that had a row of sinks, toilets, and really small showers. It was nothing like my bathroom at

home, but I guess that’s how dorms are. After dinner we made signs for our doors using Washi tape, glitter, pom poms, colored markers, stickers, mini outfits, and butterflies!

In the morning, the counselors banged on our doors to wake us up. One of the days we woke up before the counselors and got into the bathroom before the other girls. We all met down in the Commons room to walk across the parking lot to the Kirk Center cafeteria. I usually had cereal, fruit, and milk. It was cool being in a college cafeteria.

After breakfast, we had all of our learning sessions, and in the evenings had free time. Room check was at 10 p.m., so we had to make sure we took showers and were in our rooms by then.

We could go to bed at any time! Living in the dorms was cool because I felt like I was living on my own. I can’t wait to go to college!

By Alayna Kuhn OLIVET (MICH.)- One of my favorite projects at Olivet College was the perfume-making session. The purpose was to foster collaboration. To me, it was the most interactive activity at the camp. There are a lot of components that go into perfume making that you wouldn’t notice until you do it. But it was really fun and interesting.

One of the professors in Olivet College’s chemistry department explained the different types of perfumes and different levels of dilution. The purest form is simply called perfume. It is made of 22% essential oils; the rest is made of either alcohol or odorless oil. The most diluted form is called eau fraiche. This is made of 1-3% essential oil, the rest is alcohol or odorless oil.

Next, we learned about the anatomy and physiology of smells.

Then we learned about the different categories of notes that go into a fragrance (top note, middle note, and bottom note). Some examples of notes are lemon and orange (top notes), lavender and rose (middle notes), and sandalwood and cedarwood (bottom notes). A good first step for starting to create a fragrance is to combine the notes in a ratio of 3:2:1 (top note: middle note: bottom note). You can then customize your scent from that point.

The next part of this process is what we tied into the lesson; fostering collaboration. We formed groups and agreed on the rest of the project as a team. My group members were Hannah Hollings and Maya Daniels. We received a list of oils to decide which scents would work well together. We recorded this information on our sheet, understanding that we could make changes and that these predictions were not final.

Above, Saphira Muhammad creates her perfume potion. Left, samples of scents to use. Below, Explorers Kimyah Babineaux, Brittany Wright, Kalea Barnes, and Sanaa OlivacceShabazz decide on their perfume ingredients.

Our group went into the lab where we had to wear safety goggles.

We experimented with the scents under the laboratory hoods and went through a lot of trial and error until Maya came up with a great scent that included sandalwood, citronella, lemon, and orange.

We had to decide on an alcohol base (it makes the scent stronger) or an oil base (makes the scent last longer). We chose the oilbased formula we named Citrus Spring. For our marketing pitch we created a simple but elegant poster that was informative but entertaining. www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

11

Cooking with Layla

By Layla Wallace

HYDE PARK (NEW YORK)- This summer I earned the opportunity to attend the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y. This is one of the top culinary schools in the United States. At first glance the campus seems like a typical college. But, inside it is full of students baking and cooking new creations.

The faces of the student chefs were joyful. Everyone was kind and I immediately felt comfortable. I am usually a bit shy around strangers, but everyone was so welcoming that it made me feel like I belonged.

Throughout the week we made so many foods and learned so many skills. We focused on Mediterranean cuisine. I made lamb, homemade ABC dough, apricot sorbet, homemade ice cream, and more.

We also got the opportunity to taste fresh honey from a bee hive.

There are two things about the experence I will always remember.

One, I made so many friends who had the same passion for cooking. They were the sweetest and they kept me going. I will never forget them. Second, is the food. The food was “on point!” There were some things I didn’t like, but most of it I did.

Immediately upon my return home to Kalamazoo, my business, Layla’s Cool Pops, partnered with Western Michigan University’s WIRE Summer Youth Employment Initiative. I used what I learned at cooking school in New York to teach seven summer interns for a culinary arts camp.

In addition to what I learned as a chef, I also shared what I learned about marketing and presentation of baked goods. The interns learned first hand what it takes to operate a café.

What I learned at Culinary Institute of America allowed me to grow as a chef and instructor to summer interns who helped me build a better business.

Left, Layla serves as assistant chef during the Pretty Lake Camp Stone Soup Chef competition. Above, Explorers pose with Pretty Lake Executive Director Eric Wimbley during the competition to raise funds for free camp for kids.

12

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

Watch the video on our Merze Tate Explorers YouTube page!

Meeting the Politicians

By Syann Hollins Photo by Sierra Ward

Thanks to the Explorers’ partnership with the Southern Shores region of Boy Scouts, I have met lawmakers from the local to national level. I learned what they do to help make citizens’ lives easier.

Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow was elected in 2000 as the state’s first female senator. Senators serve 6-year terms.

Michigan Congressman Fred Upton has represented the 4th district (Kalamazoo) since 1993.

Governor Gretchen Whitmore was elected the second female governor of Michigan in 2019.

She is our 49th governor. She was a congresswoman from 2001-2006 and a senator from 2006-2015.

Michigan State Representative Sean McCann has represented the 60th district since 2010 and is a former Kalamazoo city commissioner.

Michigan State Representative Jon Hoadley has served as state representative for the past five years. He represents Kalamazoo and Kalamazoo Township.

Mayor Bobby Hopewell’s six terms has made him Kalamazoo’s longest-serving mayor. www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

13

By Brittany Wright

July 20 3:30 a.m. - My family woke up. We were going on a cruise!

6:50 a.m. - Arrived at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

8:20 a.m. - Boarded our flight.

12:11 p.m. - Landed in Miami, Florida. For two nights we traveled around Miami. It was a new environment for me. I learned that in Miami you wake up to gorgeous hot weather. The temperatures ranged from 89 to 93 degrees but it felt more like 101 degrees...thank God for sunscreen!

July 22 8 a.m. - Packed and ate a quick breakfast before we meet our family members in the hotel lobby.

10 a.m. Our family of 14 loaded in the shuttle and headed to the pier.

A baggage porter made certain our luggage made it onto the ship and into our staterooms. Then, we passed through customs and border control to make it through the security checkpoints. It required us to show our state identification photos and birth certificates as proof of citizenship before we could board the ship.

