Washington, DC: Global Gateway Summer 2024 (A Day in the Life 2)

June 5, 2024

India: A New Experience

Mannequins wear different clothes in front of different posters in a dark museum exhibit. — National Museum of African American History and Culture Exhibits

Throughout my time in DC for the global gateway program, I have experienced many impactful monuments and buildings that each showcase a unique part of the diverse identities and complex history of American society. However, there was one building that stood out to me and that was the National Museum of African American History and Culture. The museum consisted of multiple floors detailing the rich history of black culture in America. This included an array of portfolios spotlighting incredible black individuals and groups who fought for racial justice to enable black communities to express their identity and individuality.

Two glass displays entitled "Music on Stage & Screen".

There was a section focused on African Americans’ contributions to the music industry, highlighting black artists’ creation of new musical genres while emphasizing the theme of unity developed from these new innovators. There was a part showcasing black architectures and builders that invented many of the tools and items we utilize in our everyday lives. On the next floor there was a display of black athletes whose incredible talents led them to being some of the most notable athletes in American sports history.

A glass exhibit showing different articles of clothing, hats, walking sticks, books, and portraits of African Americans.

This whole museum was truly amazing, however the most impactful part to me was the media and arts exhibit which included tv screens, images, costumes, etc of black individuals who broke racial barriers and chased their dreams. As a black woman myself, I grew up watching many of the actors included in the museum, so it was very inspiring to see how they were represented.

A wall of different framed photos of African American ballerinas. — National Museum of African American History and Culture Exhibits

Also, as I walked past pictures of black individuals in roles that were not seen as “normal” or “typical” for black people, such as the portrait wall of black ballerinas, I thought about how proud young black children (including my younger self) hoping to one day fulfill these roles will feel seeing people that look like them being so successful and taking pride in their abilities and culture. This is the type of representation that is often overlooked on social media and in the world in general, so I thought this part of the museum was extremely meaningful. Overall, I really enjoyed seeing my culture presented in such a beautiful light. My visit to this museum will definitely be something I cherish forever not just because it celebrates the achievements and accomplishments of black individuals, but also because it serves as a permanent source of inspiration and empowerment for future generations and myself.

Anna: Our Global Classroom

A fountain with crystal clear water sits in front of stairs leading up to a white building with pillars and a triangular roof. — A breathtaking view of the Supreme Court on my way to class!

A piece of home is found on the fourth floor of the United Methodist Building, where our UW Global Classroom takes place. The UMB, as we call it, is located at the heart of DC, just down the street from the United States Capitol and directly across the street from the Supreme Court. Our personalized space is decorated with photographed images of home in Madison and remind us of the Memorial Union Terrace and Bascom Hall, places that we all know and love, as well as painted red walls and Bucky pride. Typically, on the UW-Madison campus, students can walk short distances to their classes or take the 80. However, here in DC the most fun part about the commute to class is taking the Metro, a large-scale underground train system that allows us to access the furthest parts of the city. After getting off the Metro, we walk to class and can take in the stunning views of the Library of Congress, the Supreme Court, the Capitol, and my personal favorite, the hot dog stand in front of the United Methodist Building. In my humble opinion, us students are fortunate to be able to start our day in such a beautiful location!

Abigail: Our Global Classroom

A conference table in a room with a red wall has office chairs pointed to a TV hanging on the wall. — This is a room that we have class in inside the United Methodist Building.

The Global Gateway in Washington D.C. involving a course on political polarization was one of the main reasons that I was eager to apply for this program. After attending the program orientation, the first thing I noticed about our classroom, which is inside a conference room in the United Methodist Building, was that it is much smaller than a lecture hall on the UW campus. Of course a lecture hall is not necessary for this program considering our cohort of thirteen individuals and the small parameters of the classroom allowed for in depth discussions and conversations to take place. Class time on this program starts out with the walk to the UMB, or the metro ride depending on the weather, which leaves you starting your stroll through the Navy Yard neighborhood and into Capital Hill where we pass by buildings such as the United States Capitol, the Library of Congress and the Supreme Court. After the scenic walk to the building we sit around a table in the conference room and discuss exhilarating topics related to why Americans are so polarized which leads us into all group member discussions which often tend to be very eye opening and intriguing.

