Fellow Voices Archives - Elijah Cummings Youth Program in Israel

Walking Through History: How ECYP Shaped My Understanding of Leadership and Courage
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Walking Through History: How ECYP Shaped My Understanding of Leadership and Courage

Karla Press Porter2026-03-31T12:27:52-04:00

By Class of 2026 ECYP Fellow Kennedy My experiences traveling to Eastern Europe to learn about Jewish culture, as well as traveling down South to hear more about the civil rights movement, have shaped the kind of leader I want to become. On both trips, I was shown powerful examples of what strong leadership looks like—and the devastating consequences that arise when leaders or entire communities fail to act. Visiting Europe, especially Auschwitz, was a profound eye-opener. You could feel the weight of the horrors that took place there. Seeing the photographs of prisoners, the piles of [...]

Walking Through History: How ECYP Shaped My Understanding of Leadership and CourageKarla Press Porter2026-03-31T12:27:52-04:00

Seeing the Connections: A Journey Through Memory, Injustice, and Responsibility
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Seeing the Connections: A Journey Through Memory, Injustice, and Responsibility

Kathleen Hill2026-03-26T20:30:42-04:00

By Sam, ECYP Class of 2026 The parallels between the Holocaust and the institutions of slavery and Jim Crow are horrible, but remarkable. The institution of slavery relied heavily on the idea that people of African descent were less evolved or advanced than those of European descent. Even though genetic differences between races have been scientifically disproven time and time again, these ideas continue. The discrimination against Jews in 1930s Germany relied on the idea that Jews are an inferior race to that of the "Aryans". Still, there are those who believe that Jews are an inferior group to others. White supremacy ideology [...]

Seeing the Connections: A Journey Through Memory, Injustice, and ResponsibilityKathleen Hill2026-03-26T20:30:42-04:00

Witnessing Pain, Learning Resilience, Becoming a Leader
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Witnessing Pain, Learning Resilience, Becoming a Leader

Kathleen Hill2026-03-26T20:31:22-04:00

Autumn with Sarah Collins Rudolph By Autumn, ECYP Class of 2026 There are moments in life when history stops being something you read and becomes something you feel. For me, that moment happened at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. Walking through that space, surrounded by the names of men, women, and children who were victims of racial terror, I felt a weight that was both crushing and clarifying. I thought about how easily these stories could have been erased, how often our pain is minimized, and yet how powerfully our resilience endures. In that silence, I realized [...]

Witnessing Pain, Learning Resilience, Becoming a LeaderKathleen Hill2026-03-26T20:31:22-04:00

From Birmingham to Krakow: What ECYP Has Taught Me About Connection
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From Birmingham to Krakow: What ECYP Has Taught Me About Connection

Nancy Hanus2026-03-09T17:40:46-04:00

By ECYP Fellow Moss, Class of 2026 From Birmingham to Krakow, Selma to Prague, the Elijah Cummings Youth Program (ECYP) has taken me all over the world to connect with people and grow as a leader. Every story I’ve heard has pushed me to keep speaking up and to use my voice as a tool for change. When I think about our 2025 Eastern Europe trip and the 2026 Civil Rights Trip with the Social Justice Teen Fellowship program, I’m already noticing how many shared experiences come up when talking to people from different backgrounds. Even though the time periods and [...]

From Birmingham to Krakow: What ECYP Has Taught Me About ConnectionNancy Hanus2026-03-09T17:40:46-04:00

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