Moving on the Wires: Fundraiser for Atlantic Impact’s Abroad for a Cause Challenge

Futuristically Ancient for Atlantic Impact’s Abroad for a Cause Challenge

“I recently decided to participate in a fundraiser for “Atlantic Impact’s Abroad for a Cause Challenge” who is inviting two bloggers to join them in a trip abroad to Barbados. Atlantic Abroad is a nonprofit organization that provides low-income and at-risk youth “with year-round programming so they can better understand the state of their communities, which includes community exploration and international travel.” I know as someone who comes from a financially disadvantaged background, study abroad organizations, like YFU, and college study abroad, gave me the opportunity to travel to both Japan and London. If they did not exist, I would not have been able to travel and those experiences helped me to expand my imagination and grow as a person.

Here are Atlantic Impact’s Goals:

• To create a national movement which impacts urban youth across the country surrounding an experience which has shaped our nation’s past, present, and future – the legacy of the transatlantic slave trade.
• To bring awareness to youth on a personal level as to how a nationally and globally significant experience impacts their lives and individual communities.
• To use historical and cultural examples as a model for success in the lives of at-risk urban youth.
• To self-empower youth through understanding that they are capable and ready to become agents of change in their communities, nation, and in the larger global society.
• To connect and engage youth in dialogue throughout impacted countries through this globally shared experience which was directly felt across four continents, promoting important intercultural exchange for global competency.

Read more about their purpose and how the program has impacted youth here.

Why is Atlantic Impact going to Barbados this year?

“We love global historical connections! Atlantic Impact shows youth how the world is truly interconnected and how history from long ago has a lasting and significant impact around the world to this day. Last summer, when our previous group met with a British nonprofit leader in England, she talked about how she was a fierce advocate for Barbados. She had recently returned from the country herself and was amazed at the strength of connection between the UK, Barbados, and US. And so are we! Our kids are currently reading the book Sugar in the Blood: A Family’s Story of Slavery and Empire written by Andrea Stuart, which provides constant reminders of global ties, with a focus on Barbados.”

Personally, I greatly desire to go to Barbados because it is where my mother is from and I have never been. It would be a chance for me to discover her homeland and its history. Within the past few years, I have been studying more about the history of the Caribbean, including my parents’ islands of Dominica and Barbados. Specifically for Barbados, I have learned about cultural figures like Bussa, and musical traditions like Tuk (thanks Curwen Best). It would be great to experience more of the culture in person. Also, it will be great to document my travels on this blog and connect with the others on this trip.

So, I am glad to take part and raise money for this organization. For this fundraiser, I have to raise at least $250 to get a chance to be one of the bloggers to go to Barbados. If I raise the most, I definitely will go, but if I raise over $250, I will be in pool of possible bloggers to be the second choice. I have to raise as much money as possible by June 9th.

For the next few weeks until June 9th, I will be posting interesting cultural and historical facts about Barbados in separate blog posts, with other blog posts and reblogging Barbados-related blog posts on here, and my other social media (which you can find on the contact page) as a reminder for the fundraiser!

Any donation will be appreciated! If you are unable to donate, please share! Thank you!