Noon - We were all settled on the ship and it was time for lunch on the lido deck. There were a variety of foods to choose from like tacos and a Mexican bar, pizza bar, burgers and fries bar, fruit and salad bar, a buffet bar, a dessert bar, drinks, and one of my favorites, an ice cream bar.

We relaxed and enjoyed lunch while we waited for our rooms to be ready. It was the best time to explore the ship and learn where different activities were.

4 p.m.- Finally, our ship was ready to embark on our four-day cruise.

We left the port of Miami and headed to our first stop, Key West, FL. Our first family dinner was in the Captain’s dining room. I sat with my cousins from South Carolina, my brother, father, and mother. The dinner was delicious and I enjoyed the talks with my family.

Day 2 Aboard Ship - We arrived in Key West, U.S. Island City. It is part of the Florida Keys archipelago. Once we docked, we had free time to explore Key West. They had amazing shops with good deals on shirts and hats. I wished we could have stayed longer but it was very hot and I wanted to get back on the ship. On the ship, we relaxed and decided to see a show.

The show opened up with dancers, singers, and beautiful spotlights.

We met Felipe who told hilarious jokes. He was the host of the show and cruise director. He closed the show by telling us the different activities to enjoy while on the cruise such as movie nights, late-night snacks, mini-golf, water slides, nice pools, warm Jacuzzis, food buffets, and amazing shows.

14

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

Fun Facts:

Key West has a population of 25,208 people (natives are called, Conchs) and is one of the most culturally diverse cities in Florida.

The original name for Key West was Cayo.

Hueso meaning: Island of Bones.

Key West has the highest average temperature in the United States and is the only city in the country that never gets frost.

All of the sand on beaches of Key West was shipped in from the Caribbean.

By Sanaa Olivacce-Shabazz

Explorer Sanaa visited South Africa with her parents. The trip allowed them to experience African culture, history, and recreation.

SOUTH AFRICA- My father was born in Trinidad and my mother is from Dominica, so I consider myself to be a Caribbean-American girl. I’ve always grown up with a sense of love and respect for the ocean. My love for the ocean evolved even more when I learned I was going to South Africa. It is not only the Motherland, but one of the birthplaces of modern-day surfing. Since I was about eight years old, I’ve noticed every representation of surfing in the media shows Caucasian men. I feel like I don’t see enough women (or Women of Color for that matter) in water sports.

South Africa is filled with fascinating, gorgeous, and eye-catching beaches which are home to many famous and legendary surfers. But many don’t know the history, lifestyle, major destinations and overall culture of South African surfing. Surfing as a sport in South Africa began in the coastal city of Muizenberg in 1910. Surfing began to spread throughout the country like a virus. In 1918, The Cape Town Publicity Association brochure wrote about how compelling surfing was becoming: “In the Pacific, the islanders have made it an art. At the Cape it has become a cult. The wild exhilaration is infectious. It steadies the nerves, exercises the muscles and makes the enthusiast clear headed and clear eyed.”

In the early days of South African surfing, the boards were wooden belly boards, but the board shape and size changed when soldiers came back from World War I because of their travels to Waikiki.

Surfing remained as what is called bodyboarding in modern day surfer slang until 1919 when Zimbabwean Heather Price began stand-up surfing while vacationing in Cape Town. Two soldiers were kind enough to introduce her to stand up to face the waves. Little did Price know, she was making history.

In the province of Kwazulu-Natal, many were designing boards to assist lifeguards. Alec Bully of the Durban Surf and Life Saving Club went to Sydney. When he returned, he made sketches of the “water-ski” boards that lifeguards in the Australian surf scene were using. With the help of Fred Crocker, he turned this design into the ideal wave riding craft that is similar to the modern day shortboard.

I truly hope to gain more experience and learning skills from my trip, and I can learn how to make my mark on the world. www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

15

Historic Exploration Jim Crow laws in Michigan made it impossible for Merze Tate to teach high school in 1927. Although she was the first African American to earn a degree in education from Western State Teachers College (now Western Michigan University) a move outside Michigan launched her legacy in education.

She was hired as history teacher at the segregated Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis (founded by the Ku Klux Klan). Her own accomplishments as the first African American graduate of Oxford University, first African American female to earn a doctorate in political science from Radcliffe College at Harvard University, international historian, and more, began after she founded a Travel Club at the high school. Newspapers in Indianapolis chronicled the historic explorations of Tate’s travelers to Washington D.C. in 1932. It doubted the benefit of travel for the “Colored” children.

The Merze Tate Explorers continue her legacy with a historic journey to Washington D.C. to visit the places her students learned about during their journey. Tate retired as a history professor from Howard University in 1977. She was hired as the first female history professor in 1942. The Explorers concluded their five days in D.C. with a visit to Howard University.

The Explorers pose at the Christopher Columbus Memorial Fountain in Columbus Circle, Washington D.C.

Explorers Syann Hollins, Sierra Ward, Shemiah Lawler, and Darianna Browning are joined

by Shamiel Hollins and Caleb Taylor on a tour of the Lincoln Monument, World War II Memorial, and a tour of Georgetown.

Right, Saphira Muhammad, Sasha Hollins, and Nya Kuhn pose near a memorial of the youngest victim of the plane that crashed on September 11, 2001 at the Pentegon. Below, Kalea Barnes poses before a tour of the Pentegon.

The Explorers learn many untold stories during a visit to the African American Museum of History and Culture.

By Halle Hollings

The Auction Block When the Explorers visited the National Museum of African American History, we all had to find something interesting to write about. While I walked through the exhibits I saw something that looked like a big rock. I learned it was an auction block.

The auction block led to fear and humiliation for the enslaved people sold there. Loved ones were separated; even the little kids were taken from their parents. Auction blocks were usually seen in public squares and post offices. Africans were sold on the block and traded for money and other things that were of value (animals, crops, lands, etc.). Ads we created to announce slave auctions.

Once the slaves were brought to America (or a port for slaves), they were usually shaved and rubbed with palm oil to hide sores or wounds. Men and women were often shaved bald. Slaves with 18

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

few scars sold at higher prices. They were ordered to stand there until someone bought them. An 18-year-old slave could be sold for $650. The same slave could be sold five years later for $1,000. In today’s dollar value, a slave could have been sold for $14,500.

The Africans were put in iron collars and painful shackles with locks. Those who purchased them would get the key. However, after being sold on the block, some were harshly whipped by the slave owner and left with a lot of pain and bruises.

