My 2023 Freedom Trail #OLASTEOmoment

My name is Sofia Ramirez, and I wanted to share my impactful experience on the 2023 Freedom Trail National Excursion. As an alumni scholar, this was my second time traveling out of state with OLASTEO, so I wanted to thank the program and all the generous donors who created this opportunity for me and others. Even though this was my second trip, I was still scared that I wouldn't be able to bond with any of the people around me, but I turned out to be very wrong. Everyone on the trip was so nice and open about their feelings as well as their aspirations and goals. I met two amazing individuals who not only made the trip 10x better but also helped me get out of my shell. I was going into my last few months as a high school senior while on the Freedom Trail excursion, and even though I always wanted to travel and go to college away from home, it was hard. I thought I'd just settle and stay local even if it wasn't the right fit. But, hearing other students (and new friends) talk about the big opportunities they had coming in their lives, I realized that maybe going to school outside of Los Angeles wouldn't be too bad. Without OLASTEO and the connections I made on the trips, I would not have that insight from fellow students who are passionate about school. I wouldn't have been influenced to become more independent and decide to go away to college in San Diego.

All the places we visited were also very cool! I had several first-time experiences that meant a lot to me (even if they seem simple to others), like eating lobster, playing mini golf, and going to the aquarium. But, aside from all the fun experiences, I also learned about the true/harsh history of our country during the time when segregation was at its peak. All the tours and museums we saw were very insightful because I learned about events that school never taught me (or even mentioned). I had never heard of the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the 16th St. Baptist Church, or Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s story aside from his iconic “I Have A Dream” speech.

While everything was memorable, my OLASTEO moment was when we met JoAnne Bland. Again, I had never known of the Edmund Pettus Bridge incident, so when I did, it was very heartbreaking. But, it's a completely different experience when you have an actual witness talk about their experience. It was hard to think that this young girl, along with so many others who just wanted to walk across this bridge in peaceful protest, were gassed, beaten badly, arrested, etc. Hearing JoAnne’s story, I realized how much African American people had to endure when they simply wanted the same equal rights. Towards the end of her talk, she explained how we all have to work together to make a difference. Even if things seem better than before, we still have a lot more work to do. We still need to do more to spread love, not hate. To become whole, not separate. To become one nation where we can put aside our differences and resonate with one another. This trip allowed me to get more knowledge on the hardships minority groups had/have to face. But, it's also taught me how people can rise to do amazing things (even if it's scary) in hopes of making a better tomorrow, and I hope to be part of that change now as well.