Norris Square Reflection

Yesterday's visit to the Norris Square gardens was a powerful way to connect what we've read about and discussed in class, especially regrading the connections between our identities and enviroments, to the real world. I think one of the great challenges of academia is shifting the focus from the theories and readings of the classroom to the real people and places they concern. This field trip bridged that gap, allowing us to see the ways that people dealt with our questions about environment and identity in their own lives and in their own ways. The gardens functioned as a visible representation of invisible identities and places far away from this North Philadelphia neighborhood. We've discussed how we can make unseen things, like history and certain identities, seen, particularly in regards to the Black at Bryn Mawr tour. This was also something I wrestled with in my paper on "Getting Mother's Body", as Billy had to confront the very real influences and consquences of Willa Mae's invisible legacy. I think this field trip provided our class with potential evidence towards answering some of our questions, as well as plenty of new questions and things to think about.