Historical. I Became More Civil Today. @USNBham2013

Julie, Kelley, Shaun and I have been looking forward to USN for months (meeting on weekends several times to get our work in order). When the acceptance of our proposals arrived in January we were stoked (although nervous) - We couldn't wait to participate in the USN conference and to attend the Lessons of the Birmingham Movement: Youth, Activism, & Struggle for Human Rights symposium on Friday.

In three letters. WOW!

The morning began with a presentation by Mrs. Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Civil Rights icon and award-winning journalist and was followed by Mr. Rami Khouri, the internationally syndicated political columnist and scholar (also a graduate of Syracuse University! Go Orange). Hunter-Gault addressed her current work with human rights issues around the globe while Khouri discussed similarities between Birmingham and the Arab spring. Both provided irreplaceable wisdom and allowed participants to interact with them in an informal discussion (with brilliant minds from across the nation).

This was followed by lunch with guest speaker, Mr. Jose Antonio Vargas - the Washington Post Pulitzer-Prize Winning Journal (and I would say, activist). Vargas discussed his experience of becoming famous because he began to tell the truth. He is an illegal immigrant. He also identifies as a gay man, and he's successfully achieved a stellar education in the U.S. so he can contribute to society. In his words (and humor), "the nation will only become browner and gayer." With knowledge Shaun Mitchell, a CWP-Fairfield TC, was at the same lunch, I know Vargas's conversation resonated. As Shaun said, "Vargas is my new writing hero."

After lunch, we were led on a historical tour of Birmingham, which included the 16th Street Baptist church and the Civil Rights Institute - a museum that follows the Civil Rights movement from slavery to 21st century humanitarian efforts. The emotions ran through me  parallel to the first time I visited the Holocaust museum in DC. Every teacher, I believe, should be required to visit this museum once and many of us in attendance felt the history and literature we teach in our schools became more profound after we walked the streets where history actually occurred (I felt the same way in Tulsa last year).

Birmingham, Wow! Simply Wow! Red Mountain Writing Project...a Buddhist bow to you.