Kawther Berhanu

As my peers and I groggily boarded the coach bus on a Thursday morning I saw many familiar faces of folks I’d grown to see as close friends over years on th eHilltop, but also many new faces of underclassmen whom I’d seen around campus but had not had the opportunity to get to engage with as much beyond a nod or wave. I slept soundly for just about the entire ride up to Yale and woke up excited for what was in store. I fell fast asleep for just about the entire ride up and was excited for what the next few days had in store.  While I’d engaged on several of these topics in the classroom, at events on campus and amongst my friends, getting to be in a space intentionally dedicated to our growth as Black students- particularly in a topic related to mental health and resilience was a unique blessing. I found such power in being able to break the Georgetown bubble with my peers. Getting to meet Black leaders from other campuses meant feeling in solidarity with other students in our experiences but also being able to expand our vision and exchanging successes for us to bring back on campus. One of these included physically witnessing the Afrocultural House at Yale and envisioning expansion for Black House at Georgetown. I truly felt that the highlights of the trip were often in the reflection conversations we had following the lectured events. My peers are so bright and insightful and I found us all to be deeply engaged in unpacking class politics, colorism, feminism, and various forms or social justice issues in such nuanced and intersectional ways with a generous and authentic spirit that enabled us to put into one another. There were a number of standout memories whether in dancing, laughing or breaking bread that I feel honored to have shared with them as a graduating senior and I know I will look back at my time at Georgetown and look fondly at this weekend. While I certainly fell asleep for just about the entire ride back to campus after a jam-packed weekend, I did so with a replenished spirit and mind and a renewed sense of family and commitment alongside my Black family on the Hilltop.