The Supreme court, with two statues next to the stairs leading up to the white building with pillars and a triangular roof. — This was my view of the Supreme Court, which is right next door to the classroom, while my classmates and I were taking a lunch break from class.

Even though our primary classroom is within the UMB, that isn’t the only place where learning occurs during this program. The excursions I have taken along with the cohort have been the sight of many of my main takeaways including time spent at the Holocaust Museum and the African American Museum. My own takeaways as well as those of my classmates on the program are weaved into the discussions that we partake in during class time and truly allow each and every one of us to get the full experience of each sight. In addition to these locations a few coffee spots have become a part of my homework routine during this program such as For Five Coffee and Compass Coffee, both located mere blocks from the hotel that we are staying at. The United States Supreme Court building is another addition to my personal classroom space given its close proximity to the UMB and the few times I have spent my lunch break outside of it. All in all our Global Gateway classroom and surrounding space looks vastly different than that of classes on the UW campus but each aspect of our classroom time allows me to reflect and grow more than I ever have before.

Gam: Learning on Excursions

A classic, bright red convertible sits on top of a wooden pedestal in a building. — Photo of car owned and driven by Chuck Berry, an African American pioneer of rock and roll.

On May 29th we were given the wonderful opportunity to visit the National Museum of African American History and Culture. I was especially excited for this excursion because, as a fellow African American, I was thrilled to see Black representation in many different mediums and learn more history from the African American Perspective. In preparation for the Museum, our instructor had us do a little research on the Museum and write down a few exhibits that we wanted to personally see and take our time with. I wrote about wanting to see the Afrofuturism exhibit and the African American Military exhibit amongst others. These in particular were very compelling in what they stood for.

The Black Military experience highlighted the role of African Americans in American wars starting from the Revolutionary War. This exhibit was particularly interesting to me because I feel like African Americans were overlooked in the Military and I don’t remember learning much about their role in American wars so it was very insightful to just see the exhibit in general.

A mannequin wearing a bright yellow jumpsuit with black stars, holding a guitar shaped like a four-pointed star with horns. — An outfit worn by Boosty Collins, an African American bassist, producer, and singer-songwriter who embodies Afrofuturism.

Afrofuturism demonstrates “Black identity, agency and freedom through art, creative works and activism that envision liberated futures for Black life” (National Museum of African American History and Culture.) The exhibit inside the NMAAHC displays this idea through art, music, activism, etc. This was my favorite and I was in awe of this exhibit the entire time. There were many displays like TV shows, eccentric fashions from Afrofuturistic artists like Bootsy Collins, the Black Panther suit, music from futuristic artists, and plenty of other wonderful sights. It was the coolest thing I’ve ever seen. I greatly enjoyed and appreciated the sentiment of Afrofuturism and how it conveys the perseverance of African Americans as an entire group.

Eight black-and-white photos of African American ballerinas dancing. — Photo of Black Ballerinas in an exhibit

Preceding this excursion, we discussed ideas of symbolic racism in our class discussion. Symbolic racism is racism expressed in an underlying, inherent, and systemic manner. We discussed ideas and examples of this racism and one that comes to mind is the lack of Black representation across all forms of media. This lack of representation is long-standing and widespread in music, entertainment, movies, TV shows, etc. After having this discussion, it was extremely refreshing to see a representation of Black artists in spaces where symbolic racism is rampant. I was able to see Black opera singers, Black ballerinas, Black Broadway performers, etc. Seeing this representation as a Black woman myself was extremely heartwarming and almost satisfying in a way. To me, the National Museum of African American History and Culture highlighted the importance of representation and has been one of my favorite excursions thus far!