Yesterday we heard from one of our Tour Counselors. Today we hear from one of our Citizenship Tour students, Kiara, as she reflects on the events of the day and the impact that the Citizenship Tour has had on her so far:
Today my Citizenship tour crew and I toured Washington D.C. For me, it is my first time here. I have never visited any state further South than Pennsylvania. I enjoyed seeing all of the monuments, beautiful buildings, and the celebrations of the LGBTQ community all over the place. We also visited the National Museum of African American History and Culture. This particularly is my favorite highlight of the tour so far, because I found a little bit of myself today.
Being from Cape Verde and not knowing a lot about my own history, coming to this museum gave me more insight on it. Before I came to the United States at the age of 6, I did not know what “Black” was or which people were considered “African Americans”. Ever since, I have learned. Visiting this museum and seeing what my people (Who I did not even know were my people) went through to achieve everything they have today was inspiring. As an African from Cape Verde, I know about the history of slavery, but I was not as affected by it as the African Americans living in the United States because I did not have to experience many of the consequences of American slavery.
I have a sense of African pride that some might not have because they do not know much of their history and I realize this privilege I have. Even though I have been learning this history in schools for a decade, today I felt it harder than ever. I felt a connection like never before. I felt proud to be a part of the Black community like never before. Visiting this museum has left me even more inspired to continue the legacy of my ancestors. The museum is a beautiful place that makes the pain of slavery come to life, but also shows the beauty in the struggle. Through the struggle of enslavement to becoming free, the beauty of our culture was revealed through music and dance (One of the ways I connected because of the popularity of music and dance in Cape Verde) and so much more.
Experiencing this with my friends was also really amazing to me. I could not have gone through this painful but inspiring experience without their support. This tour has been really essential for me because it has given me the opportunity to connect to other young people who share my interest in changing the world. They are truly so bright and motivated. Sharing this experience with these individuals has been one of the best things I have done in my life.
To all my brothers and sisters, continue to discover yourselves too,
Kiara
SEA Citizenship Tour 