Americans hold in common the aspiration for “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” for all. But our widely differing pasts and presents create multiple American narratives. The cohort will journey together to the US South for a pilgrimage that will both uncover this shared past and build a new future. 

We will join conversations with Indigenous communities along Louisiana’s bayous, and with modern–day civil rights leaders in Selma. We will engage spiritually with faith leaders in Jackson, Mississippi, and meet with educators and entrepreneurs in New Orleans and Montgomery. You will not only be inspired from meaningful encounters with places and people prominent in the Civil Rights Movement, but also enjoy a deep appreciation for homegrown American music and cuisine. 

This pilgrimage will provide you with the tools, relationships, and inspiration to wrestle with a more complete telling of the American story. With it, we can better work to heal the racial injustice, inequality, and political polarization that plague our nation today. 

We engage with a variety of opportunities that prompt exploration, listening, learning, and connection. These include: 

- Meeting with peacemakers from the civil rights leaders and movement builders to nonviolence educators. We also meet with public historians, artists, and community stakeholders. 

-Visits to museums and historic sites that focus on crucial aspects of our history. 

- Participation in a Kingian Nonviolence training. 

- Learning about local culture through art and cuisine. 

- Sharing space and meals with locals from diverse communities. 

Will I be able to apply what I learn in my community even if I don’t live in the South? 

Through a trip with ReStory US, we come to understand how we are all connected though a history that has shaped the formation of every community in this country. As such, it gives us a holistic vision for how we might heal not only ourselves, but our communities as a whole. 

Who will lead this trip? 

Yvonne Therese Holden

Yvonne is a Chicago native who is based in New Orleans. She is energized by finding the threads that connect us to each other. Before joining Telos, she served as the Director of Visitor Experience and Operations at Whitney Institute, a non-profit whose mission is to educate the public about the history and legacies of slavery in the United States on the historic site of Whitney Plantation. There she witnessed how history has the power to facilitate profound transformation. Through her career she has worked in and with organizations to ensure and advance equity and diversity through her roles in operations, human resources, and program development. In these roles she prioritized embedding care practices and diversity awareness in organizational structure.

What does the cost of this trip cover? 

The cost of the trip covers everything within the itinerary, such as Telos staff, meals, snacks, accommodations, transportation, museum and historic site admissions, and guest honorariums. 

*Costs do not cover flights. This is the responsibility of each participant.*

Arrival Airport

Where? New Orleans, LA (MSY)

When? On or before June 26, 2024

Departure Airport

Where? Montgomery, AL (MGM)

When? Evening on July 3, 2024

Host Hotels

New Orleans, LA: Hyatt Centric French Quarter

Jackson, MS: Westin Hotel

Selma, AL: St. James Hotel

Montgomery, AL: StayBridge Suites