In March 2026 high school students from across Western New York traveled together to Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) Legacy Sites and Selma, Alabama for an experience that changed how they see history, leadership, and themselves.

They walked across the Edmund Pettus Bridge. They stood inside the Legacy Museum. They engaged in honest conversations about justice, courage, empathy, and the responsibility we all share in shaping a better future.

For many of the students, this was more than a trip — it was a turning point.

Students returned home with greater confidence, deeper understanding, and a stronger sense of purpose. They have become leaders in their schools and communities, carrying forward lessons that cannot be learned from a textbook alone.

Most importantly, many students would not have had the opportunity to participate without financial support.

Our goal is to continue this trip every year and offer the opportunity to every student who wants to participate without cost being a barrier.

Your donation helps provide transportation, lodging, meals, program costs, and scholarships so every student can participate.

These experiences inspire students to return home with a deeper understanding of leadership, empathy, and civic responsibility — empowering them to make a meaningful difference throughout the Western New York community. Students leave motivated to lead conversations, build bridges across differences, serve their schools and neighborhoods, and become thoughtful change makers who strengthen the future of our region through compassion, understanding, and action.

Alabama/EJI Student Leadership Trips

Support Student Trips to EJI and Selma, AL

Team Members