Where can we find stories of hope?
Well, we went down to 4 of the southern states to find these stories. But trust me when I say you don’t have to go that far to find stories of hope. They are all around us and are constantly taking place.
Mural in black Wall Street
Phillbrook museum of art
Congress Avenue Bridge
While we were down in the states, the focus for our work was to answer the following question, What lessons and inspiration can we draw from the stories of individuals and communities that have faced tragedy and overcome adversity? It was through our experiences on this trip that we were to discover our own answer to this question and express that answer in the form of a video. The video is just down below.
If I were to summarize my answer in one sentence it would be: We learn to keep memories of the resilience used to overcome adversities alive to serve as a reminder and a beacon of hope to those currently struggling.
Before we even left on our trip I did some research into the places we were going, and the Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum very quickly caught my eye. At this early stage in the project I still wasn’t sure where I wanted my answer to go, but the ideas were starting to build in my head. I wish I could tell you that by the time I stepped onto the plane I had everything panned out, or at least a set idea of the events I was going to use as evidence to back up my thesis. The amount of times my plans shifted and changed on the trip just grew and grew as we went from one place to the next.
Personally I think that’s part of the beauty of doing a trip like this, my ideas shifted and changed because of all the new knowledge I was learning, and the experiences I was having. I was exposed to new ideas and views on the topics. Instead of reading about it online I was able to experience and see for myself what it was like to be in these monumental places.
Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum
Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial
Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial (Survivor Tree)
As my project developed, I noticed I was starting to head in the direction of the importance of keeping these stories alive and how we are doing that today. I think that idea really sparked from the Dallas Holocaust museum, and taking into account the importance of preserving survivors stories so we never repeat an event like that again. I want more people to be aware of the fact that horrible events have happened in our past, and if we don’t try and preserve the memory of what has happened we are doomed to repeat the same events. When we keep the memory of the events alive we are also holding up a beacon of light to those currently struggling with their own adversities.