My artifact is a picture of the girls I mentored this past summer at a camp I regularly serve at. The picture was taken as a memory of our cabin family and to commemorate the experiences we had during camp since we are not have contact with the girls outside of camp. I chose this artifact because the girls in this picture hold a special place in my heart as they confided in me about the struggles and trauma they have experienced as a child of an incarcerated parent. I have served at Camp Hope for 4 years as a teen counselor then a cabin leader where I held a leadership role in mentoring middle school aged girls. I learned the value of authority or older  figures in one’s life to help guide you through life. These girls shed light on experiences that I never put into thought and while, I am not in any way a professional to deal with these situations, it helped me understand the importance of seeking out advice and leadership. As a learner, I applied this experience to referring to older and more experienced individuals to  guide me because one cannot rely on just their own knowledge but learns better with other’s knowledge to enhance their own. In the future, I will value the opinions and knowledge of others to further my own.

My second artifact is from my first semester where I participated in a Fall Getaway experience. I attended the getaway with a my bible study/small group and we were able to become very close after this experience. I selected this artifact because it allowed me to grow in my comfort with sharing my experiences with people and challenged me to be a listener before a speaker.I learned that turning off the need to always get a word in builds better connections and relationships. I was able to grow stronger in my faith and also learn to rely on other people who are like-minded and are willing to lend a hand and give advice. This was my first experience where I had to take a step back and not be a leader but let other people pour into me. It’s so hard to give up your independence and I had to trust that I was being put in the right place whether it was at that getaway or being at Ohio State.

My artifact is a book I’ve been reading called How To Be An Antiracist. I’ve always had a passion for talking about racial reconciliation and creating spaces to talk bravely about it. Over the summer, I spent my time reading numerous books to continue to educate myself and re-evaluate history that is misinformed. This artifact has helped me unlock my passion for talking about race relations. As a black woman, I still believe it is important to continue to learn, grow, and progress in learning about race. Through the time I spent reading and learning, I was able to lead a conversation among my fellow peers about racial reconciliation and BLM in the church.