I'M BACK HOME. So totally exciting, yet still sad at the same time. The soonest I think I will ever see fellow ambassadors from USHMM will be February of next year when the new batch of kids begin attending class. And as for the folks from out of town, it is very very likely that I may not come in direct contact with them in the future. But I was well prepared for such a conclusion.
The most important items I take back are the memories and lessons from this past week. Individuals joined together, unified together to oppress hatred in modern-day society. The backing from such vibrant and enthusiastic people is enough to keep me going. It will feed me at times when I will lack inspiration and encouragement and it will be celebrated at times of joy and prosperity.
Sometimes, it is difficult to look beyond your bubble, whether it is your town, community, or region. Luckily, this program bursts that bubble by mixing kids from all across the United States. I interacted with students from St. Louis, Detroit, Dallas, Birmingham, Baltimore, just to name a few, and such interactions made me realize that distances do not separate communities. We are just one big community scattered, but we are still united, we are still one. I will miss all who participated in the summer youth leadership program deeply, but I know I'm not missing their support.
