An Explorative Learning Experience

By Mark Endo ’18
Mark Endo ’18 shares his experience from a special kind of field trip.
On Friday, January 19, I was given the tremendous opportunity to attend a Los Angeles Institute for the Humanities event and hear from the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Heather Ann Thompson. She explained the context, circumstances, meaning and implications of her book Blood in the Water: The Attica Prison Uprising of 1971 and Its Legacy.

Thompson takes a historian’s view on the rampant problem with the criminal justice system, and she investigates its human rights violations. The Attica Prison uprising is a glaring example of mistreatment in the criminal justice system and the unfortunate reality of our government’s shortcomings. The first day of the uprising was hectic, but it soon formed into an organized negotiation to improve the prison’s appalling living conditions. While prisoners thought they were making progress, the FBI was feeding rumors to troops and planning to retake the prison by force. The state ultimately overtook the prison, killing both prisoners and hostages. The military continued by retaliating and carrying out unspeakable acts against the surviving prisoners. At the same time, the state began twisting the story to antagonize prisoners. Those in power hid and distorted the story for decades. Thompson spent thirteen years working on the book, compiling information and digging up evidence against the government. Her work is inspiring for young writers yet haunting for supporters of the justice system.

The event gave me an unparalleled opportunity to converse with a diverse group of passionate and experienced individuals. Dr. Amy Parish introduced me to an Oscar-nominated filmmaker, LA Times classical music critic, University of Southern California physics and astronomy professor, and many others with their own specialties. The event could be characterized by a sense of intellectual inquiry and social responsibility. Each fellow brought their own outlook and experiences to the event. Together, the fellows wanted to learn from each other and share their active academic and civic lives. I especially enjoyed talking to David Freeman, a screenwriter and author. He shared with me his outlook on education and the value of an explorative learning experience. Glimpsing into his life gave me a greater perspective on my own inquiries and life passions.

I want to thank Dr. Amy Parish and the rest of LJCDS for allowing me to attend the event. I am constantly amazed by all the opportunities that this school has to offer, and I feel lucky to be a part of a community so dedicated to its students. When I look back on my high school years, I will remember moments like this where I was able to go beyond the classroom to explore my interests and formulate opinions of the world around me.
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