This week presented some new challenges as my boss, Rachel, was away. She left me well-prepared to lead the group, but the students and I felt her absence. It made me appreciate everything she does behind the scenes! We are all excited for her to return next week.
On Monday, a student put an inappropriate picture on the projector while we were outside gardening. I am very grateful for how well the staff at the M.K. Gandhi Institute handled this incident. They led a talk revisiting our group agreements from the beginning of the summer. We spoke mostly about respect for others and the institute’s equipment. One staff member at the Gandhi Institute spoke about stereotypes. She brought up a recent shooting in Rochester and told the students that some people think that people of color are just violent “products of the city.” She insisted that all of these students have potential but they have to put in the work to achieve it. This is why the students need to practice workplace behavior by not cursing, going on their phones, or using the n-word like they might at home. The Gandhi Institute feels like a home, which is intentional and wonderful, but it doesn’t have the same effect as a formal work environment.
While voting on themes for our mural, “Gun Free Zone” was by far the most popular. Some of the teens have even witnessed drive-by shootings which demonstrates how serious the gun violence issue is in this area. In my hometown, gun violence isn’t even on the minds of youth, which is a privilege I have taken for granted until now.
Later in the week, we worked in a community flower garden digging trenches, hanging a new sign, and replacing the flooring. Check out these before and after pictures!
We spent the afternoons at the Ryan R Center. Everyone has to pass through a metal detector at the entrance, which was a bit of a (sad) culture shock for me. The students participated in a Myers-Briggs personality quiz to learn more about themselves, potential careers, and how to live better with others. They also learned about beekeeping from Leslie who has bees at her house! They were fascinated by the beekeeping suit and honey-making process. We loved being in the Rec Center because there is a basketball court outside and everyone there is so friendly! We became friends with some of the younger kids at day camp. The students’ only complaint was that the Rec Center lunches were not quite as good as the lunches we have been ordering from restaurants around the city.
