Last night the students of color group that I advise sponsored a program called "The Middle Passage". It refers to the forced transportation of African slaves across the Atlantic Ocean.

We happened to be granted the prime time (explorer's seminar slot) and location (the union) which for many of the students in the group were hoping to have a chance to create some awareness in the greater shipboard community (outside of our students of color group of about 20). There seems to be a constant need to make people aware of the privilege that exists on this ship on many levels. Many of the students of color..and perhaps some students as a whole have struggled with the luxury on this ship and have especially struggled with most of the dining, housekeeping staff, and crew being the only people of color on this ship (including faculty..and staff).

For me, the observance of the silence during the day was more powerful than our time of reflection in the evening. For the rest of the community that chose to attend that evening, the sharing of our experiences, feelings, and stories, was perhaps more powerful. About 20 students participated (2-3 white students btw), 2 staff, and zero faculty. We decided to wear black and carry with us quarter sheets of paper explaining our silence. For me personally, it was powerful to spend time alone with my thoughts. Reflecting on the very waters that slaves forceably crossed while also realizing the privilege to have the opportunity to do such a thing. Perhaps it evoked some of the emotions from navigating this heavily white, upperclass, privileged demographic over the past 4 weeks as well. I was forced to listen to my own thoughts...in silence, reflecting as all of the students went about their normalcy. Sunbathing, talking about who they hooked up with, and complaining about their food, being bored, or the lack of movies being shown on TV. Perhaps many of these emotions were stirred during the day.

Two Poignant moments for me:

1) Early in the morning i stepped out on the 7th deck to think/pray and saw koya (a very bright yet quiet student) eating breakfast on the 6th deck, wearing black, starring into the ocean

2) At lunch a few of ended up sitting together (which we tried to avoid). People were looking at us, whispering a bit, as we sat in silence maybe enjoying how uncomfortable it was making people feel

Ten minutes before the program started all the participants met on the back deck to have one last opporutnity to reflect and think about the day. A few minutes after 8pm, we walked through the ship to the Union, came in and sat on the floor. We played amazing grace (chris tomlin version btw) as we showed about 5 slides explaining the signficance of the Middle Passage, the millions of lives lost, and the suffering that took place to millions of African Slaves. We stopped the music and had one last moment of silence as a community.

Jason Anderson, one of only two african american male students broke the silence with a poem he wrote about the Middle Passage a few years ago. About six students and two staff who participated followed and shared some of their thoughts, experiences and thought-provoking stories, some accompanied by tears. We opened it up to the community and a few people came up and shared what it was like to see us be silent and hear our stories. As people were sharing emotions were definitely stirring.

Chandler (SCF praise leader) closed as everyone stood for an acoustic version of Amazing Grace (the classic John Newton hymn about being forgiven despite his involvement with slave trade). It was a powerful moment and I think it gave many of the students of color and a handful of white students who attended, the space to wrestle with the realities of racism...perhaps some for the first time.