Why We will always Remember
The International Girls Academy, through a mini-grant by the Global Youth Justice Center, had the opportunity to host a 9/11 Training on Saturday, September 10, 2022, to help educate and empower the next generation about 9/11. Following up on this, on September 11, 2022, The International Girls Academy also had the opportunity to partner with the City of belleville to present essential workers with certificates and a flag with all the names of family members and loved ones during 9/11. This day is something that the generations to come shouldn't forget. Although I wasn't born when this event occurred, I'm glad I've had the opportunity to learn more about this horrific day to pass on this knowledge to my family, friends, and the next generation of leaders.
Throughout the weekend, we had the opportunity to reflect on our understanding of 9/11 through interview questions and reflections with IGA girls Gaelle, Emma, and Joudi.
What does 9/11 mean to you and your community?
Gaelle
September 11, 2001, has a broad reflection on my community which means it can't be described in a short answer. It impacted many families that lived in Manhattan, families that were staying in New York, families that had workers on the west side of the Pentagon, rescue workers, and many others. To my community, 9/11 is not just a date but a day of remembrance of death, destruction, loneliness, desperation, and hope. I was born after 2001, and since then, I have been taught more and more about what happened. To me, 9/11 represents a day when many hearts were broken but also marked a change in the future of the United States.
Emma
A lot of people in my community have been affected by 9/11. For example, this Friday, every teacher told us a bit about their experience and where they were at the time this attack occurred. We also had a moment of silence in homeroom to remember those lost in the attack. Everyone had a story and a loved one they feared. Since this is such a big deal for our school, we learn about it every year, and all the details are engraved in our heads and hearts.
Jodi
9/11 was an unforgettable event in American history that altered lives and mindsets during the 21st century. New York City was never the same again. To me, 9/11 symbolizes the beginning of change. Every year, our schools educate us on the critical stories of survivors. We hear their stories to learn about the different perspectives of what people endured that day. Workers from the towers, firefighters, police officers, and more risked their lives to save others. New York City has a different history, but the community on that day remembers 9/11 as a city of catastrophe, a home trapped under a smoke-filled dome, and a terror-filled land.
Think about the story of the Survivor Tree– what symbols or words come to mind when you think of what it stands for?
Gaelle
When I think of the Survivor Tree, the words that come to my mind are "Hope," "Life," and "Love." In the end, those rescuers and volunteers who found the Survivor Tree and believed it could get better made it glow. They decided to send it to a park so it could get better; now, the Survivor Tree stands as a symbol of hope after receiving life, love, and care. The Survivor Tree represents the resilient souls who fought to make way for others. It also describes the roots of those who passed away and those who spread awareness about 9/11.
Emma
As I made the Tree, a few words popped into my head. These include hope, healing, resilience, the human spirit, perseverance, and overcoming the odds. In a way, the Tree symbolizes how it was knocked down after the 9/11 attack. By healing and helping each other, we were able to persevere. The Tree grew much taller than its initial height, which symbolizes us. Everyone had each other's backs which testifies to the human spirit.
Jodi
The words that come to mind are persistence, resilience, confidence, and hope. The Survivor Tree represents life. Even when things become problematic or impossible, we stand tall. You are a life worth standing for. You can survive through anything, just like the Tree on that catastrophic day called 9/11. The way that trees provide for us to breathe clean air, you provide people the strength and wisdom they need. And that strength was necessary to save thousands on 9/11.
What does service mean to you as it relates to the world trade center?
Gaelle
Regarding the World Trade Center, I believe service means Empathy and Strength. The two combined is what everyone, including first responders and civilians, showed on that day. Being able to feel the pain of not only yourself and others and still go out of your way to make sure that they are all right or to see if there is anything you can do is what reflects Empathy. The strength of those families and individuals that hold on to the end not knowing if their loved ones are okay or those who knew/had a feeling that their loved ones were not okay and still pushed through is an act of bravery. Service is holding out in the moment of hopelessness.