On June 1, 1850, there were 23,191,876 in the United States (according to the exhibit facts).

By Hannah Hollings

The Black Arts Movement As you walk through the museum there are exhibits about slavery, segregation, and all the terrible events that happened before we got our freedom. While I was walking through the horrifying pictures of black people fighting for their lives, slaves getting whipped, and “strange fruit” (men who were hanging from trees), I decided to write about something positive.

The movement began in New York but Afro Americans all over the country joined B.A.M. In Chicago, Hoyt Fuller and John Johnson published Negro Digest (later named Black World), a magazine that showcased Black writers. In 1969 Robert Chrisman and Nathan Hare published The Black Scholar, the first journal dedicated to promoting Black education.

I remembered the first time I visited the museum with my family soon after it opened in 2016. Before our visit, I thought of Black art as the graffiti you see on city buildings. To me, that was a form of art. But, after seeing all of the art in the museum, I saw Black art as creative expression by Black people who were trying to show history through art. We walked into this room with flashing lights and music. On the walls were pictures of ladies in Afros with their fists in the air. I read about the Black Arts Movement and it sounded pretty cool. While I listened to Aretha Franklin sing “Respect” I decided this was going to be my topic. I took some pictures of the Black Arts Movement section and started writing.

The Black Arts Movement strongly supported Black literature and theater but it also supported Black music and art. The B.A.M. worked with the Black genres such as jazz, soul, gospel, rhythm, and blues. John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk, Archie Shepp are just three jazz musicians that were members of B.A.M.

From the descriptions under the images, I learned the Black Arts Movement (BAM) officially started in 1965 when Imamu Amiri Baraka opened the Black Arts Repertory Theater in Harlem New York. He was known as The Father of the B.A.M. The movement was meant to strengthen the Black aesthetic and show Black excellence through the arts.

In 1975 the Black Arts Movement stopped. Artists like Maya Angelou and Nikki Giovanni became famous after their time in the Black Arts Movement. I really enjoyed writing about my topic. The Black Arts Movement was very inspirational and I’m glad I chose it. This movement in art showed me that we could create things that expressed beauty in the African American world. After all of the things we couldn’t control—like slavery and segregation, art was something we could.

www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

19

Nya poses by a statue of Jesse Owens and Olympic medals like the ones she plan to win one day!

by Nya Kuhn

Imagine a tall statue of a strong-looking athlete. The statue is in a running position with perfect form! His face is focused, his mouth is open a little so he can breathe. He has a track bib numbered 733. He has a nice stride. His hands are not balled up, but a little loose.

Can you guess who it is?

It is… Jesse Owens!

Owens was a track and field athlete. He was once the fastest man alive. I also like to run track so that’s why I wanted to write about him.

Owens had a famous quote that says, “The road to the Olympics leads to no city, no country. It goes far beyond New York or Moscow, ancient Greece or Nazi Germany. The road to the Olympics leads - in the end - to the best within us.” To me, this quote means that it is not just about going to the Olympics but more about training and working toward a goal. This changes you as a person.

The exhibit also had a video of Jesse Owens running the 200-meter dash. He was in lane three. It was cool to see how he ran around the turn at about the 100-meter mark and then seemed to blast past the other runner. When he ran that race, he won and set another world record!

Owens broke won four Olympic gold medals in 1936. But he still couldn’t ride in the front of the train car during that time because of segregation. This makes me feel sad because even though he did all that work, he still wasn’t appreciated. But I appreciate him because he set an example for me and I know one day I can be an Olympic medalist!

20

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

Equal Education for All

By Aliah Ward

“If it wasn’t for the people outside, we would have finished the day. But I don’t intend to quit. We will try again. It’s still my school and I’m entitled to it.”

Ernest Green (one of the Little Rock Nine) *Aliah Ward is the daughter of Atiba and Cherise Ward who are educators with Kalamazoo Public Schools. She felt a connection to the students of the past as she learned of school segregation during the Explorers’ visit to the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of African American History and Culture on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

Near the Emmett Till memorial exhibit and an original segregated train car were wooden table tops which represented the sit-ins of the Civil Rights Era. Inside the wooden tables were digital interactive touch screens that allowed visitors to touch an image in history to learn more about it. I touched “School Desegregation.”

After slavery in the early 20th century, African Americans had little opportunity for formal education. To change this, communities of African Americans banded together to build and support schools for their children. They sacrificed their time and the little money they earned to get the movement to work. African American educator Booker T. Washington and Jewish philanthropist Julius Rosenwald helped fund these small schoolhouses. This fund helped construct more than 5,300 schools including a school called Hope Rosenwald School in South Carolina. This school lasted from 1919 to 1954 when desegregation in schools began.

School desegregation began after the landmark Supreme Court case “Brown vs. the Board of Education” in 1954 ruled segregation in school was illegal. One of the first school desegregations took place in 1957 in Little Rock, Arkansas. Federal troops escorted nine AfricanAmerican students enrolled in Little Rock Central High School into the school on their first day (September 4, 1957). Many protestors did not want the kids there, but many of them kept going.

In New Orleans On November 14, 1960, a 6-year-old girl named Ruby Bridges attended 1st grade at an all-white William Frantz Elementary School. Federal marshals escorted her to school. On her first day, she sat on the principal’s office as white parents took their kids out of class.

When Ruby went back to school, they put her in a class where she was the only student. Although it looked like everyone was against her, her teacher Mrs. Henry was nice to her. Ruby was by herself for the whole year, but in the second grade, she went back to school without federal marshals. She started a school year with a class full of students both black and white.

Aliah poses by an exhibit of the segregated Hope School.

Above, a photo of a segregated school.

Photos in white by Jennifer Martino www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

21

Rosa Parks: More than Just a Movie

By Kimyah Babineaux & Kennedy Hudson

Kennedy Hudson and Kimyah Babineaux pose with the Rosa Parks exhibit in the African American Museum. Left, Kimyah poses with the Parks statue in the Capitol.

Rosa Parks. But, Claudette was young, and the lawyers did not believe she would be the best “Test Case.”

When I was around 7, my mom and dad sat down with me to watch a movie called, The Rosa Parks Story. I remember that she had came out of the store and she had caught the bus. She went on the bus and she had sat down in the Whites-Only section. When a White man came on the bus, the driver asked her three times to get up. The driver called the police, and they took her to jail. It made me want to learn more about her.

