Last month, seventeen Medic Mobile teammates from twelve cities and three countries came together in Montgomery, Alabama. Thanks to an extremely generous offer from one of our funders, our team was presented with the unique opportunity to visit the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration and the National Memorial to Peace and Justice.
The Museum and Memorial were created by the Equal Justice Initiative (EJI), a non-profit advocacy group based in Montgomery directed by Bryan Stevenson. They were opened to the public in April last year. Here are some reflections from our team…
“The museum presents information on the history of slavery, segregation, and mass incarceration, and brings to light the persistent and ingrained problem of racism in our society. Direct quotes from enslaved people, videos from the civil rights movement, and letters from people on death row lend a powerful, emotional voice that humanizes the exhibition and allows for a connection on a personal level.”
– Amanda Cilek, Interaction Designer
“James Baldwin once wrote, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.” The Legacy Museum and Memorial is an extraordinary gift to the world, especially to everyone who calls the United States home. It is an opportunity to really see our collective history, honor those who suffered and lost their lives to racial inequality, and face the injustices we continue to allow as a country today.”
– Jill Shah, Product Operations Manager
“Health, healing, and human-centered design is the focus of our daily work, and we’re often tempted to think of these concerns as a set of merely technical challenges. The Legacy Museum was a stark reminder of how the cause of human dignity and liberation has needed protest movements. It was helpful, and ultimately hopeful, how the museum helped us trace the history of racial terror lynchings and the ongoing scandal of mass incarceration to the strategy of nonviolent resistance in the civil rights movement.”
– Isaac Holeman, Co-founder and Research Lead
From our team at Medic Mobile, we want to extend an enormous thank you to our donor and everyone at the Equal Justice Initiative for their essential and pathbreaking work toward racial equality in this country. Our team is deeply grateful to have been lucky enough to visit.
To learn more about EJI, the Museum, and ways to get involved, visit EJI’s website. You can also find some recommended resources from our team below. As a final note, if you find yourself in or passing through Montgomery, Alabama, don’t miss out on the opportunity to visit this eye-opening exhibit!
Recommendations from our team:
- Watch the YouTube video introducing the museum
- Listen to Bryan Stevenson’s Ted Talk,”We need to talk about injustice.”
- Read Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
- Watch 13th on Netflix