We all have a big week ahead of us. If you haven't already voted, make sure you get to the polls before they close on Tuesday. The first lesson of the Living Legacy Pilgrimage is that voting is a responsibility that people risked everything, including their lives, to secure for all Americans. We asked that you honor their courage with your vote.
Packing and the weather
Instead of biting your fingernails while you're waiting for election results to come in, you might want to use that time to pack. We encourage you, however, not to overpack. Remember that you have to lug your stuff off the bus and into the hotel and back again every day. Plan to wear comfortable clothes and good walking shoes. We don't care if you wear the same outfit more than once (as long as you shower regularly!). Those of use who have spent a lot of time on the bus have found that a small day pack works well in the overhead bin or on the floor by your feet to hold the stuff you might need during the day.
We'll be attending an African American church service and you can expect that people there will be well-dressed, so we ask that you bring one dressier outfit. If you want to leave your dress clothes in Memphis, you're welcome to put them in Annette's car (as long as you remember to claim them when we get back there or Diversity Thrift in Richmond will receive a nice donation!).
At this point, the weather looks beautiful. Low 70s in the day and high 40s and 50s at night. Pack a sweater or two and maybe a fleece vest, if you tend to get chilly. We might have rain one day so an umbrella and/or raincoat might be advisable, too.
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. We'll also have some snacks on the bus but bring whatever you know you'll want with you so you're not disappointed that we didn't get your favorite kind.
A note from our chaplain
Dear Pilgrims:
Saturday, November 12, just a week from tomorrow, we will gather in Memphis to begin our Civil Rights journey, creating this unique eight-day community for the first time. The leaders, Annette, John, Reggie and yours truly look forward to getting to know each of you and to building our community together.
I am designated the chaplain for our journey. The Pilgrimage can be emotionally powerful in ways we cannot anticipate. I know from personal experience. In addition, events may occur at home that require a sympathetic ear. These are impossible to predict, but almost certain to occur for one or more of us. Please know that all four of us want to be available to you in ways that will make this a remarkable and transformative experience.
We are honored that you are each joining us.
The Reverend James (Jim) Hobart
Itinerary
Here is an overview of our itinerary as it stands now. We will be providing each of you a folder that will have a printed copy of the itinerary so feel free to leave this one with your loved ones. We've included the hotel names and addresses so they'll know where you will be each night.
This itinerary is not set in stone, so we ask for your flexibility, especially around times. You'll notice that we have a couple of early evenings and a few full ones. We hope the balance will allow you time to process what you've seen and heard, get to know each other, or just have some quiet time.
Learning resources
We will have a library of civil rights movement and anti-racism focused resources on the bus. We encourage you to check out a book that interests you and read a chapter or two at night. We know you probably won't finish it but, hopefully, you'll gain a deeper undersanding of what you're seeing and hearing during the day. Here's the list of what we'll have available.
If you're into social media, or even if you're not and you'd like to learn, we appreciate all the tweeting, Facebooking, Instagramming, and what ever other social media 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 and your own memories. Please use hashtag #LLP16 so we can identify your posts and share them on the Living Legacy Pilgrimage platforms.
That's all for now. Questions? Feel free to contact us at livinglegacypilgrimage@gmail.com.
See you in Memphis! We can't wait to get started. Safe travels!
Living Legacy Pilgrimage Planning Committee
The Reverend James A. Hobart
John Harris
Reggie Harris
Annette Marquis
