Tuesday, May 2nd:
Meet with Mickey Melendez at People’s Church
Walk w/ Mickey to Museum of the City of New York
Lunch w/ Mickey at El Nuevo Caribeño
Fire Lotus Temple with Sensei Hojin Kimmel
Speeches in Prospect Park
Dinner and dance party with Taj Campman at Friends and Lovers
Why don’t people here smile more? It annoys me because they all look like depressed lil munchkins and I, for one, do not enjoy sitting with a load of depressed lil munchkins (on the subway)! – Oona
To be torn from the rural scape of Vermont; an incredible experience.. This big city is too grand for my small words. – Ezra P.
Mickey had a powerful energy. He radiated knowledge, passion, experience, and calm all at the same time. I don’t think I could be like that.
Wisdom
Is not from birth
Experience
Is beyond appearances
Calm
Is breathing
Is resilience
Is peace during war.
– Root
The part I liked the most about visiting Mickey Melendez was when he said that when we know our history, we know who we are and when we know who we are, we can’t be lied to. – Matrix
I was surprised with myself the when I asked Mickey a question but I’m really happy I did. – Ciana
Poem
We dividing
We surviving
We moving without notice
People crying
Loved ones dying
And instead of trying
We walk on alone.
Red
Yellow
Brown
White
Black
The rainbow split
If we want to survive
To keep from dying
Then let’s stop dividing
We need to be one, together.
We are powerful.
Together.
And weak alone.
Let us not be split
Let us support each other
The power of unkind
People loom over
Us.
A big stone tower
But if all opt the oppressed
Are a stone, then
We just need to
Stack ourselves together
To form an empire
Black, red, brown, white
And yellow, together
We create a shining
Rainbow.
– Gwen
I had a great time with Hojin Sensei at Fire Lotus Temple. At the beginning of the paper exercise, I got a chill right before I started working with the paper. From then on, each time I searched for a place to fold, I moved the paper until I felt a small chill. Then, I’d fold it there. The whole experience was beautiful.
My favorite part of the day by far was dancing at Friends and Lovers. I had no clue I was an ok dancer and it gave me so much confidence. – Ezra K.
I loved having a pizza party with Taj, Finn’s brother! I loved seeing Hilltop alums there because it brought me back to when I was in kindergarten, having some of them as my peace buddies. – Talia
