Written by Tanya Terry, with featured photo by Tanya Terry
DeWaun E. Robinson, president of Black Lives Matter Flint grassroots, never thought that when the facilitators of the Howard University Alterative Spring Break Program contacted his organization it would lead to a life-altering experience 83 motivated and dedicated college students!
Representatives from Black Lives Matter Flint grassroots worked with Howard Alternative Spring Break coordinators, with conversations beginning in February, to discuss what the students were interested in doing.
The students ended up taking two tour buses around the city of Flint and were told about activities that used to take place on Industrial and the impact of General Motors, and they were shown Buick City. Then were then shown the blight left behind from GM and the abandoned properties on the north and east side. The students were told about the transitions downtown Flint had encountered and visited Black businesses downtown. They also went to some of the more affluent areas on the south and west side, as well as the developing areas, such as Smith Village.
Charles Winfrey and Freelon Threlkeld provided historical insight for the tour.
The students also wanted to knock on doors and meet area residents and were allowed that enriching opportunity.
Additionally, various groups of participants spent time with elementary, middle school or high-school-aged students.
Alternative Spring Break participants met with the 10 Gentlemen mentoring program for those coming home from being incarcerated.
“I think young folks who are looking to represent folks who are currently incarcerated or need legal representation or engaged in a restorative justice program and practice need to hear from those people who have gone through the system,” stated Robison.
At the Urban Renaissance Center, the students took part in a roundtable discussion and learned about the Ubuntu concept and the impact of the center on the area. The Ubuntu philosophy states “I am because we are” and has been being utilized to help transform the Civic Park neighborhood and bring about other positive changes in the city.
“They did do some fun stuff,” Robinson shared. “They jumped on the podcast. We did take them to the studio. They did a couple songs…They did a song called ‘Summer Service.’ They talked about them doing service instead of going to spring break. I thought that was amazing.”
Madison Martin admitted that before coming to Flint she “just knew about the water crisis.”
Martin helped students in the 4th grade who were reading below their grade level and observed high level of progress after doing reading, math and spelling activities with them.
“After coming here, I definitely was hit with a reality check with the poverty rate and literacy rate,” Martin said. “I was happy to contribute the best way I could…I know when I was younger, I definitely had an under-resourced school as well, and the literacy rate was pretty low. So, that definitely hit home.”
Lilyana McKelvin went to Southwestern High School, to Carriage Town Ministries and Durant-Tuuri-Mott Elementary School.
“Each of the places had a different vibe, and it was all amazing,” said McKelvin.
She was impressed when with the students’ questions at the elementary school and that she learned that the majority of them wanted to attend college, or they knew what they otherwise wanted to do. McKelvin was especially blown away when an elementary school student in Flint said he wanted to make prosthetics, as she noted that was something she was not familiar with at that age.
Miles Jones shared he had a specific moment during the week that really impacted him.
“At the particular moment, I was interacting with a kid named Kaleb Smith in a third-grade classroom,” Jones said. “Throughout the week we were having really memorable conversations. Then, on the second day he referred to me as ‘Dad.’ He didn’t have a father in his life.”
Jones was able to give Smith a Howard sweatshirt, hoping to make their time together even more memorable for them both.
Daryl Bodrick served as a student advisor. He said his voyage was vicarious as he lived through the students.
“We had Miss Laila (Stokes), a student of ours who had voiced some of the frustrations…,” said Bodrick. “She came unto me and was bawling out, crying about how much passion she was exuding within these classrooms, how close she felt tied to these students as it related to her life’s work. To be at this level and see it first hand, that let me know we were exactly where we were meant to be.”
Ziona Brannon participated in the Howard University Alternative Spring Break for the second time this year, and as a team lead.
Brannon shared that one student at Holmes Middle School wanted to get one-on-one learning experience and improve his grades by taking part in an afterschool program. But the student was unable to do so because of lack of transportation.
“Earlier that week, we had went to BLM (Black Lives Matter Flint) and I remembered that they had a van that they drive around for tours…Immediately, I was like let me reach out to see if we can work something out because it’s just two days out of the week. But it gives students opportunity.”
The partnership was confirmed and planning for it started before Brannon left!
Dallis Welsh noted that talking to returning citizens with the 10 Gentlemen’s Program was a highlight of her experience. One returning citizen had been incarcerated for 57 years and was able to talk about how he made a life for himself after incarceration. To Welsh, their conversations reinforced her belief that “the journey isn’t always going to be straight, you can make your path and really be successful in life.”
Robinson’s favorite part of the Howard University Alternative Spring Break was seeing the participants on the podcast and in the studio.
“I feel like they really got a chance to be young,” Robinson said. “They were giggling and laughing, just to hear themselves on the track. After completion, they were elated about what they created…I wanted them to enjoy service and for it to be fun to them.”
Na’im Faulker called his Alternative Spring Break “amazing.” One highlight for him was seeing how General Motors affected the community. Faulker noted that his grandfather worked at General Motors to pay for his mother’s college.
“I feel like more than anything the kids have made a big impact on me, like how I want to show up in the world and who I want to show up for,” shared Faulker. “I think I’m going to take this week with me for the rest of my life.”
