Let's Get in Formation

"The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." - Gandhi

Today was the first day that we got to interact with the populations that we are serving. We started the day by meeting Cynthia Hines from Delta 360, a program that helps Greenville students ages 11-18 to dream about the future they want for themselves. We then travelled to Coleman Middle School and talked with 6th and 7th graders about what it takes to get into college. We also discussed the atmosphere at a university and all of our unique opportunities that we have had as being college students.

We then travelled to Greenville City Hall to meet with Mayor Errick Simmons today. We even gave him a t-shirt! Mayor Simmons just signed a 9.1 million dollar revitalization plan to bring development back to downtown Greenville. The plan is redesigning a historic building in the city's center. His greater goals are to bridge the racial and socioeconomic divisions within Greenville under the motto: One People, One Goal, One Greenville.

After visiting Mayor Simmons, the mayor’s office took us on a tour of Greenville’s History Museum. 

Teresa pointing to Greenville's certification as the Hot Tamale Capital 

I think that is when it really sunk in how real the Jim Crow era was in Mississippi. For example, in 1927, during the Great Flood of Greenville when the levee broke, Blacks were not allowed to leave and were forced to flee to the levee and repair it. Moreover, Blacks were forced to wear a tags on their clothing that referenced the City of Greenville as if they belonged here and could not leave the city. On the other hand, many Whites fled to Memphis or Vicksburg. Many other events in Greenville’s history reinforce the marginalization of social stratification of its people today. Service in the Delta region is vital because of this!

After learning more about the history, we stopped by the Boys and Girls Club of Washington County and played with some gracious and exuberant children. Some of us played in the gym with the children while others helped out with homework. Many of us developed personal relationships with the children! Just check out their smiling faces!

 

We ended the day by crossing the Mississippi River and taking some pictures on the Arkansas state line. I love my group and I’m so thankful for them! Today, more than anything, we learned that we work well as a team and having a diverse service team is vital. Through each of our unique experiences, we can unite this community using each other’s personal strengths. And I’m learning much more about myself because of all of them. I think I’m finding myself through service.

- Tyler Hounshell, Sophomore