This past Saturday, my peace and justice class took a trip to a community organization in Boston called DSNI. The Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative (DSNI) is an organization that we had been studying in our class. The organization serves to advocate for the people of the Dudley Street neighborhood in Boston. The people in that community are mostly immigrants, people of color and young people. Historically the neighborhood has been ignored or discriminated against by the city of Boston. Residents have faced issues like unaffordable housing, redlining, trash dumping by city officials and private individuals. They also faced an arson problem in which property owners were burning their properties to cash the insurance on them. Buildings were burned even if people were still living there. The organization was started to combat all these issues, along with crime and a lack of educational opportunities for young people.
We went there to learn from the people running the organization about their daily operations, their successes and obstacles. I was particularly interested in learning about how I could support this organization from Wellesley.
While there we also took a tour of the properties owned by DSNI and the neighborhood in general. We were shown how former vacant lots were turned into houses and parks. Before visiting the organization we watched films that showed how the neighborhood looked like before DSNI was created. To see the progress they have made since the films were released was incredible. It really embodied the idea that anything can happen. Nothing is impossible, don’t let the grandeur of your idea stop you from pursuing it.
I learned a lot from that trip. It made me want to get involved in the community outside of Wellesley. There are tons of opportunities like I have mentioned before, but as I moved forward in my college career, I want to do more.
Other than the trip, I had a great week last week. I had a prospie visit for Spring Open Campus. It was fun to have her. I felt myself rediscovering my love for Wellesley as I spoke to her about the institution’s history, students, staff, and professor.
We’re getting closer to the end of the semester. I am going to reveal my summer plans soon. I am excited about the summer!
–Laïssa