• Robert White who led a spirited discussion and Q&A about community organizing, looking specifically at the history of the Civil Rights Movement in Alabama. He helped to set the context for viewing Episode One of “Eyes on the Prize,” which focuses on the beginnings of that movement.
• Sophia Bracy Harris, an author and co-founder and former executive director of the Federation of Child Care Centers of Alabama (FOCAL), who spoke about her childhood in rural Alabama under Jim Crow (segregation laws) and her work in challenging that system (and others) by organizing, advocacy, legislative work, and introducing groundbreaking curricula.
• Foot Soldiers Joanne Bland, Barbara Barge, and Valda Montgomery, who each spoke about their roles in the Montgomery Bus Boycott and other Civil Rights Movement campaigns. “Women and children were the boycott,” Bland said, “The media took pictures of Rev. King — he brought the media and with him would be the men up front, but women and children made this movement and this change. By the time I was 11, I had been in jail 13 times. We have to re-write the narrative — we are still alive and this is our story.” Their work continues with the Foot Soldiers Park.
• Lew Zuchman, founder and executive director of ScanHarbor, who joined the Encampers via Zoom, and talked about his early life and his experiences as a Freedom Rider. He spoke directly to the racism, economic, health and educational inequality that persist today and the links to poor educational and health outcomes and mass incarceration.
• Dr. Bernard Lafayette who embodies the living history of so much of the Civil Rights Movement. He told stories from his experience in many of the key campaigns and organizations, both in the United States and internationally. To learn more about this discussion, click for the Week Two post.
• Joseph Trimble, author and story teller Joseph Trimble, told Encampers about the Pullman porters and their importance in funding social justice movements, as well as making it possible for generations of their children to go to college. He discussed some of the triumphs and struggles of the Pullman porters, including his father’s story.

The Encampers explored:

• The Lowndes County interpretive Center where they delved more deeply into the struggle for voting rights, particularly the challenges faced by African Americans in Alabama. Through interactive exhibits and firsthand accounts, they discovered the pivotal role of activism and resilience in securing voting rights, inspiring them to carry forward the legacy of justice and advocacy in their own communities. Click for video. Inspired by the museum and what she’s been learning at the Encampment, Ashley talked about how the movement laid the groundwork for her right to vote. Click to hear her words. 
• The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, a poignant memorial that honors the memory of those who lost their lives to racial lynching. The Encampers reflected on the gravity of this history and the importance of remembering and acknowledging these atrocities to ensure a more just and equitable future.
• The Legacy Museum, an immersive experience that delves into the history of racial injustice and the enduring legacy of slavery. This museum provided the Encampers with a deeper understanding of the systemic issues that have shaped our society and are still in force today in different forms, particularly the prison system.

“We learned about lynching in school but it didn’t cover how random it could be — the smallest mistake could get you lynched. Lots of people would come to watch as entertainment and people would take parts of their bodies as souvenirs. I never knew that. It was heartbreaking; I sobbed.” “I had to look at my own internal biases regarding being tough on crime but I saw that the punishment did not match the crime and they are not rehabilitating people. Also, the separating of families reminds me of our current immigration system. This is still the reality for so many children being held behind bars. Mothers are still crying for their children and children are still crying for their mothers. It’s the same system disguised in a different form.”

• The Edmund Pettus Bridge, site of Bloody Sunday and the subsequent marches that brought people from across the nation to march for voting rights which the Encampers crossed after meeing with Joanne Bland and Barbara Barge. They learned about the sacrifices that were made by these courageous people and the power of collective action to make change. They were inspired to continue this vital work today.

Iliana with Jane Sapp and Margot Gibney

Iliana and Destiny Williams

“…Many of the prompts were with other people which was really cool because I developed a relationship with them first, then took a picture with them to remember that experience … When I was separating bags at the Beacon Center, Destiny Williams came to help out. We talked, and one thing specifically we talked about a book her friend wrote that is on a topic I am interested in studying (‘Waste: One Woman’s Fight Against America’s Dirty Secret’ by Catherine Flowers). After helping out, I talked with her a bit more and asked for a picture.” — Iliana

Melanie snapping selfie with 2014 alum Andrea Milner

Brooklynn with suite mates Evangeline and Estrella

Group Selfies!

To learn more about the poetry workshop and presentations, click for our week three post.

Visual Arts Group

Click for an excerpt from the visual art workshop presentation.

Music Group

Click for the song the Encampers wrote this year.

Dance

In this inspiring and powerful dance presentation, each dancer choreographed a piece for the ensemble. We regret that technical difficulties at the site prevented us from sharing it on video. We were able to catch some of the joyous intergenerational dancing. Click for an excerpt from the  intergenerational dancing.

1. Grassroots organizing is the foundation.
2. We need elected officials to bring the community organizers’ ideas to the halls of power.
3. Organizations that are working on the narrative must develop a sustained vision over time that reflects the shared values and bringing groups together in coalition.

Fowler talked about the work of Alabama Forward, which brings together a coalition of nonprofit organizations and supports them in their work for civic engagement. She spoke about how her background in health equity brought her to the conclusion that elected officials are needed who support health care for change to happen. Both Miles and Deanna emphasized that there are many ways to be an activist, voting being just one important piece of being engaged in our democracy. To learn more about all the InterGen sessions, click for our week three post. For InterGen(erational) singing, click here. “My favorite part of the program was the Intergen Weekend. It was truly magical.” – 2024 Encamper “The Saturday night presentations and meeting with the three Foot Soldiers of the Civil Rights Movement gave me hope and inspiration. I could see, hear, and feel that the torch of freedom is being passed down to today’s young leaders.” – 2024 InterGen participant

• Week 1: https://encampmentforcitizenship.org/week-one-of-the-2024-encampment/
• Week 2: https://encampmentforcitizenship.org/highlights-of-the-second-week-of-the-2023-encampment/
• Week 3: https://encampmentforcitizenship.org/highlights-of-week-3-of-the-2023-encampment/

For a look at other recent years, click here. For the best experience of the Encampment, apply for the 2025 Encampment (location TBD). The application will open soon. If you are interested now, contact us at admin@encampmentforcitizenship.org.