During our visit to the Museum, Kennedy and me decided to write about Rosa Parks. There was an exhibit about her in the museum section on Segregation. The exhibit had an original dress that belonged to Rosa Parks. It had gold and silver leaves on it with a matching belt. There was a picture of her in 1955.

I also learned something that I’d never heard before. I learned that Rosa Parks was NOT the first African American female arrested for sitting in the White section of the bus. The exhibit shared that a 15-year-old named Claudette Colvin was the first arrested for sitting in the wrong section of the bus almost nine months before 22

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

Rosa Parks was brave to get on the bus and sit in the White section.

One of her quotes is, “I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free so other people would also be free.”

After her death, Parks laid in the state under the Capitol Rotunda.

That is an honor reserved for the country’s most distinguished citizens. She remains the only women and one of just four private citizens to receive that privilege. The Explorers visited the Gallery of the Statues during a tour of the Capitol. We saw her statue there!

Her statue has her in the suit, hat, and glasses she wore on the day they arrested her for refusing to give up her seat. Her statue was a lighter color bronze than all the other statues. I think they did a different color to make her stand out more.

If I could ask Rosa Parks one question, I would ask her how she felt when she went on the bus and sat in the White section? I would like to know, if she was afraid. After I learned more about her story from our visit to D.C., I learned not to be afraid and to be brave. I am inspired to help others. And I can start, even at age 12 by stepping in when I see other people being bullied or afraid.

Meet Emily Howland

By Saphira Muhammad Hi! I want you to meet my friend Emily Howland. I met her at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington D.C. Out of all the people featured in the museum she was one of the few white people in her own exhibit. This exhibit was next to one of her good friends, Harriet Tubman.

From her photo, her hair looked blonde or white. She didn’t look billionaire rich and her clothing was nice and classic (not too fancy like rich women). In search for someone to write about she seemed cool. She reminded me of Merze Tate.

Like Tate, Howland was an educator and known for her work of educating young African Americans. She was born in Sherwood Cayuga County, New York on November 20, 1859. Her parents were Slocum and Hannah who were Quakers. She was an abolitionist who taught at a Normal school for colored girls. She later taught at University District of Columbia in Washington D.C. from 1857 to 1859. Emily was a strong supporter of women’s rights. She also paid for the education of many black students.

Tate was a teacher and also gave money for education. When Tate died in 1996, she left millions of dollars for scholarships to universities she once attended.

In 1867 Howland created the Howland Chapel School. In 1890 she became a director of the Aurora National Bank in Aurora.

I hope you enjoyed learning about Emily Howland.

Saphira Muhammad poses by the American Legion Freedom Bell in front of Union Station. The exhibit post of Howland is shown above.

www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

23

Colored Troops: Centuries of Service

Above, the horm presented to Prince Simbo for his bravery in the Revolutionary War. Below, images of soliders throughout history.

By Alayna Kuhn & Sasha Hollins Imagine walking down the halls of the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Suddenly a big display including pictures, posters, and military gear takes up a whole wall. The words: “Men of Color, To Arms! To Arms! Now Or Never!” draws you in. You soon figure out that this exhibit is all about the Colored troops. In 1863, African American men joined the army to fight for the North...they were fighting for freedom.

The United States Colored Troops (USCT) was first founded in May of 1863, after the Emancipation Proclamation. Close to 180,000 Colored men fought in the USCT and near 40,000, unfortunately, lost their lives in battle. Lots of USTC soldiers were awarded and recognized for their service, some even earning the Medal of Honor.

One of the most interesting people we learned about from this war was Prince Simbo. According to the exhibit, he served in the 7th Regiment, Connecticut Line of the Continental Army. He fought, and after his service, he earned his freedom. The people of Glastonbury, his hometown, respected him for his service and they presented him with land and a powder horn. The land granted to him is now known as Chestnut Hill Road.

Another very important person to the United States Colored Troops was Private Gordon. Many may know of him by the picture of his scared back from the many beatings by an overseer’s whip.

He escaped in 1863 and joined the USCT and took others with him. It was the U.S. Army medical examiner who saw his scars that were later photographed. Private Gordon’s “scarred back” became an important symbol regarding slavery.

Sasha and I choose to highlight this exhibit because a lot of people don’t know about specific black troops in the military and how they contributed to fighting for their own freedom. The USCT and other African American troops were often overlooked in history textbooks and some websites. However, we found that the USCT was very important to the military back in the 1800s and because of their hard work they paved the way for Colored troops today.

By Sadaya Hamby The African American Museum of History and Culture had so many exhibits that I was enticed to just wander toward things I had never known. I found myself in the area about African American soldiers. I was very shocked and happy to learn that behind the exhibit glass were stories of real soldiers. Some of the stories I had heard about and others were new to me. I even learned more about how my own family was represented as honored soldiers.

I learned of three heroic groups of soldiers who were outstanding, overlooked, and underestimated. The Buffalo Soldiers, Tuskegee Airmen, and Harlem Hellfighters helped the United States win very important wars.

Buffalo Soldiers were a group of all African American men who took served in segregated units during the American Expansion west. They were part of the 10th Cavalry in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. They served from 1866 until the U.S. military became integrated around 1951. The men were named Buffalo Soldiers by the Native Americans who compared their dark curly to buffalo fur. The soldiers’ job was to fight Native Americans in expansion territory, which sparked a lot of racism and tension between the two races.

The Tuskegee Airmen were another brave group of African American soldiers. They were fighter pilots in World War II who fought the Germans during World War I. These first blacks in military aviation faced many barriers. They had to overcome racial tensions between comrades while they fought for freedom. Between 1941 and 1945 they became official under Col. Benjamin O. Davis Jr. They were nicknamed the Red Tails because of the red tails on their famous fighter planes.

Two brothers, Jack and Joe Bryant, a fighter and bomber pilot respectively, especially stuck out to me. They are my maternal great grandfather and great uncle! The first time I learned about them was in a family photo. I saw pictures of my mom, uncle, and grandparents in front of planes. My mom told me that these relatives were Tuskegee Airmen.

After seeing them in the museum I want to learn more!

