Black History Month: The Importance of American Black Leadership in the World
February is Black History Month, and to celebrate it, you’ll learn about how travel experiences abroad have influenced and made an impact on the lives of American black leaders.
February is Black History Month, and to celebrate it, you’ll learn about how travel experiences abroad have influenced and made an impact on the lives of American black leaders.
These leaders provide us with meaningful quotes that give us as readers insights from interviews, speeches and written memoirs. Their experiences come from short term travel and relocating to a new country.
They’ve happened at different times and in countries all around the world.
Obama to Spain
After Obama graduated college, he went to Europe before visiting his father’s homeland of Kenya. Obama recounted his stop in Spain to the British Broadcasting Company (BBC):
“...we arrived in Barcelona and it was just daybreak, and I remember walking towards the Ramblas, towards town, and the sun was coming up. And so, those kinds of trips are memorable because they’re part of you as a young person trying to discover what your place in the world is.”
At the end of the president’s 2nd term in July 2016, Obama returned to Spain for a visit and met with the king.
“Travel also reminds us of what we share and what we have become – the ability for us to recognise ourselves in each other”
For some leaders, these experiences have been shorter immersion experiences, but for others, it has been much more of a longer term immersion experience.
Kamala Harris in Montreal
Original photos courtesy of @kamalaharris instagram (left) and English Montreal School Board Facebook (right)
When Vice President Kamala Harris was growing up, her mother worked at a local university in Montreal and Vice President Harris spent a good portion of her childhood in Montreal.
According to the L.A Times, Harris attended most of secondary school (7th grade - senior year of high school) in Montreal and its Westmount neighborhood. Harris graduated from Westmount High School in 1981.
“I used to joke that I felt like a duck because all day long at our new school I'd be saying 'Quoi? Quoi? Quoi?'” - Kamala Harris in her 2019 Memoir “The Truths We Hold: An American Journey”
Based on Harris’ quote, we see the universal challenge of travel that comes from learning a language and a sense of the cultural assimilation that takes place when moving to a new country.
During Vice President Kamala Harris’ first days in office, she made one of her first international calls to Canadian Prime Minister Justin Treadeau. These travel experiences abroad have created an ability to strengthen international relationships.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In Berlin
When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. visited the Berlin Wall, it was less than five years old and John F. Kennedy had been assassinated within recent memory. Dr. King gave a moving speech that focused on the call for unity around the world.
Original photo courtesy of PhotoQuest—Getty Images
“There is no East, no West, no North, no South, but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole, wide world.”
“Men and women search for meaning, hope for fulfillment, yearn for faith in something beyond themselves, and cry desperately for love and community to support them in this pilgrim journey.”
He called to break down the barriers that were separating people and to find meaning in literal and figurative common ground, given that Jim Crow laws and segregation still existed at the time of his speech.
In the honor of late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., many countries around the world have incorporated his name on streets and in public spaces around the world.
The words and connections that American black leaders have made around the world continue to leave an indelible mark on global community. Their work and effort to break down barriers and bring the world closer together resonates with our organization’s motto: “Through international exposure, we mature to be a more understanding, respectful, and impassioned world.” We will only grow and truly embrace that maturation as a worldwide community if black voices and the black community have the support of all organizations in our space.
The importance of organizations that support diversity and inclusion, and during this month particularly, organizations that support black students and students of color. In the field of international education, diverse student representation in study abroad matters, and with that in mind, we ask that you please support our friends the following organizations:
Did we miss a great organization that we should add to the list? Please email Joe Meringolo (joe@edodyssey.com)
Sources:
Belfer, Ilana. “Kamala Harris’ Montreal High School Posted Her Yearbook Photos From 1981.” MTL Blog, 8 Nov. 2020, www.mtlblog.com/en-ca/news/montreal/kamala-harris-montreal-high-school-posted-her-yearbook-photos-from-1981.
Bilefsky, Dan. “Kamala Harris’s ‘Canadian Dream.’” The New York Times, 3 Nov. 2020, www.nytimes.com/2020/10/09/world/canada/kamala-harris-canada.html.
Harris, Nadia-Elysse. “Martin Luther King, Jr. Traveled About 6 Million Miles Between 1957 And 1968.” TravelNoire, 18 Jan. 2019, travelnoire.com/martin-luther-king-jr-traveled-about-6-million-miles-between-1957-and-1968.
MacDonald, Thomas. “Former Montrealer VP Kamala Harris Spoke About Her Time In The City With Trudeau.” MTL Blog, 2 Feb. 2021, www.mtlblog.com/en-ca/news/montreal/former-montrealer-vp-kamala-harris-spoke-about-her-time-in-the-city-with-trudeau.
Reynolds, Christopher. “The 5 Places That Shaped Kamala Harris, Including Montreal.” Los Angeles Times, 9 Nov. 2020, www.latimes.com/travel/story/2020-08-11/five-places-that-have-shaped-kamala-harris.
Selena Ross, and Selena Ross. “‘How Canadian Is She?’ Probably More than You Think, Say Kamala Harris’ One-Time Montreal Classmates.” Montreal, 12 Aug. 2020, montreal.ctvnews.ca/how-canadian-is-she-probably-more-than-you-think-say-kamala-harris-one-time-montreal-classmates-1.5060720.
