This article is part of an ongoing series, in which students document their experiences, 无论是在校园里还是校外, 从他们独特的视角.
之前 悉尼·米切尔19岁 graduated with a degree in 行为神经科学, she traveled to the 里奥格兰德河谷 with other students on the annual 社会正义之旅, an immersive trip during which students consider the complicated relationship among history, 遗产, 行动主义和社会变革. Here are a few of her reflections 和 photos.
![对托雷斯 和 亚历克斯·巴伦 in Marfa](/sites/default/files/marketing/1_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
Director of 多元化和包容性 对托雷斯 和 Associate Professor of University Studies 亚历克斯·巴伦 从无趣到普拉达.
![在马尔法的普拉达店外](/sites/default/files/marketing/2_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
While visiting the Prada store in Marfa, we left our mark.
![Sydney Mitchell, Lilli Hime 和 Bianca Salinas](/sites/default/files/marketing/3_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
莉莉·希姆,19岁 (中心), 比安卡(B.萨利纳斯19 (right) 和 me (left) became known as the “alumni association” on the 社会正义之旅.
![德克萨斯州玛法](/sites/default/files/marketing/4_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
A glimpse into a day-in-the-life of 德克萨斯州玛法
![里奥格兰德河谷](/sites/default/files/marketing/5_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
Lynette Rucker, 22岁, 乔伊·安布罗斯,22岁 和 瓦伦丁·帕迪拉,22岁 在格兰德河里消暑. 在他们后面的是墨西哥!
![大本德国家公园](/sites/default/files/marketing/6_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
乔伊和亚历克斯摆姿势, while the rest of us cooled off in the van after canoeing 5 miles down the 格兰德河!
![对托雷斯 on the 社会正义之旅](/sites/default/files/marketing/7_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
Joi contemplates the rhetoric surrounding the borders 和 migrants risking everything for a better life.
![社会正义之旅](/sites/default/files/marketing/8_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
A snippet of the beautiful scenery that followed us along the journey
![马拉松,德州](/sites/default/files/marketing/9_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
We stayed at Eve’s Garden, a unique bed 和 breakfast, in 马拉松,德州.
![马拉松,德州](/sites/default/files/marketing/10_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
There is a small observation deck on top of this building, perfect for decompressing 和 stargazing.
![在德克萨斯州的马拉松市](/sites/default/files/marketing/11_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
B. 和 I were up early in the morning, 准备好对抗种族主义, 同性恋恐惧症和变性恐惧症, which we regularly experienced on our trip.
![麦卡伦公共图书馆](/sites/default/files/marketing/12_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
Joi reads at the largest one-story library in the nation. It was previously a WalMart 和 was converted into the 麦卡伦公共图书馆.
![2019社会正义之旅小组](/sites/default/files/marketing/13socialjustice400x300.jpg)
The entire 社会正义之旅 group poses outside La Posada Hotel in Laredo, Texas.
![格兰德河](/sites/default/files/14_socialjustice_400x300_0.jpg)
莉莉和B. collect wild sunflowers off the shore of the 格兰德河.
![International bridge over the 格兰德河](/sites/default/files/marketing/15_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
A peek at the international bridge over the 格兰德河
![洛洛米塔教会](/sites/default/files/marketing/16_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
B. explores the historical church, La Lomita 任务, outside her hometown.
![西德尼·米切尔和莉莉·希姆](/sites/default/files/marketing/17_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
Lilli 和 I ponder how a wall will completely destroy this beautiful ecosystem 和 timeless neighborhood.
![社会正义之旅小组](/sites/default/files/marketing/18_socialjustice_400x300.jpg)
Our group in front of the 格兰德河, after a tour of the Chimney Trailer Park
更多关于悉尼
你是哪里人?? Akron, Ohio (home of Swensons 和 — I guess — Lebron).
Describe your life on the hilltop in three words? Invaluable, transitional, adventurous
What was the favorite part of the trip? The structure of the trip: We began our journey canoeing at Big Bend, 哪个是天然的“边界”,” then ventured to the more rigid border 和 checkpoints, 然后去了拉雷多, 哪里的边界是有形的, 军国主义化的, 最后, we saw the area where the wall is to be built.
你对幸福的看法? 过着短暂的生活, never being in a single place for too long, 和 simply existing with those I love the most.
你现在的心境如何? Content, while in search of my true passion.
茶还是咖啡? Tea, more specifically, iced matcha tea with coconut milk 和 ½ pump of coconut syrup.
是什么激励着你? 我的导师, the people who constantly push for equity, social awareness 和 cultural appreciation despite their surroundings.
毕业后你打算做什么? 我是一个 入学辅导员 在圣. 爱德华的!
What's your favorite part of Austin? 现在? 的绿地 ... 不干燥的时候.