Viterbo University – Atlanta 2019

On Saturday, we went to Downtown Atlanta, where the Centennial Olympic Park, Civil Rights Museum, CNN Headquarters, World of Coca-Cola Museum and the Aquarium all come together to create the ultimate tourist hub.  We started off with the Civil Rights Museum.  I don’t know how exactly to describe my feelings about it.  I liked it, but I didn’t like it.  It was interesting and it was powerful, but it wasn’t enjoyable.  And by no means do I think it should have been enjoyable- the subject matter is heavy and they did an excellent job of exhibiting it in a way that portrayed its weight.

I don’t really think I understood it until I saw the piece on Emmett Till.  Till was in Mississippi visiting a relative (I believe his uncle) and allegedly whistled at a white woman.  That night, Till was taken from his home, beaten, shot in the head, tied with barbed wire to a fan and thrown in a river.  Till was fourteen.  I had to read the sign a couple more times for that to sink in.  Emmett Till, at fourteen years of age, was beaten, shot, tied up with barbed wire and thrown in a river.  It became even more real for me when I realized my younger sister is fourteen.  At fourteen, a literal child (no offense to my younger sister) was murdered for something he might have done.  And after being correctly identified and taken to court, the brothers who killed him were ruled innocent after 67 minutes.  The sign said that Till’s story is what inspired a number of Civil Rights activists, including Rosa Parks.  After reading all of this, I figured- had I been alive- I would have started protesting after that too.

Then there was a bar stool exhibit where, quite frankly, I realized I would not have survived in the Civil Rights movement.  The bar stool exhibit was a simulation of what it would be like to participate in a sit-in.  You sat at the bar stool, put on the headphones, put your hands on the table and closed your eyes.  People yelled at you, a guy got beat up behind the stool, and people kicked the stool.  It felt real- it was very loud, and I could feel myself flinch every time someone banged the stool or yelled in my ear.  I had to keep telling myself it wasn’t real so I wouldn’t cry.  If it was real I definitely would have broken.  Having the bravery to face something that brutal and stand (or sit) your ground is something I admire and respect, but it’s not a skill I have yet.  

The rest of our day was free time to do what we wanted to do within Downtown Atlanta.  After lunch, six of us walked to the CNN Headquarters to see the lobby.  On our way there, we were stopped by a man who asked to talk to us.  He said he had just gotten off a 14 hour shift, he has a wife and two kids who were staying at a hotel and had to check out earlier that day, and needed $13 more to stay in the hotel for the night.  Some of us gave money and some of us didn’t.  We got to CNN and we all just stood there for a minute to think about it and talk.  He said a lot of things about being Christian, and said if we weren’t good Christians he understood that we wouldn’t feel obligated to anything.  This would be a trigger for some people, and would convince them to give money.  However, he also had a rosary around his neck, which is a big no-no in the Catholic church.  He wasn’t wearing any socks, which made some of us think he couldn’t afford them, but he was also holding a cigarette, which was a sign to others that he didn’t need any help.  I think the general consensus was that this is uncomfortable to talk about and we’re never going to know the truth, so we should just move on.  We walked around CNN, picked up another person from our class into our group and walked to Georgia State University because it was close.  We walked into a shady parking garage because there was a free samples sign.  We were disappointed that there weren’t free samples and then we realized that in the movies you never go into the shady parking garage cause that’s where people go to die, and so we started heading out of the parking garage.  On our way out we saw that same guy from before approaching us.  He tried to stop us again (using the same first lines, so it was definitely scripted) but we said we weren’t interested and kept walking.  

We talked in class about how the Greeks and Romans set up their cities way back in the day.  They had a hub in the middle and everything worked it’s way out from there. From a tourist’s perspective, it’s much nicer to look at- a nice park space, museums, less huge buildings- but it’s interesting to me to see how they fail to hide the imperfections.  While a street musician playing “If You’re Happy and You Know It” on the trumpet may be cute, he might be out of a job and just trying to make a living.  While the guy who needs a little cash to keep his family inside for the night seems in need of help, he might just be taking advantage of a couple college kids, as unfortunate as that is.  

If I remember correctly from my Art History class last year, there was a Michelangelo painting on the walls / ceiling of a church in Italy.  The commissioners hated it because there were a ton of naked people all over the walls, so they painted clothes on the people.  It was uncovered years and years later that the people were actually supposed to be naked.  I think, in a sense, Atlanta is the same way- the powers that be don’t like all of the issues Atlanta has, so they cover the issues with a park and some museums.  While it may look nice to outsiders, it doesn’t fix the problems faced by the people who live here.

