Can you believe we're just a little over a week away from our much-anticipated pilgrimage? The weather forecast shows: High 50s in the daytime and 30s to low 40s at night. There’s a possibility of rain on Friday, but the other days look clear. Keep your eye on the weather, though, as you never know if it might change in one direction or another.
Please note that we'll be on Central Daylight Time (UTC-06:00) throughout the trip so you might need to reset your watches when you arrive (or remember that your phone might have automatically reset).
PLEASE READ THIS TODAY, SO YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT ON THIS PILGRIMAGE.
Detailed Itinerary
This link shows you an overview of how the days will flow. You can explore relevant websites ahead of time for information about each person and place we'll visit. For those of you who have a copy of Weary Feet, Rested Souls, you’ll also find relevant page references so you can read ahead.
Detailed Itinerary with links
Overview Map
You'll notice that the schedule is quite full, and the days are long. Unlike vacation tours when you have blocks of time to explore on your own, this is a sacred pilgrimage where, because of the people we'll meet and the places we'll visit, every minute is precious. We know it asks a lot of us, but we also know, from hundreds of people who have gone on this pilgrimage before you, they wouldn't trade a minute of it. When you return home after this trip, we hope you'll feel the same.
Please remember that the itinerary is subject to change. The key is to let the experience flow in you and through you without worrying about the clock. That's our job. We'll keep you informed about what's next and what to expect along the way. Your job is to breathe in as much as you can and let the experience take you where it will.
On that note, we encourage you to tell family, friends, and employers that, except for real emergencies, you are not available for these days. Put an out-of-office/away message on your email and your cell phone. Try as hard as you can to reduce distractions. We even encourage you to stay away from the news and social media, except, of course, when you're posting about the Pilgrimage (#LLPJE2022)! It will all be there when you return home. Give yourself these few days; make it as meaningful as you can. We guarantee you won't regret it.
Packing
Casual, comfortable clothes are fine. And don’t worry about having to wear fresh clothes every day. Packing light means you might not have to check your bags at the airport, and it’ll be a lot easier to move your bag in and out of the hotels each day.
You’ll probably want to pack in layers, including a sweater, down vest, or light jacket.
We recommend comfortable walking shoes. We will be in a place or two where there might be fire ants, so we do not recommend open toed shoes.
You might want a SMALL tote bag or backpack to keep the stuff you’ll want for the day available on the bus.
Also, please remember to pack a water bottle. We will have some bottled water for those who need it but, for the environment's sake, we don't want to purchase too much of it.
Roster
Here you’ll find a roster of participants and staff.
Roster of Participants
This includes names, email addresses, home city and state, roommates (including assigned roommates), Congregation/faith community, and pronouns. Please do not create a group email list from this roster and do not share the roster or email addresses with anyone outside of the group. Thank you for protecting everyone’s privacy.
If your cell phone is not listed or is not listed correctly, we’ll ask you to give us the correct information at the Monday morning orientation. It’s important that we’re able to contact you during the trip if a need arises.
Roommates
The roster includes roommate assignments. So, for those of you who asked us to assign a roommate, you’ll be able to be in touch with each other beforehand so you can get to know each other a little. If you requested a double, but you have no roommate assignment listed, no one is assigned to you at this time. We’ll let you know if that might need to change.
Staff
We expect to have thirty-eight people on the bus including three Living Legacy Pilgrimage staff, two resource staff people, and our driver:
Please use the link below to provide us with your arrival and departure information. If you’re traveling with someone, only one in your party needs to complete it.
Transportation Information To and From Birmingham
You are responsible for getting from the airport or bus/train station to the hotel, but it’s helpful for us to know when you’re arriving and departing.
Hotel Shuttle Information
For those arriving by air, please call the hotel at 205-909-1999 to let them know you’ve arrived and need a shuttle.
Group Sharing
When you spend time on a bus with thirty-eight other people, you get close. You’ll be sharing a lot, including germs.
Masks
We require that everyone wears a mask at all times on the bus. We also ask you to minimize eating or drinking on the bus, so you can stay masked. We will have hand sanitizer and extra masks available, but we encourage you to bring your own. We recommend packing at least one mask per day.
When you’re off the bus, masking is at your discretion. However, we ask that you respect others’ choices about masking and maintaining social distance off the bus.
Our goal is for everyone to arrive home as healthy as when you arrive in Birmingham. Please help us do that by respecting each other’s needs.
Scents
If people have a sensitivity to scents, the close quarters of the bus could activate them. Therefore, we ask that you limit scents, i.e., perfume, cologne, and any extra scented things. Also, be sure to check with your roommate before spraying anything in the room, burning a scented candle, etc.
Sleeping Comfort
And if you’re sharing a room, remember to pack your eyeshades and earplugs to manage lights and sounds that might impact your sleeping.
Gratitude
Expressing gratitude is an integral part of developing relationships. We encourage you to bring thank-you cards and find other ways to express gratitude to those you meet along the way.
