This summer, I followed the path of the Freedom Riders with a program called Operation Understanding DC (OUDC). OUDC is a group comprised of 22 African-Americans and Jews who explore their cultures and learn to promote respect while also working to eradicate racism, Anti-Semitism, and other forms of discrimination.
Our journey began in New York and we traveled to North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee. It was a very educational journey. While traveling, I met a lot of historical figures from the Civil Rights Movement, including Franklin McCain, who was one of the Greensboro Four. I also met mayors and governors of different cities and one of them told us that he was brought up as a segregationist until he realized that segregation was an unfair system. It was cool to meet a lot of these individuals.
Going on this journey has taught me a lot, not only about the civil rights movement, but about life in general. I learned that while everyone wants to make a lot of money, making a change in the world is the most important thing. Every generation should improve for the better so that one day, everyone can been seen as equals and discrimination would only be seen as a myth. I also learned that if I see something wrong, I should speak up about it or work towards to fixing it. The journey was very powerful and I definitely learned a lot about myself. If I could do it all over again, I would. It was great!
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