The Harlem Hellfighters were African American soldiers sent to help the French fight the Germans during WWI. They were sent to fight in the most dangerous front in brutal and seemingly hopeless battles. Although they fought for our country and are among our nation’s heroes, they still faced racism at home. They also experienced segregation, bankruptcy, homelessness, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

The Buffalo Soldiers, Tuskegee Airmen, and the Harlem Hellfighters were ordinary people who faced difficult hardships on and off the field. I am very proud to share what I have learned with others.

By Kalea Barnes & Brittany Wright Hip-Hop music began in Bronx, New York in the 1970s. It grew from a relatively small community of disk jockeys (DJs) emcees (MCs), and the foundation of Break dancing. The late 1980s and 1990s were known as the Golden Age of Hip-Hop. The DJs expressed themselves through rhyme, break dancing, and the art of graffiti—all that came out in their music and creative styles.

Female artists didn’t receive the same recognition as male MCs. Women artists have also been at the forefront of the Hip-Hop movement since its inception. Women artists worked just as hard as male artists. Lana Moore (AKA MC Lyte) was the first female rapper who gained fame in the late 1980s becoming the first solo rapper. They had a great influence on Hip-Hop and culture.

But Queen Latifah was one of the Hip-Hop female pioneers. But even after rap, she has continued to stay in the entertainment forefront. She has starred in such movies as Girls Trip, The Queen Latifah Show, and had many accomplishments since then.

The Hip Hop industry grew, and the museum highlighted those who would come along the Hip Hop trail. It featured those such as Tupac, Snoop Dogg, Alisha Keys, and Run DMC. In the early

Rappers Salt ‘N Pepa were women in the forefront of Hip Hop history. Their bold style of dress and contagious rhymes has earned them a spot in music history. Above, interactive touch screens make history unique at the Museum.

2000s, Hip-Hop’s creative center moved to the South. Gangsta rap also played an important part in Hip-Hop becoming a mainstream commodity.

The music exhibit included interactive booths for people to see and hear the music of the 80s and 90s. The museum designers dressed the mannequins in the clothing of that era. They filled the room with different genres of African American music and a timeline of fashion. After our visit to the exhibit we gained more knowledge and facts we didn’t know about the Hip-Hop music industry. But as we walked out, it gave us motivation and excitement to learn more about Hip Hop and rap.

By Kimyah Babineaux

The Explorers visited Howard University where Merze Tate was its first female history professor. Tate served the university from 1942 until she retired in 1977.

Some of her archives are stored at the Moorland Spingarn Research Center located in the Founders Library on Howard’s campus.

Howard University is a private black college in Washington D.C. founded on March 2, 1867. On July 12, the Explorers learned about the college during a scavenger hunt across campus.

At the beginning of the scavenger hunt we saw the Bridge Across and Beyond, which was one of my favorites. There is a statue and water fountain in honor of the sculptor’s mother and all single mothers.

One of the other main things that I liked while doing the scavenger hunt was the walk through “The Yard.” This is where sororities and fraternities have a certain area painted to represent their organization such as Delta Sigma Theta and Alpha Kappa Alpha sororities.

Merze Tate was a member of AKA). The Yard is also where commencements are held.

Not far from the yard is the football field and the gymnasium. We watched a swim team practice and learned of the different sports played at the university such as basketball, football, volleyball, cross country, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, bowling, and lacrosse.

I found interest in a building that is the Founders Library. It was built in 1937 and it houses one of world’s largest collections of African American work dedicated to the culture and history of people of African descent. Merze Tate’s archives are housed there too!

There are many celebrities who went to Howard such as Chadwick Boseman who played the leading role in Black Panther. Phylicia Rashad who played Claire Huxtable on The Bill Cosby Show also attended Howard receiving her Bachelors of Fine Arts. In 2004 she made history as the first African-American woman to win a Tony Award.

My experience at Howard was fun and unique for me because I learned that I have a few cousins who attended Howard University.

Although it was sometimes challenging for them they enjoyed it.

Right, Kimyah takes notes on the history of Howard University.

Below, Explorers pose after completing their scavenger hunt of campus.

28

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

Finally...I Made it to the Capitol!

By Nya Kuhn

Watch the video on our Merze Tate Explorers YouTube page!

“I’m just a bill, yeah, I’m only a bill, and I’m sittin’ here on Capitol Hill!”

When I walked up to Capitol Hill, it felt so cool to see in real life. I sat on the huge white stairs and I couldn’t wait to sing, “I’m Just a Bill,” from Schoolhouse Rock. Finally, I was on Capitol Hill!

After the excitement of just being there, we saw Congressman Fred Upton talking to some students. We also met him and took photos.

I asked him, “What was your first job?” He said he worked at a daycare when he was 15. He was really kind and answered a lot of our questions. But then he had to go because he and other members of Congress had a top-secret meeting with Nancy Pelosi who is the Speaker of the U.S House of Representatives.

After our interview, we headed inside for tours. We had to go through security and a machine that scanned our bodies. Our tour started with a movie was about the Capitol and its history. I learned how the building once burned, but was rebuilt during a war. We heard so much about the Capitol, but we would learn even more.

Our tour guide Elizabeth, gave each of us a pair of headphones so we can hear her talking to us about the paintings and sculptures.

As we walked, I saw a star in the middle of the floor. Elizabeth told us that spot marks the middle of Washington D.C. We saw columns that are 200 years old in an area called the crypt. The columns held up the famous steel dome. We even saw the stairs that every president has walked down!

The ceiling of the dome had a painting of George Washington surrounded by 13 women to represent the original 13 colonies.

There are 300 statues in the Capitol Building. Alexander Hamilton and Martin Luther King Jr. are made into statues because they did really important things. Rosa Parks’ image is a statue too! A model of the Statue of Freedom is inside the dome, and the real one is on top of the dome. We also found a clock on the wall that in 200 years old (that’s a long time).

The tour was so educational. We visited the House and Senate sessions and heard the politicians talk about why they wanted certain laws created. Now I know just what Bill in Schoolhouse Rock was talking about.

The Capitol is filled with art that represents the nation’s history. Only a few pieces represent African Americans and their contributions to the country. In the Rotunda (under the dome) is Martin Luther King Jr. Shamiel and Caleb pose with the iconic statue.

In the National Statuary Collection Activists: Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, and Rosa Parks.