Emma
Service means helping in the ways you know how to help. For example, retired firefighters would come to the scene and help. The people in the buildings themselves would help each other to survive. In the first woman's story we listened to, she mentioned that her friend Andy opened her home. To me, that's also an act of service; Andy was helping in any way she could. Even though that might not seem like the biggest deal, ordinary people did extraordinary things in the name of service. They refused to leave anyone behind.
Jodi
Service is assisting others through times of need or helping them when you want to. Giving your time is one of the most incredible things you can do to change someone's life. This applies to the people that ran out of their homes and vehicles to take people across the river to safety. Some people rushed into buildings or carried people out of the rubble, even when they were not on duty. On 9/11, service defined the act of saving lives!
How will future generations never forget what happened on 9/11?
Gaelle
There are many ways to carry on the traditions of remembering those during and after 9/11. I believe one of the ways that we can make sure future generations don't forget is the severity of 9/11 and the people impacted by it. The second way is to make certain places like the 9/11 Museum don't ever close. It teaches and reflects a lot about what happened that day, and just like the frontiers, this is also a part of America's history.
Emma
If students keep hearing stories and being taught about the event, they will never forget it. Every year my school goes through the process of telling us stories and showing us videos. We understand how real and horrific that event was even though we never lived it. For future generations to never forget, we must continue to teach and inform the public every year about 9/11. We also must stress the importance of never forgetting history so it doesn't repeat itself.
Jodi
Future generations cannot forget the images captured from the Pentagon and Twin Towers. The smoke that flew over the buildings and pictures of people sprinting in ash is worth a thousand words. Videos of stories were made, terms from President Bush were announced, and videos of this day were recorded. Stories from survivors are passed down, as maybe people's families were there on that day to share with their loved ones. We even have museums dedicated to honoring the victims that lost their lives and a memorial in New York City.
Any further reflections?
Gaelle
The event happened on an ordinary day for most and ended with a tragedy; this event has taken many lives and continues to take lives today as there are people still dealing with the aftermath. The events of 9/11 should never be forgotten and mocked. This day will also always be a day to remember those who drove up to the Manhattan shoreline and proceeded to evacuate people, not leaving anyone behind. There are many sides to the story, whether it be those on the ground, the Air aviation traffic people, Americans, and the people on the other sides of the world.
Emma
Sometimes it is easy to forget that this event happened. And since the younger generation (like myself) didn't live through it, we sometimes don't realize how tragic this was. But pictures and footage of 9/11 show how real and terrible it was. We see the destruction and devastation in which we need to put ourselves. We need to put ourselves in people's shoes and realize how scary it must've been. We will never forget if we keep showing present and future generations related videos and photos of 9/11.
Joudi
Some people's mindsets will never be the same after 9/11. People were traumatized, and there was a stigma against Middle Eastern people, assuming they were all terrorists. Today, we know that not every Middle Eastern person is here to inflict harm. But during that time, people chose to be fearful.
What are your top 11 takeaways from 9/11?
Gaelle
• One event can impact many people.
• Remembrance is just as important as surviving any moment.
• People never forget.
• Hope after a disaster is what you make out of the disaster.
• Not everyone, when faced with death, will remain selfish.
• The Towers symbolized an excellent economy, and we did not give up after its destruction.
• You will sometimes be surprised by the compassion some people have.
• It is okay to be scared.
• There is always someone willing to help.
• You are never alone, don't be afraid to reach out.
• Healing takes time
Emma
• We can overcome anything.
• Coming together is so important for things like this.
• Always help in any way.
• Being grateful to live another day is essential.
• If you are resilient, you will bounce back even stronger.
• Healing together is important.
• You are not alone.
• We are all in this together.
• We can't let this happen again.
• We can't forget.
• People are selfless.
Jodi
• It is important to honor the lives that saved others.
• Although it may be easier to forget, it is important to remember that although it scared people, it brought them together.
• There is no shame for those who left New York City for good.
• There is always hope.
• No life can be replaced.
• You are strong.
• Not everyone is a bad person.
• Miracles happen.
• There is always room to rebuild and regrow.
• It's okay if you feel sad every 9/11.
• Time might pass, but remembrance is everything.
