2017: SIte Leader for Community Development in Detroit
Originally started as a communal, year-long effort between over ten schools across the country, this trip is one of Hamline's newest alternative breaks. Upon the recent and historic turmoil in Detroit, many organizations are working to put residents first and develop a thriving community from within.
Through service with a variety of organizations such as Brilliant Detroit, Arts and Scraps, and Mosaic Theatre, and by exploring museums and public projects like The Heidelberg Project, our group explored the importance of community based organizing and working for community focused needs, how to build trust through potential power imbalances, and much more. We worked to consciously form our own sense of community through service work and exploration, and tried to be conscious about how our community reflected in others.
Being a site leader again offered both pros and cons by developing my skills in a leadership position, but it again required the following:
- Monthly training meetings with executive board and all leaders
- Attending a three-day long training retreat
- Selecting group of 10 students
- Planning 5-7 pre-trip meetings for our group
- Coordinating all experiential learning on the trip
- Planning meals, reflections, team builders for the week
- A service project before and after the trip to connect experiences to the Twin Cities