Wazman, Olivia. “What Martin Luther King Jr. Said About Walls During His 1964 Visit to Berlin.” Time, 18 Jan. 2019, time.com/5504826/martin-luther-king-wall-history.
Williams, Yohuru. “Martin Luther King and ‘God’s Children’ on Both Sides of the Border Wall.” Progressive.Org, 9 May 2019, progressive.org/dispatches/martin-luther-king-gods-children-borderwall-Williams-190115.
Montreal's Uniqueness: A City Full of Food, Art and Accessibility
This city has its own personality that’s one-of-a-kind! Boasting with plenty of festivals, art, cuisine, and innovation, Montreal also has a sense of comradery and welcomingness! In the past, students and teachers have visited the iconic Notre-Dame Basilica and enjoyed learning how to prepare traditional Quebec cuisine with a local chef!
This staple city in Canada’s Quebec province has its own personality that’s one-of-a-kind! Boasting with plenty of festivals, art, cuisine, and innovation, Montreal also has a sense of comradery and welcomingness! American author and travel enthusiast Mark Twain once called it “the city of a hundred steeples” due to the high number of churches, and that’s just a snapshot of why this city is so special!
Fun Fact: Did you know that Montreal is an island? It’s actually five times larger than Manhattan!
Read on to find out more about Montreal’s food culture, art scene and accessibility!
Accessibility in Montreal
Montreal features one of the largest underground networks in the world! It has a series of tunnels and structures which can offer shortcuts and safety from the harsh cold during winter months.
The Underground City is over twenty miles with links to shops, metro stations, restaurants, and museums (Tousignant)! Known as La Ville Souterraine, the underground network was first built in the 1960s and has since expanded into tunnels, corridors, and plazas (Galipeau).
Montreal boosts the reputation of enjoying one of the most bike friendly cities in North America, according to the Copenhagenize Index (Fadden)! There are hundreds of miles of cycle lanes that connect together throughout the city. Visitors and locals hop on bikes all year long to see the city sights and ride through different neighborhoods.
Montreal’s Art Culture
Montreal has a huge art and graffiti scene that celebrates all types of art and encourages various cultures to embrace themselves. Montreal exudes an open and welcoming atmosphere, given its powerful identity.
In 2006, Montreal was actually named a UNESCO City for its architecture and artistic design (Design Montréal). The city’s commitment to walkability, especially demonstrated by the neighborhoods’ designs which show this in particular, embodies their initiatives to increase happiness for the people in Montreal.
Photo of Mile End, by Alan Rouiller, Flickr
Montreal’s creative neighborhood, known as Mile End, features artists, musicians, writers, and houses bookstores, entertainment venues, vintage shops, and even a one-hundred-year-old bagel shop (Yogerst). Another distinctive area, referred to as Quartier de Spectacles, has promoted Montreal’s initiative to boost morale and culture for the past two decades (Yogerst).
The prominent district ignites cultural exploration through many forms of art due to its close proximity to the Place des Arts complex, Central Library, Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Montreal Opera and Symphony Orchestra. In past years, this district has even displayed musical swing sets for locals to play for free!
Place des Arts, Photo by Guilhem Vellut, Flickr
delicious food in the City of Saints
There’s more to Montreal than the cherished and widely popular dish known as poutine! Although the city receives well-deserved praise for its delicious dish, Montreal continues to revolutionize the culinary scene! This city is known for being incredibly innovative and creative with incorporating modern twists to traditional favorites.
The cuisine found in Montreal truly captures the diverse population, with over 120 cultures influencing the city’s gastronomy (Roberts). All communities, including Greek, Italian, Eastern, African, Asian, and Jewish, have shaped the dining scenes in various ways (Roberts). Traditional Quebecois dishes are worth trying, but so is the ever growing and diverse international cuisine!
In the past, students and teachers have visited the iconic Notre-Dame Basilica in the heart of the Old Montreal are in the city. They’ve enjoyed learning how to prepare traditional Quebec cuisine with a local chef, and there’s
Hungry for more? Check out our past blog, “Culture and Cuisine: Savoring Canada’s Legendary Dishes”, for a look into dishes worth trying on your next adventure to Canada!
Sources
Fadden, Robyn. “Guide to All Things Biking in Montréal.” Tourisme Montréal, 29 Jan. 2020, www.mtl.org/en/experience/guide-to-all-things-biking.
Galipeau, Tobia. “Underground City Montreal: 16+ Amazing Attractions for 2020: Local Tips.” Local Food Tours - Beer and Food Tours, 16 Jan. 2020, localfoodtours.com/montreal/underground-city-montreal-destinations/.
“Montréal UNESCO City of Design.” Design Montréal, 19 Dec. 2019, designmontreal.com/en/about-montreal-unesco-city-of-design.
Roberts, Simon. “Beyond Poutine: Exploring Montreal's Growing Cuisine.” National Geographic, 29 Sept. 2017, www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/destinations/north-america/canada/quebec/montreal-restaurants-food-cuisine-global-international/.
Tousignant, Isa. “Your Guide to the Underground City.” Tourisme Montréal, 29 Jan. 2020, www.mtl.org/en/experience/guide-underground-city-shopping.
Yogerst, Joe. “12 Of Montreal's Best Neighborhoods.” CNN, Cable News Network, 16 Mar. 2017, www.cnn.com/travel/article/montreal-most-interesting-neighborhoods/index.html.