Learning Our History

Wings of Hope is taking our youth on a Civil Rights Tour through the South. The tour is from June1st-6th. We know how imperative it is for our young people to know their history. We work diligently to instill courage, perseverance, to teach peaceful problem solving, and nurture lifelong learning. Studying Black history is important because it provides context for how we got to where we are today and a deeper understanding of the issues we still face in this country. Many of our present cultural and political issues are not new, but rather are unresolved issues from the past. For our Black youth, learning about our history is necessary because it is learning about our identity and increasing our sense of self.

Nothing beats learning about history in the exact places where it has happened. Our youth will undoubtedly be struck with the gravity of standing where the historic figures they have learned about stood. Our youth need to stand on the shoulders of those who came before them and Wings of Hope feels there is no better way to teach this than experiencing it for themselves. Our youth are not taught their history in school, so we feel the neccessity to make sure they learn.

We have invited one of our partners, UMADAOP of Cincinnati, to join us with some of their youth on this legendary tour. We will be hosting 45 youths and adults on this tour. UMADAOP is a great resource and support for Wings of Hope.

According to Wisconsin EDU, "To study history is to change. History gives us the tools to analyze and explain problems in the past, it positions us to see patterns that might otherwise be invisible in the present-thus providing a crucial perspective for understanding and solving current and future problems. Studying the diversity of human experience helps us appreciate cultures, ideas, and traditions that are not our own---and to recognize them as meaningful products of specific times and places. History helps us realize how different our lived experience is from that of our ancestors, yet how similar we are in our goals and values." Wings of Hope envisions our youth learning their history and being able to make changes for the better. Even after all we have been through, we are still fighting for our Civil Rights to this day. We can never give up. We can not let our forefather's work be futile. We have to continue the fight.

Grants through the Scioto County Rural Communities Opoid Response--Implementation Grant, applied for through the Scioto County Health Department and support from UMADAOP of CIncinnati, along with individual donors, help support Wings of Hope's initiative.