Today our team settled into our accommodations at a hostel in Queens, grabbed a bite to eat, and immediately dived into an education component of our trip! We took a trip to El Museo Del Barrio in Spanish Harlem and gained a deeper appreciation and understanding of hispanic culture. Many of the art pieces in the gallery expressed the dissonance between the oppression and poverty experienced by much of the Latin American population in New York City and the great beauty and heart that can still be found in these communities.
The trip set the tone for our reflection later in the evening, as we discussed what we know of the challenges that face urban education, what we hope to learn, and what we’re looking forward to! I personally am really looking forward to meeting the kids that we’ll be working with at the charter school and speaking with the school’s staff and administrators. It seems like the school is really committed to emphasizing the importance of education, so it’s excited that we’ll be able to aid in their effort to foster a love for learning.