Another fun-and-sun-filled day here in Napa, capped with a very powerful evening activity. After a good night's sleep and french toast for breakfast, we celebrated the differences and diversity of ourselves and the people around us with the diversity festival. Then it was free time: pool time, cabin time, playing on the ball field. Dried off and back at the campfire circle as an entire community, all 90+ kids listed all of the things that make us different and unique from each other, everything from skin color and age to height and ability. Then we noticed something strange: that all these things that we celebrated today, the things that make us different and who we are are the same things that people use to hurt each other and put people down. The boys and girls learned words for this phenomenon: Stereotype, Prejudice, Discrimination...it you ask them I am sure they will know the definitions.
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"It is not our differences that divide us. It is our inability to recognize, accept, and celebrate those differences."Our quote for the day. |
After a delicious burger dinner complete with fries, we took part in a eye-opening activity called "Cross the Line." I won't say too much about it, other than it stirred up a lot of emotion and revealed that all of us have either been hurt or hurt other people with our words or actions. But knowing that and being aware of it, we can now move forward to change what we do and create peace and love in the world around us. Tomorrow, we'll start to learn the tools and skills to make it happen. Campfire ended with joyous singing, hands waving, and big smiles. There are big things happening here at MOSAIC!
Now playing....What More Can I Say by Jay-Z
Amazing that your students get to do something so powerful and life changing. Gives me the chills just thinking about the potential impact it will have on their lives. Love it, love that you get to help in bringing this to them.
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