Voices from Journey to Justice

Journey to Justice is experienced deeply and carried forward long after the trip ends. Participants describe the program as transformative, not because it offers simple answers, but because it creates space to encounter history honestly, reflect collectively, and wrestle with its ongoing impact.

Mentor Reflection
Robert, Class of 2024

As a mentor, staying up late with students and being there for them as they processed each day was one of the most meaningful parts of Journey to Justice. Playing cards at a tiny hotel lobby table while talking about the lynching memorial or the melted shoes from the Selma to Montgomery march helped us create moments of grounding after reliving the horrific histories of oppressed peoples in America.

Walking through the National Memorial for Peace and Justice for the first time is something I can still see clearly. The weight of every name on every pillar stayed with me, as did the realization of how many more pillars it would take to account for those whose lives have been shaped by mass incarceration.

Student Reflection
Claire, Class of 2024

Choosing a single moment from Journey to Justice is nearly impossible, but standing outside the 16th Street Baptist Church was life changing. We had just walked through Kelly Ingram Park and learned about the Children’s March, where school-aged kids protested for their rights and were met with violence.

While waiting to enter the church, we met a survivor of the Children’s March. It reminded me that historical events are lived by ordinary people, not only by famous figures. Meeting someone who had survived that era grounded the recency of segregation in a way textbooks never could.

The biggest impact of Journey to Justice was realizing how different the stories we heard from civil rights activists were from the polished narratives I learned in high school. Hearing the unfiltered truth about the violence and resistance that shaped this nation made me understand how deeply racism is woven into our structures. It sickens me to know how many Americans remain unaware of this history. Journey to Justice unveils the truths we must face, talk about, and heal. Loudly.

Journey to Justice invites participants not only to learn history, but to carry its lessons forward with honesty, responsibility, and care.