This past weekend has been one of the most productive of my time with What’s The Story. We gave our pitches which enlightened me to the many different problems we encounter within Vermont. It also allowed me to gain confidence in my topic. Before the retreat, I wasn’t sure how many people were interested in my idea. After presenting and meeting in small groups for the first time, I noticed the growing interest in migrant workers. We made an immigration group which consisted of 10 people, and then we divided that large group into two smaller groups; one with a focus on education and another which focused on the migrants’ lives. I fell into the second group. I started working with Elsa, Nigel, Brad, and Brennan and we were able to structure out a solid plan for what we want to do as a group and our goals for this class.

On the other hand, I noticed that we started to form one large group. I believe that after presenting, fears were overcome and we had all stepped out of our comfort zone; some only took a step across the line while others went all-in. Everyone recognized this, and it allowed us to become closer. Furthermore, breaking out of our small groups enabled us to bond on a more advanced level.

My plan for the next few weeks is to search for answers to the critical questions that pertain to our topic. Also, I am trying to set up a meeting with Emilio, the ambassador to Mexico for the Boston/New England area. He is coming to Vermont for the mobile consulate and plans on meeting with some of the lawmakers to discuss problems that Mexicans face in Vermont. My hope is to set up a meeting with him and my WTS groups to learn about yet another perspective on this social injustice. In the long run, my plan is to continue with this project and make sure I am on top of all of my work. I know with sports and school this can be a difficult task, but I hope that with help from my group members, it will be accomplished.