High School, for me, was a confusing time, filled with hormones, needless drama and work, work, work. I believed myself to be an activist, fighting for the right of the common man and singlehandedly standing in the way of oppression across the board. It was a hard role for me to fill. There was so much controversy and I had no clue where to begin. I wanted to find a way to apply my knowledge but was caught in the whirlwind of high school gossip and nonsense. I wanted to fit in, but I had no definition. The newest trend was apathy, so students were walking around like nothing in the world mattered but themselves, and carried dismal attitudes that said nothing could be done. I began to be affected and influenced by this mentality and slipped into a spell of depression.
Then came the spring semester of my junior year, 2009, right after spring break. My break had been uneventful and upon returning to school, I began searching for something of substance to do in the summer. Eventually something peaked my interest. NY2NO, New York to New Orleans Coalition. I had heard about it before, some people had come back from New Orleans that spring complaining of work and weird student hierarchies, but I didn’t know what it was about. The more I learned about the organization, the more my drive was stirred. NY2NO is a student run, consensus based organization. It sends high school students down to New Orleans to aid in the Post-Katrina wreck. It’s main focus is sustainability and it operates on a collectively owned farm. It sounded like a dream. This was my chance, my opportunity to be involved and outspoken. I wasted no time applying, and after being accepted I waited in anticipation for the trip.
June 28th, 2009. First day in New Orleans. Prior to this, I had remained rather sheltered, only venturing as far as Pennsylvania in the United States. This day marked a lot of firsts. First time down South, first time away from home and my parents. I was both happy and terrified at the same time, but I would let nothing stand in my way. I stayed in New Orleans for about three months and it took me so far out of my comfort zone that I felt my little bubble exploding. The landscape of the Lower Ninth Ward, the area most impacted by Katrina and the neighborhood where we were living in, was sparse and neglected. Houses were still leaning and dilapidated, there were vacant lots with overgrown weeds and the only high school in the area had not been restored and it had been years. I was shocked at the state of things and realized the limited spectrum of experiences I’ve had.
My lifestyle was turned around. I lived in a room with over 30 people, sleeping on WWII cots that had no semblance of comfort. There were three showers, two bathrooms and we all woke up at 7 in the morning for a nice long day of work. We all rotated shifts each day and one could be farming, babysitting, tutoring, canvassing or any other manner of work. It was stressful, tiring, intimidating and painful. I even helped install electrical wiring in a house that was under construction!
All of these things, individually, are inspiring in themselves. I learned the satisfaction of good hard work and got to see first-hand the results of my actions. I learned how to live in a community that depended on cooperation and transparency to survive. I learned the value of education and hard-work and just how powerful one voice can be. The organization itself was inspiring as well, formed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina by Beacon High School students, there were no adults monitoring the administration of the organization. After this trip, I chose to get further involved and helped to organize trips and activities. I went on several trips after that, including the first ever New York trip that focused on green and sustainable locations throughout the 5 boroughs that we helped to improve. I got to meet scores of determined and hopeful individuals, both young and old, who believed in the possibility of a better world and taking actions to see that it happens. I went on to become one of the founders of a student club at Bard called MoB, Mobilization of Bard, where we discussed and found ways to improve the surrounding area through work at gardens and with different organizations.
This experience helped me see that justice is possible and made me realize that there is always something I can do. I got out of my rut and began to see that the world is full of possibilities but I must reach out and take them. NY2NO sparked my initiative and exposed me to a whole world rife with knowledge, beneficial experiences and dedication. My father, an activist as well, supported my ambitions for a short amount of time until his emotional and mental instability became a huge interference with my life. He started to immerse himself in a culture that was fabricated and unrealistic and adopted several expired ideologies that he began to apply to me. A conglomeration of Judaism, the Nation of Islam and random philosophies that suited his fancy, he started applying several sexist and racist restrictions on my life. When I tried to speak out against him, his antics only got worse and was physically and emotionally abusive. I started to recede once again into my shell and adopted a submissive attitude to his abuse.
This continued for another year and a half and I remember reminiscing about NY2NO and the connections and experiences I had. I remembered the freedom that I felt and I realized that now was not the time to concede and give up. This is the prime of my life and it must be filled with initiative. So, in April of 2011, I left my house, my father and all the negative emotions that I was harboring and went out to begin my life. Without my prior experience with the world, I don’t know if I would have been able to handle the strife that I endured after I left, but I do know that because of it I am prepared for all the obstacles that are ready to come my way. Through the Andrew Glover Youth Program and The Kilimanjaro Initiative, I want to share and make experiences with people from other cultural, social and economic background. I want to see new places, face new hardships and inspire while being inspired. I know that I have what it takes and I hope you can see the leader in me.