Educators Daisy Bates and Mary McLeod Bethune’s statue will be installed in 2020. www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

29

Thanks to a more than 50-year sister city friendship between Kalamazoo, Michigan and Numazu, Japan, the Explorers checked one more continent off their bucket list! The visit to Japan was a cultural immersion opportunity for four Explorers who were selected by their peers for a twoweek experience of food, history, entertainment, and career exploration.

In addition, each Explorer lived with host families. Those representing both cultures learned more about the other to create friendships that have lasted far beyond their visit.

The following pages share excerpts from the essays Explorers wrote in applications to join the Numazu delegation and highlights from their visit.

“The opportunity to travel brings current events and history together in a way that allows you to appreciate your life’s journey.”

Sonya Bernard-Hollins - Founder, Merze Tate Explorers

Imagine you live in a mansion and only stay in one room your entire life. Why? Because you don’t know what’s on the other side of the door. In my experience, not being able to travel the world is like becoming captive to the place we know as home. Venturing out to these new places and switching up comfortable routines can produce extreme health benefits and expand your learning tremendously; both individually and collectively as the human race.

Sierra Ward- 11th grade, Loy Norrix High School

I love learning about different people, cultures, and how other countries function based on their demographic. I have never left the country, but have always wondered what it is like for others across the globe. This is a unique experience that can teach me valuable lessons that I can use in multiple aspects of my life.

Maya Daniels - 11th grade, Portage Northern High School

I believe it is important for students to travel and know what’s around them while they get their education. Through travel you get an understanding of other places. It is really important to travel, mainly because you learn more about the culture and experience what the locals do in their everyday lives. Travel gets people out of their comfort zones, allows them to make new friends, experience different cultural diversity, and have great stories that last a lifetime.

Syann Hollins - 11th grade, Gull Lake High School

One of my goals is to travel to each continent. I find Japan to be one of the most amazing places because of their very unique culture. The fashion, food, and everyday lifestyle is something that I would like to experience. There is a huge difference between reading books and looking at the pictures of a place than actually be there.

Shemaiah Lawler- 11th grade, Kalamazoo Central High School

By Maya Daniels

In 1867 the first recorded climb was made by a monk. In 1867 Lady Fanny Parkes became the first woman to climb the mountain.

Huts throughout the mountain serve as lodge or rest stops that provide medical supplies, food, water, canned air, and other necessities.

As far back as 1198 AD, more than 30,000 Samurai war- Mt. Fuji is the tallest mountain in Japan. It towers over the riors trained in areas now used by both the Japanese and city of Numazu at an outrageous 12,388 feet.

U.S. military. Stationed at the base of Mount Fuji is Camp Fuji, a U.S. Marine Corps facility used by both U.S. forces Mount Fuji is rich with lakes, rivers, and forests. We were and the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force. even told by our guide to watch out for bears!

Many Shinto shrines are scattered throughout the forests of Mount Fuji to honor the Shinto deities such as Sakuya- Mt. Fuji influences much of Japanese culture, poetry, music, and art. hime who is believed to keep Mount Fuji from erupting.

This 100,000-year-old volcano has been dormant since its Since ancient times, the Japanese have thought the mounlast eruption in 1707. It is still categorized as active. tain was blessed; some even worshiped it. Mount Fuji has had spiritual meaning for the practitioners of Shinto since More than 200,00 people climb the mountain each year. It the 7th century. Shinto is the religion in Japan that pertakes between 5-7 hours to reach the summit and another forms rituals to establish a connection between presentday Japan and its ancient past.

3-5 hours to descend.

32

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

History Comes to Life: A Visit to Hiroshima

By Shemaiah Lawler

To prepare myself for an entire day of traveling, I woke up at 5:30 a.m. to go to Japan. I said my goodbyes to my mom as she headed off to work. My dad and I headed to meet Aliyah Adams, another exchange student from the Numazu Sister City Delegation. We won the chance to head to Numazu a week earlier than the other delegates. Billy Clayton, the president of the Kalamazoo/Numazu Sister City Delegation took us to Chicago for our flight.

After we arrived at O’Hare Airport and through security we waited three hours to board the plane. Once on the 12-hour flight we landed in Tokyo, Japan. We were met by Numazu committee members who took us to the house of the director of the Numazu and Kalamazoo Sister City Delegation. After a long day and night of traveling, we were welcomed to Japan with opened arms.

My first official day started in the city of Hiroshima. Hiroshima is one of the most well-known cities in Japan because of its tragic history. We stopped by the hotel to drop off our bags and walked around taking in the beautiful scenery. Eventually, we were getting hungry. We asked to go to a ramen restaurant where Aliyah and I both ordered soy-sauce based ramen. We learned that if you slurp the noodles loudly that means that they are good. If you slurp them quietly that means you think they are bad.

After a delicious lunch, we headed to Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb in the center of Hiroshima. The bomb hit the Hiroshima Dome and killed over 140,000 people. Upon entering the park, the very first thing that is noticeable is the remains of the Atomic Bomb Dome; also known as the Genbaku Dome or the A-Bomb Dome.

Many people stand outside in awe due to the fact that the center of the dome is still standing 74 years later. The building looks rusted and old. On the other side of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park is the peace museum. Walking into the museum, there is a layout of the city sitting in the middle of the floor with a projector demonstrating how the bomb hit and the aftermath.

Shemaiah Lawler’s three weeks in Japan begins with a visit to Hiroshima as her first cultural education experience.

I was in shock of how much damage the bomb did. There is a major difference from just talking about what happens in a history class to witnessing it in person. Witnessing all of the personal belongings that families donated to the museum to help tell their loved ones’ stories is what makes the difference.

In the next part of the museum, there is an exhibit called “Reality of the Atomic Bombing.” There were stories hanging on the wall shared by families who lost a loved one or from those who survived. The rooms were so intense and dark. Many people cried and many were lost for words due to the horrific things that happened to the thousands of people that were involved in the tragedy. The stories are incredibly touching and hard to imagine. A lot of them were about how mothers were trying to save their kids.

One particular story that caught my eye was how a woman had found her daughter and her friends lying down and begging for water. She ran to get them water, but her daughter and all of the girls were dead when she returned with the water. In her story it says that she would never forgive herself for not making it to them in time to save them.

I left the museum with a feeling that was somewhat hard to explain.