Resources
We are working on getting access to the documentary, Shared Legacies, a documentary about the “crucial historical lessons of Black-Jewish cooperation” which “are revisited and revived in this utterly fascinating, urgent call to action.” (Shared Legacies | Menemsha Films). We will either be able to share it on the trip, or we’ll be able to give you a link to stream it at your convenience. We’ll let you know as soon as we know more.
Thanks to Carolyn Toll Oppenheim for these recommendations:
Social Media/Writing/Photography/Video
If you're into social media, we appreciate all the tweeting, Facebooking, Instagramming, blogging you want to share. We invite you to document as much of your journey as you want, from packing until you return home again, for the folks back home, for future pilgrims, and for your own memories, by following these guidelines:
It’s a good idea to have cash to leave a tip for the housekeeping staff. We generally recommend $3-5 per night. If you’re sharing a room, you can split that between you.
We also recommend at least $5-10 per day for a total of $25-50 for our bus driver. We will present him with an envelope at the end of the trip with our thanks. Cash is best, but if you want to write a check that’s fine too. If you can afford more that will help those who aren’t able to contribute as much.
You might also want cash or credit cards for incidentals, an occasional drink or dessert, gifts, etc. That should be all you need.
Meals and special dietary needs
We make every effort to accommodate special dietary needs that you've made known to us. Our meals are not always at the same time every day, so if you need to eat on a schedule, or if you require anything else that you're concerned about not getting, please bring it with you. And remember to bring a water bottle.
Breakfasts will be available at our hotels. Lunches and dinners will be a mix of restaurants and catered meals. Please look for an email later this week asking you to select menu choices for a couple of the restaurants we’ll be going to. Placing orders ahead of time speeds up the time considerably and makes it easier for the restaurant. Thanks!
Past Bulletins
Some of you have not opened the first or second email bulletins we sent. Just in case you're concerned that you missed anything, you'll find it here at this link: Informational Bulletins.
Please let me know ([email protected]) if there’s anything else you need to know before we meet.
See you in Birmingham!
Annette
Annette Marquis
Director of Operations
Living Legacy Project
Please note that we'll be on Central Daylight Time (UTC-06:00) throughout the trip so you might need to reset your watches when you arrive (or remember that your phone might have automatically reset).
PLEASE READ THIS TODAY, SO YOU KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT ON THIS PILGRIMAGE.
Detailed Itinerary
This link shows you an overview of how the days will flow. You can explore relevant websites ahead of time for information about each person and place we'll visit. For those of you who have a copy of Weary Feet, Rested Souls, you’ll also find relevant page references so you can read ahead.
Detailed Itinerary with links
Overview Map
You'll notice that the schedule is quite full, and the days are long. Unlike vacation tours when you have blocks of time to explore on your own, this is a sacred pilgrimage where, because of the people we'll meet and the places we'll visit, every minute is precious. We know it asks a lot of us, but we also know, from hundreds of people who have gone on this pilgrimage before you, they wouldn't trade a minute of it. When you return home after this trip, we hope you'll feel the same.
Please remember that the itinerary is subject to change. The key is to let the experience flow in you and through you without worrying about the clock. That's our job. We'll keep you informed about what's next and what to expect along the way. Your job is to breathe in as much as you can and let the experience take you where it will.
On that note, we encourage you to tell family, friends, and employers that, except for real emergencies, you are not available for these days. Put an out-of-office/away message on your email and your cell phone. Try as hard as you can to reduce distractions. We even encourage you to stay away from the news and social media, except, of course, when you're posting about the Pilgrimage (#LLPJE2022)! It will all be there when you return home. Give yourself these few days; make it as meaningful as you can. We guarantee you won't regret it.
Packing
Casual, comfortable clothes are fine. And don’t worry about having to wear fresh clothes every day. Packing light means you might not have to check your bags at the airport, and it’ll be a lot easier to move your bag in and out of the hotels each day.
You’ll probably want to pack in layers, including a sweater, down vest, or light jacket.
We recommend comfortable walking shoes. We will be in a place or two where there might be fire ants, so we do not recommend open toed shoes.
You might want a SMALL tote bag or backpack to keep the stuff you’ll want for the day available on the bus.
Also, please remember to pack a water bottle. We will have some bottled water for those who need it but, for the environment's sake, we don't want to purchase too much of it.
Roster
Here you’ll find a roster of participants and staff.
Roster of Participants
This includes names, email addresses, home city and state, roommates (including assigned roommates), Congregation/faith community, and pronouns. Please do not create a group email list from this roster and do not share the roster or email addresses with anyone outside of the group. Thank you for protecting everyone’s privacy.
If your cell phone is not listed or is not listed correctly, we’ll ask you to give us the correct information at the Monday morning orientation. It’s important that we’re able to contact you during the trip if a need arises.
