Gaining Knowledge and Experience in Ahmedabad

I spent 60% of my trip in Ahmedabad. We had six-hour classes each day for a week on various topics including inclusion, mental health, politics/caste system, Chhara community, LGBTQIA+ community, & Green Straw. While discussing these different type of discrimination in India, we talked about what we could do for our community focusing on these certain topics. Throughout the week we got to build our toolkits of resources, skills, people, & organizations to bring back to our community. Not only did we grow as a group through the classes but we grew during free time doing challenges and walking through Ahmedabad itself. We also had amazing leaders: Divy, Rougye, and Mohit. We decided to call our small group of thirteen the ”Sunbeams!” Even though each day was long, the whole week went by in a blink of an eye. We had an assignment throughout the week to take a photo that had a story to it. We ended this life-changing week with an art exhibition. I finally got to present my photo along with my story in the exhibition. It was a moment of pride not for just my work but to see a room of diversity in people and perspective. I will forever cherish my memories and lessons in Ahmedabad.