To describe it, I would say I felt hurt, sad, scared and shocked all in one. Being that visiting the memorial was the only thing I did in Hiroshima, it will be a place I will remember. The museum was created to bring awareness about the harm of atomic weapons. And in my eyes I think that the museum reached its goal. www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

33

I, Sierra have a name.

That is a name in which I am proud of.

A name in which is Bold and a name that upholds courage with an out pour of strength.

My name is also female.

My name is also Black.

Before you see my shield and my armor you first see my display.

And though my beautiful melanin glow may be evident during the golden hour in the evening, my shield is sometimes seen as a weapon to society vs. protection from the system.

Bootstraps.

They say I should pull up myself by my own bootstraps but a boot I knew not one.

My journeys and my travels, they were done unshoed.

And just like wearing my Sunday’s best with the 6 inch heels to match, my feet would endure a pain my whole mind, body and soul could discern.

My ancestors were told they had no boots.

I was told I had none, too.

While I might not have had a boot I had a tool not a soul could extract.

I have a name and I have a mind. Knowledge is power contrary to money and fame.

My mind is like a dart, BOOM! BULL’s EYE! And when the world’s ways try to memorize my head, I stand Tall, I stand firm in my lord who says “He that is within me is greater than he that is in the world, cast your fears unto me.”

“No weapon formed against you shall prosper you, my child you are the head and not the tail.

“I, A leader born from wisdom.

When they tell you that you can’t do it let them sit back, get comfortable, and you show them that you can. I have a name, a mind and a story. Not a body do I own but a temple is my throne. I feel for my ancestors and all those who came before me. All the wounds all the hurt all the pain my soul it endures it. But I am equipped through this journey I fight.

I have a name,Sierra I have a mind. Knowledge .

I am set apart. Chosen.

Three true colors.

34

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

3 True Colors

Sierra Ward enjoyed the time she spent with her host family the most. Whether she zoomed around in their speed boat or took the high-speed train from Numazu to Tokyo, her host family was a perfect fit! www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

35

My Japanese Family

By Syann Hollins

While preparing for the trip the thing I was most nervous about was staying with a host family. I didn’t know Japanese and my host family didn’t know much English. How I would communicate with them? I hadn’t tried Japanese food outside of our own the mall food court. What would I eat? What would I do at their home each day?

My stay in beautiful Numazu, Japan was an unforgettable experience. I had the opportunity to embrace the culture through food, dress, and the extraordinary people who live there. The Each day the delegates from Kalamazoo went on daytrips and best part is that I had an incredible time with my host family who returned each evening to their host families. However, we had took care of me and taught me many new things about Japan. two days to do anything with our host families. On one family day we went to a parade that opened with Mickey and MinOthers may have enjoyed the food or the activities but getting nie Mouse. Following the parade were beautiful fireworks that to know the host families and spend time with the Hosaka fam- lit up the sky. After the fireworks the aromas of delicious food ily was the best part for me. The mom, Motoko Hosaka, is a car- and the sound of laughter and joy-filled the streets. They had diovascular examiner for adults. Her husband, Fumitaka Hosaka, games and food for all ages to enjoy. During the two day festiis a cardiovascular doctor. They both enjoy their jobs. Kohta is val, people wear Yukatas (Kimonos for men and women) which 12 and is their oldest son. He loves soccer and is learning Eng- is the traditional dress. With the Yukata you wear wooden sanlish. His parents were sending him to Canada for a week to dals but many of us just wore normal sandals to reduce injury. learn English, so he and I helped one another communicate. Tomoya, their youngest son, is 9. He also likes soccer and comics. The rich culture of Japan is one of a kind. The traditional dress, delicious foods, and historic sites make it a place I will never forget.

They are a lovely family and my stay with them was enjoyable. My Most importantly, my host family gave me the full experience… dream is to become a heart surgeon and to see the passion and love they even gave me a birthday party! I am happy to have met these they had for their jobs was motivating. I saw how important family wonderful people and to know I will always have a home in Japan. was to them and it was beautiful. Everyone took care of and helped one another. They were always hanging out together and seemed to enjoy every moment. I brought the American version of the card game UNO and taught them how to play. We played almost every day.

The family introduced me to Japanese food. Seafood is a big part of their meals. After one event, we visited a vendor who served takoyaki (fried octopus), fish, and many other foods that were new to me. One night, they prepared a dinner of fish, chicken patties, peas, string beans, beef, potatoes, rice, and soup. I also learned that I loved tofu. Seaweed is prepared in many ways in Japan and, along with green tea and rice, they are enjoyed almost daily. Unlike in America, they encouraged the slurping of soup as a compliment to the chef. For most people, the most difficult thing was using chopsticks.

36

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

37

Hostelling in D.C.

By Kennedy Hudson

When we arrived in Washington D.C. we pulled up at 1009 11th St. N.W. We would stay at HI (Hostel International) Washington D.C. Cortez Alexander who worked at the Hostel gave us all the rules, like not being too loud. We then head up to our rooms on the very slow elevators. Mrs. Hollins picked this hostel because of the very low prices.

We had rooms that held up to 10 people. The Explorers roomed together, but others in the hostel could stay in rooms of two or more with strangers. You can meet people from different places in the world when you stay at a hostel.

Our hostel had the old charm that some people like and the city charm for others. There was a common room to play watch T.V., play pool and Uno, and hang out with your friends. There was a patio outside where we could hang out. But, after 5 p.m. only people 18 and up could be out there.

There are more than 70 hostels located across the United States. Hostels are in major cities with wonderful views of cultural and historic places. The HI USA hostels operate independently but share similar experiences with their guests. The Hostel is a nonprofit organization that keeps travel affordable.

The kitchen was not like any other kitchen. We brought all of our own food and placed them in a huge refrigerator with our name on it.

We then had shelf space for our other foods. Everyone used the kitchen and washed the dishes and pots and pans for others to use later.

We cooked our own meals, but the hostel chef prepared a free breakfast of things like bread, sausage, oranges, yogurt, and orange juice.

For dinner we made spaghetti and tacos.

People from all over the world were at our hostel. We met friends from Africa who told us their names and the meanings. They said Kennedy was a boy’s name in their country and was surprised to meet a girl with that name. At a hostel you can learn new languages and try new foods cooked by friends from other countries. This experience gives you a new way of thinking. “ A hostel is a good place for school groups because it is cheap and holds way more people in each room. These places are good for university groups and church groups. We made friends from all over the country and world. We played games together and ate meals together.

