Now that things from AMI 2016 have
come together, I’ve been doing work for some of EJN’s other projects. This past
week I worked on a report on Feed Security and Climate Justice, which was
exciting because it is the field I want to go into.
On Thursday after class I headed to
the Of Monsters and Men at Kirstenbosch Gardens with a bunch of people from our
group. It was really exciting to do that because they are one of my favorite
bands and being in Cape Town, we were able to score tickets for a really good
price.
That being said, I am struggling to
not feel guilty for being able to access all of the amazing music, food,
museums, etc., especially when I don’t even live here. When I am working at the
YMCA in Athlone for my activist project and I see the kids eat a meal that
consists of shredded bologna (to make it go further) on white bread it pains me
to wonder if they will ever have the opportunity to learn and grow in the way I
have been able to. As hard as I work, I know that so much of my success is the
result of the situation that I was undeservingly, and randomly born into. Every
moment I am in Cape Town I realize this more. And even though I personally have
not committed violence or tried to oppress and disenfranchise people, I know
that as a white person, I have benefitted from a system that has. Even within
the constitutional articulation of political equality in South Africa and the
U.S., I wonder how, if at all, to instill a passion for justice in a group of
people who sees that as a threat to their standard of living. I recognize this
fear in a lot of people who have benefitted from oppressive systems and I
wonder if it is a fear of the unknown that a dramatic change like economic
equality would undoubtedly incite, or if it is a fear that once people who have
been oppressed have access to the same power that they do that they will then
use that power to seek revenge.
On Friday, I went to Koyasa with
Drew, Mariko, and Amelia to work on their activist project helping Prevention
In Action revamp their office space and speaking with the director, Mums and
her colleague Coco further instilled this thought in me. This is the NGO that
Emily and Kayla are interning for and they are working to build capacity within
the organization after it completely lost funding a couple of years ago.
Prevention in Action works to end Gender-based violence and operates out of one
of the poorest townships in Cape Town. The pure logistical hindrances that
plague the organization as a result are enough to make a person crazy. It was
amazing to see how calmly Mums and Coco handled everything. During this
experience, we cleaned out the future office space of Prevention in Action,
which was filled with couches and books from one of Mums’s friends. As we were
cleaning out the container, a young girl from the community walked over and
grabbed a book and just curled up on the couch. This moment just warmed my
heart. When I was younger I spent a lot of time reading and listening to books
on tape. I remember how I would be so absorbed in the stories that the world
would completely disappear around me and it occurred to me what a universal
experience a good story is. It warmed my heart to see her there.
Now, I am just trying to soak up as
much of Cape Town as I can during the rapidly diminishing time I have left. On
Saturday I enjoyed brunch with Elizabeth, Trista, and Emily and finished
up getting souvenirs for friends and family. On Sunday I finally made
it up to the top of Devil’s Peak with Josh, Drew, Caroline, Alex L, Molly, and
Eric (after two failed attempts, getting lost). It was my favorite hike so far
because the peak afforded us a complete 360 view of Cape Town that took my
breath away. The next hike I want to do is the triple-peak challenge—Devil’s
Peak, Table Mountain, and Lion’s Head all in one day.
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