GOOD NEIGHBORS AND SOUTHERN ROOTS


Rebuilding service and community outreach in the American South

Rebuilding service and community outreach in the American South

Birmingham, your first stop in Alabama, is a quintessentially Southern city and will offer the perfect introduction to the region. There is a modern sense of urgency here, but slow and steady ultimately wins the race. As you get to know the city, you will fall in love with the slowed-down pace of life, the green landscapes, and the hot summer nights! Easy transitions from city to nature, beautiful green avenues and lazy rivers also add to the city’s unique draw.

Throughout the trip you will focus on the American civil rights movement and see history come alive as you learn about the struggle for equality in the places where history happened. You will hear stories that are seldom told and learn about the true heroes of the movement. Many Americans lost their lives during the civil rights movement, and we continue to feel the gravity of their actions and words. See the stories come to life and take in the sense of importance that these places hold for every American.

The week’s service projects will focus on rebuilding homes and parks in Tuscaloosa, a city that was hit hard by the tornadoes that swept through the South in the spring of 2011.You will come together with people from across the country to help rebuild the town both physically and in spirit! Much of the media’s attention has shifted away from the devastation in Alabama, but the need for assistance is still great, and the residents of Tuscaloosa will truly appreciate your time and energy.

In the final days of the trip, you will visit Montgomery, the hometown of some of the biggest names in the civil rights movement, including Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., and Tuskeegee, where you will see the university where Booker T. Washington taught.

Questions? E-mail usa@rusticpathways.com.