We interviewed Peter Neufeld, Encampment alum and co-founder of the Innocence Project. He told us about his lifelong work for justice and how “the Encampment was one of the most defining experiences of my youth.” My summer in Kentucky played a significant role in my expanding involvement in social and racial justice work in high school, college, and beyond. I had to confront a lot of things about my own upbringing — race, gender, and relative affluence — and it committed me much more to wanting change.

Samara Smith, 2015 MS “We always say ‘young people are the future and we are going to change things’ but often when you are in high school you are not really talking about these issues in person. You might be in an online group that’s talking about them or you might see social media posts about them but talking about them in person and actually meeting people whose lives are affected — that’s different.” 

Hello, I am Deanna Mousseau from the Lower Brule Sioux Tribe and Oglala Sioux Tribe. I was a part of the Encampment in Jackson, Mississippi, in 2015 and Amherst, Massachusetts, in 2016. I was an intern in Amherst, Massachusetts, in 2017. I am excited to share more about myself, why I think the Encampment for Citizenship program is important, and why now is the time to support our emerging young leaders.

Every day, as we see lies, cruelty, inequality, and injustice as daily practices promoted by our current administration, I find myself thinking of Alice (Nanny) Pollitzer and Al Black, and why they established the Encampment for Citizenship (EFC). Having just emerged from a world war to stop fascism, they designed a program to give young people the tools to think critically and work for justice. As Al Black wrote in The Young Citizens, “The Encampment regards youth as a critically important element in the struggle between freedom and authoritarianism.”

What did you learn at the Encampment?
I learned a lot about people from different backgrounds which was the most important thing for me…. It sensitized me to their concerns and point of view…. Having people who came from such different backgrounds try to figure out how to get along together and not hurt each other and find commonality was an important lesson I learned: how to empathize with people and find common ground.

After, the Encampment, I was thinking about what I could do [to make a difference]. My connection to Ola and to my friend produced this desire for change. It’s about the representation of diversity. Even if the percentage of MENA students at my high school is small, they shouldn’t have to choose between White or Asian — they should be represented.