Walking across the Edmund Pettus
Bridge was conflicting. As we walked hand-in-hand with one another and sang
"We Shall Overcome," I was overcome by a unity and feeling of
empowerment I had yet to experience. Cars rolled down their windows to
hear us sing; drivers nodded their heads to support our voice. The
support we gained from a few seconds stood in stark contrast to the lack of
support the initial marchers faced.
After we crossed this bridge, we
stood in a circle and spoke one word that described our feelings. My word was
"inspired." And while I initially thought that this word conveyed the
truth, I now feel like it may have only reflected what I wanted to be the
truth.
I feel inspired for change, but I
also feel uncertain as to how to bring about this change. More than
inspired, I feel overwhelmed and hopeless. I am daunted by the complexity
of current racial issues. It is easy to identify areas that need improvement-
education and health care- but I am still grappling with how to effectively
create such improvement.
Dylan Balter
12th grade, City College
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