Having the opportunity to be a part of Mizzou's Black Men's Initiative Alternative Spring Break to Dallas, Texas was overall amazing. I know this was almost everyone's first time being in Texas, so I really liked the fact everybody was taken out their comfort zone of the classroom and put into a completely different environment. Before the community service even started all of the brothers of MBMI was able to start to grow stronger bonds with one another through everything we did. It all started with the car ride going down to Texas. Those 8 long hours were all spent talking, laughing, complaining, snacking and sleeping. After getting settled into our hotel rooms, we were able to go out and have fun with one another, or just sit around and relax.
Then the following morning at our Networking event with Mizzou's Alumni, Lincoln Stephens and Robert Weaver, we were given our motto for not only the remainder of the spring break, but for the remainder of our years in college, "Iron sharpens Iron". This phrase to me means that in order for you to get further in life, you have to grow from those people around you, while at the same time helping those around you grow. I consider this our motto because we're all in a great position to become strong black men, and we're only going to get better by building each other up and supporting each other every way possible. Along with our motto, we received a lot of advice in regards to finding ourselves and having confidence in what we want to do in life. Limiting ourselves is the last thing that they recommended us to do, because "The World is ours". This helped us come closer because a lot of us shared similar struggles, and had similar goals and aspirations, and Lincoln Stephens and Robert Weaver really showed us that we can do anything.
The most important events of the entire Dallas trip was having the opportunity to volunteer at the Dallas Resources Center, Hot Meals and the Food Bank. We were able to give back to those less fortunate through preparing and serving foods, and helping them obtain certain food choices through a simulated grocery store. It was refreshing just seeing how happy they were to have our assistance; it was very evident that they appreciated our help. Just as it was evident they appreciated our help, we all appreciated our time spent helping them in need. Having a brief background of their living circumstances, and also knowing they were HIV positive, it was a great feeling knowing we could directly help them, just by giving them our time.
Overall I really enjoyed myself being a part of Alternative Spring Break. The bonds I created with those brothers of MBMI are unexplainable. It was definitely time that was needed with each other, and I wouldn't have wanted to spend it with any other guys. We have such a diverse group of young men that has so much potential to be great leaders and innovators on campus. I am proud to say I'm a part of a positive organization full of young men who will be those leaders on Mizzou's campus. Thank you to Mizzou's Black Men's Initiative for such a great experience.
Darius T. - Freshmen - Chicago, IL
#MABDallas
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