One hundred and twenty hours, five days, two plane rides, nine teenagers, two incredible advisors, one experience of a lifetime. As teenagers, we often find ourselves lost in the clutter of school, extracurriculars, friends, and family, and we feel the pressure that comes from a society immersed in an egocentric attitude. But we stepped outside our world to visit Washington, D.C., as part of the National Youth Leadership Mission sponsored by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). To have been selected to be a part of this journey was an absolute privilege.
In our day-to-day lives, we are exposed to a narrow perspective of the world and its underlying atrocities. We accept what we have been taught and do not question the injustices that transpire all around us. Ours is an involuntary ignorance; it's embedded in our generation and causes us to ignore the inequality and cruelty that plagues this world. As a result of our ADL trip, we saw the primary components that have cultivated the massive wound of a world filled with hate.
Matt Neal, a participant, said, “The five-day trip was truly eye-opening. Meeting so many diverse souls, each from a different background, having dealt with different struggles in their lives, I couldn’t help but take a step back from my own life and truly appreciate what I’ve been given. Through the impactful speakers, the potent connections made, and the activities training us to prevent bigotry, I learned many important lessons. However, the most prominent was undoubtedly to be thankful for every moment and realize that the world presents itself as a different battlefield for everyone.”