Blogger: Therese Dehnert

The past two days have been great! Yesterday we all arrived in Atlanta, Georgia at around 3:35 pm EST (that’s 2:35 pm CST for all you Midwestern folks). On Friday, we had spent most of our time getting comfortable with our surroundings. This morning we all got ready to make our way to the Centennial Olympic Park to view the Center for Civil and Human Rights.

This is the mural you are welcomed with upon entering the museum-like center.

As we made our way through the exhibits we were exposed to the facts and history associated with the civil rights movement.

The second picture displays the most outspoken segregationists throughout the entire movement.

Their words and actions were shocking which only fueled the fire of hatred emanating from the South. We also learned a great deal about the specific non-violent protests that activists were using throughout the movement, most notably the lunch counter sit-ins.

The Center offered an interactive exhibit where the simulated a lunch counter sit-in. They used noise-canceling headphones, advanced audio capabilities, and vibrations/jolts to simulate the sit-in. They also asked each person to close their eyes and keep their hands face down on the counter. Once the audio started you could hear a crowd of people approaching the lunch counter and making racial slurs at the person (me) at the counter. They started breaking glasses, kicking the chair, screaming in both of my ears, and threatening to kill all of us at the counter. The simulation lasted for about 90 seconds. I have to say that it was one of the most mentally and emotionally uncomfortable situations I have ever experienced in my life. That just goes to show how dangerous and traumatizing the work of the civil rights activists was. 

On a lighter note, the city of Atlanta is actually quite beautiful. Atlanta is known to be a “sprawl city” which just means that it the city and its surroundings are spread out more than one would typically find in other larger cities. For the average tourist it is quite nice because you are not constantly surrounded by huge buildings and tight corridors; however, it is not so nice for the people of Atlanta. A “sprawl city” makes transportation a nightmare. There are traffic jams everywhere because everyone is either trying to leave the city or enter it, depending on the time of day. The suburbs are scattered on the outskirts of Atlanta which makes the average 20+ minute commute from Sparta, WI to La Crosse, WI a 2-hour commute in Atlanta. The other unfortunate byproduct of a “sprawl city” is the high levels of poverty which is obvious when you escape the tourist trap of Centennial Olympic Park.

All in all, the trip has been very eye-opening for me. I think all of us on this trip have had a taste of the real world which is something we all need to experience as we prepare to leave the life of the student and become integrated more fully into the workforce. 

Blogger: Andrew Wegner

Our first full day in Atlanta was filled with exploring the Centennial Olympic Park with all of its attractions including the Center for Civil and Human Rights, CNN Studio Tours, World of Coca-Cola, and several others. This part of the city tries to encompass the highlights and history of Atlanta for tourists, visitors, and residents. 

Our first stop of the day was at the Center for Civil and Human Rights where we examined civil and human rights issues from the past and current. Although most of us have heard about the Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King Jr.’s accomplishments, it was shocking to see the hardships that these individuals faced. While we have made great strides in making sure everyone is “equal,” there are still gaps in our systems and institutions. 

After visiting the Center for Civil and Human Rights, we toured the World of Coca-Cola where we learned the history and progress of Coca-Cola.

The CEO of Coca-Cola was a proponent of the Civil Rights Movement, and built Coca-Cola’s image around selling their products to individuals of all ages and races.  Coca-Cola has sold it’s products across the world and has created special moments for many individuals. A line that stuck out to me from the museum was “You don’t remember the days, you remember the moments.” Coca-Cola’s image is more than just something to drink, it’s to create moments with your loved ones. 

As a social work major, the social work values and courses I take remind us to always strive towards social justice. As a future social worker, it will be my duty to advocate for vulnerable populations and help empower those individuals. Racism, discrimination, and violence still occur against individuals simply because they are “different”. As Jane Addams said, “the things that make us alike are stronger than the things that make us different.”

Today was a good reminder to continue advocating, and that there is still work to be done.

Blogger: Jolene Lansin

A long day of travel, but all is well (and warm) in Atlanta.

Challenge 1: Navigating the MARTA public transit system to cross the city at rush hour – CHECK! The mural below seems to sum up our first day…

We are looking forward to our first full day in the city tomorrow… and to the students taking over the blogging.