Roommates
The roster includes roommate assignments. So, for those of you who asked us to assign a roommate, you’ll be able to be in touch with each other beforehand so you can get to know each other a little. If you requested a double, but you have no roommate assignment listed, no one is assigned to you at this time. We’ll let you know if that might need to change.
Staff
We expect to have thirty-eight people on the bus including three Living Legacy Pilgrimage staff, two resource staff people, and our driver:
- Reggie Harris, musician and LLP musical director
- Dr. Janice Marie Johnson, LLP co-founder and educator
- Rabbi Jonathan Kligler, retired rabbi and musician
- Larry Rubin, Civil Rights Movement veteran and labor organizer
- Annette Marquis, LLP co-founder and tour manager
- Bus driver TBA
Please use the link below to provide us with your arrival and departure information. If you’re traveling with someone, only one in your party needs to complete it.
Transportation Information To and From Birmingham
You are responsible for getting from the airport or bus/train station to the hotel, but it’s helpful for us to know when you’re arriving and departing.
Hotel Shuttle Information
For those arriving by air, please call the hotel at 205-909-1999 to let them know you’ve arrived and need a shuttle.
Group Sharing
When you spend time on a bus with thirty-eight other people, you get close. You’ll be sharing a lot, including germs.
Masks
We require that everyone wears a mask at all times on the bus. We also ask you to minimize eating or drinking on the bus, so you can stay masked. We will have hand sanitizer and extra masks available, but we encourage you to bring your own. We recommend packing at least one mask per day.
When you’re off the bus, masking is at your discretion. However, we ask that you respect others’ choices about masking and maintaining social distance off the bus.
Our goal is for everyone to arrive home as healthy as when you arrive in Birmingham. Please help us do that by respecting each other’s needs.
Scents
If people have a sensitivity to scents, the close quarters of the bus could activate them. Therefore, we ask that you limit scents, i.e., perfume, cologne, and any extra scented things. Also, be sure to check with your roommate before spraying anything in the room, burning a scented candle, etc.
Sleeping Comfort
And if you’re sharing a room, remember to pack your eyeshades and earplugs to manage lights and sounds that might impact your sleeping.
Gratitude
Expressing gratitude is an integral part of developing relationships. We encourage you to bring thank-you cards and find other ways to express gratitude to those you meet along the way.
Resources
We are working on getting access to the documentary, Shared Legacies, a documentary about the “crucial historical lessons of Black-Jewish cooperation” which “are revisited and revived in this utterly fascinating, urgent call to action.” (Shared Legacies | Menemsha Films). We will either be able to share it on the trip, or we’ll be able to give you a link to stream it at your convenience. We’ll let you know as soon as we know more.
Thanks to Carolyn Toll Oppenheim for these recommendations:
- Only in America by Harry Golden
- From Swastika to Jim Crow: Refugee Scholars at Black Colleges by Gabrielle Simon Edgcomb.
Social Media/Writing/Photography/Video
If you're into social media, we appreciate all the tweeting, Facebooking, Instagramming, blogging you want to share. We invite you to document as much of your journey as you want, from packing until you return home again, for the folks back home, for future pilgrims, and for your own memories, by following these guidelines:
- Use hashtag #LLPJE2022 so we can identify your posts and share them on the Living Legacy Pilgrimage platforms.
- If you're bringing a camera, even one on your phone, please be respectful of our guests. Give our speakers a chance to settle in before snapping photos.
- Do not tag photos of other people on the bus without obtaining permission from them.
- Talk with a staff member to get permission before taking video or audio recordings of our guests.
- If you're a blogger or do other writing, please talk with Annette about how you can share your blog posts and writing with us.
It’s a good idea to have cash to leave a tip for the housekeeping staff. We generally recommend $3-5 per night. If you’re sharing a room, you can split that between you.
We also recommend at least $5-10 per day for a total of $25-50 for our bus driver. We will present him with an envelope at the end of the trip with our thanks. Cash is best, but if you want to write a check that’s fine too. If you can afford more that will help those who aren’t able to contribute as much.
You might also want cash or credit cards for incidentals, an occasional drink or dessert, gifts, etc. That should be all you need.
Meals and special dietary needs
We make every effort to accommodate special dietary needs that you've made known to us. Our meals are not always at the same time every day, so if you need to eat on a schedule, or if you require anything else that you're concerned about not getting, please bring it with you. And remember to bring a water bottle.
Breakfasts will be available at our hotels. Lunches and dinners will be a mix of restaurants and catered meals. Please look for an email later this week asking you to select menu choices for a couple of the restaurants we’ll be going to. Placing orders ahead of time speeds up the time considerably and makes it easier for the restaurant. Thanks!
Past Bulletins
Some of you have not opened the first or second email bulletins we sent. Just in case you're concerned that you missed anything, you'll find it here at this link: Informational Bulletins.
Please let me know ([email protected]) if there’s anything else you need to know before we meet.
See you in Birmingham!
Annette
Annette Marquis
Director of Operations
Living Legacy Project
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