38

| FALL 2019

www.comvoicesonline.com

The Real Story Behind the Statue of Freedom

By Aliah Ward The Statue of Freedom sits on top of the Capitol Building dome in Washington DC. She has long, flowing hair and is wearing a helmet with a crest composed of an eagle’s head and feathers. She wears a toga-like robe with tassels on the trim of the garment and holds a shield of the United States with 13 stripes and the laurel wreath of victory. Inside the Capitol, the model stands 19 ½ feet tall and weighs 13,000 pounds. It stands on a cast-iron pedestal with the words E Pluribus Unum, which means, Out of Many, One. Thomas Crawford created the Statue of Freedom in 1857 in Rome.

He designed it to appear as if she was protecting the nation. There were three different designs Crawford sent to Montgomery Meigs (the project overseer). Designs one and two were too short, unstable, and in some ways, an offense slaves. A liberty cap was placed on her in the original design. It was a symbol of freedom, however, all enslaved people in America were not yet free. For the third design Crawford added a Roman helmet with four feathers that represented the native tribes. Jefferson Davis approved that design in April 1856.

Thomas Crawford died in 1857 after finishing his sculpting. They hired American sculptor Clark Mills to cast the Statue of Freedom at his foundry in the District of Columbia. When Mills refused to take the plaster down, one of his slaves who was also a craftsman, separated the sections so it could be moved to the foundry for casting. That slave was Philip Reid.

Reid labored to cast the iron sculpture into bronze. The finished statue was moved to the Capitol in 1862. They assembled the last piece of the statue on the Capitol on December 2, 1863. By this time Reid and other former enslaved people were emancipated... they were now free.

The original statue model is in the visitor area in the Capitol. Now visitors can see the detail of the model impossible to see on the dome sculpture.

Aliah Ward poses in front of the model Statue of Freedom. The Capitol dome holds the iron sculpture slave Philip Reid helped cast into bronze.

By Girl Scout Cadette Troop 80415 Bible Baptist Church, Kalamazoo, MI

Students in Girl Scout Troop 80415 of Bible Baptist Church shared their thoughts on Bullying. This topic was part of their Journey badge that focused on how media and technology can be used to bully others. This is what they had to say about how bullying; whether in person or in cyberspace.

What is Bullying Exactly?

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among schoolaged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems. (www.stopbullying.gov) How do we feel about Bullying?

Sasha If you have ever experienced bullying, you probably know that it’s hard to escape. It usually starts with someone making fun of someone else because they have nothing else to do.

The person could be bullying someone for multiple reasons.

It could mean that the person is going through something or maybe they just want attention.

Zaria My friend told me she was depressed. I said, “That’s not good…” She said, “Yeah, I’m still here so it’s whatever.” To me, if you feel that way, do something about it because if you don’t, that feeling isn’t going to go away. That feeling can sometimes lead to people taking their own lives, so speak up.

Aliah There are different kinds of bullying. Although sometimes you think you are playing, someone else’s feelings could get hurt. Be aware of the things you say.

Jerah I’ve had a couple of friends feel depressed about situations in their life and come to me for support. There isn’t anything really being done about bullying at my school. The principal talks to students about it all the time, but it continues.

Layla Bullying is a serious matter. I personally feel teachers don’t take bullying seriously. I think that if we had a better board

at our schools, we wouldn’t have to worry about this. I also believe that bullies always have something going on in their own lives and they think that bringing someone down will bring them up. Bullying is like a sickness or disease; it spreads until someone fights it.

Kennedy When you bully someone, they hurt. Bullying can cause depression. Consistent bullying can also lead to suicidal thoughts. We want people to feel safe on the Internet and in real life. Parents need to comfort their kids and check in on them, especially if they have negative thoughts, depression or anxiety.

Aniya Bullies want to make you feel as if you’re worth little, but you’re worth so much more than what they say. Trust me. You were put on this earth for a reason, to live your best life, to bring joy to the world. If the bullies don’t see it, just know that people actually care about you.

Kynnedi Bullying can cause sadness and depression. When kids bully other kids, sometimes it’s because something is going on with them. Some kids who are getting bullied may have other things going on in their life, in or out of school. Some kids don’t have best friends or people to talk to, so if you see someone that’s sad, talk to them.

Avery Being in a new generation, cyber bullying has become more persistent. We are taught about the dangers of the Internet but facing them is a whole different thing. When something bad happens, whether bullying or not, it’s hard for us as kids to speak up. From an adult perspective it may seem easy, but it’s not always going to be. We’re young, we’re exploring new possibilities, and we’re getting the chance to watch technology grow.

But we aren’t going to be prepared for everything.

The Internet is awesome. No doubt about that. But from one DM (direct message), you could be happily scrolling through Instagram only to have your day ruined by one comment. We try to say we don’t care what other people think, and some of us don’t; but it’s hard to get there. We’re teens.

One More Thing...

Congratulations!

Boys With Promise Celebrates 2 Years!

Daniel Patterson Sr. has put his desire to inspire young men into action. For the past two years he has led elementary and middle school boys to colleges, mentor talks, career exploration, fund raising, and community service. He has partnered with the Explorers in 2018 to create Boys With Promise when he saw his own daughter’s growth through exposure to college, career, media and travel experiences. Congratulations BWP!

MULTI-CULTURAL NEWS SOURCE

Volume 10, Issue 02

Founders Arlene & James Washington (2005-2010)Your Community, Your Voice Publisher Season Press LLC (2010-) Editor-In-Chief Sonya Bernard-Hollins Graphic Design

Fortitude Graphic Design Reporters/Photographers

Travel Writers Academy Publisher’s Column Numazu Photographer Westley Amica III

Community Voices is published quarterly by Season Press LLC, in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Free issues are available throughout West Michigan and online at: www. comvoicesonline.com. No parts of this magazine may be reproduced without permission.

For more information visit www.comvoicesonline.com write: Community Voices P.O. Box 51042 Kalamazoo, MI 49005 or call: 269-359-7895 www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

41

Congratulates the Explorers on its 7th Edition of Girls Can!

www.comvoicesonline.com

FALL 2019 |

43