Domestic Exchange Student Reflections
American University
My time in Washington, DC, as part of the Washington Semester Program, was memorable.
I loved my internship with the NAACP: Washington Bureau and was saddened to leave after doing research for two and a half months. I spent the majority of my time researching the differences in charter and public schools and the negative impact of competing agendas on the students.
My justice and law seminar class was the most exposure I experienced related to the workings of the national government. We had weekly meetings on Capitol Hill with state representatives from all over the country, and broke down cases that dealt with challenges to the constitution that aimed to protect citizens and their respective rights. I also enrolled in an elective, the death penalty & international law, where I was able to learn more about the criminal justice system in America. However, I would have liked the courses to be more inclusive on the black experience with the law in America.
Right before finals the University had elected its first black woman SGA president. The next morning, it was discovered that a group of students hung bananas from nooses around campus. Feeling outraged and disappointed, the Black students held a protest to demand greater safety and respect on campus. Being part of the demonstration allowed me to connect with the students on campus. I realized that while I only had to deal with this for a short time, many students confront these issues their entire four years. I dedicated the rest of my time at American University to not only being part of the demonstrations, but also to being a representation of HBCUs.
I learned so much about myself, and so much more about the social justice work I want to pursue in the near future.
