St. Agnes senior finds perspective
Bridges has been working with young people in Memphis for more than 90 years.
Today, with its Bridge Builders program, Bridges inspires thousands of diverse youth from different socioeconomic backgrounds across the MidSouth each year, helping them appreciate differences, strengthen leadership and individuality and encourage them to work for change in their communities. They are empowered to reach across, lead the way and build our community.
Grace Winburne, 17, is a senior at St. Agnes Academy who is active in the Christian Brothers High School theater program and skates for Delta’s Angels, Memphis’ only junior Roller Derby league. Bridge Builders, she says, has given her a better un- derstanding of the perspectives of others.
How did Bridge Builders transform you?
Before, I could pretend that I knew what I was talking about when it came to how certain issues affected people in our community. Now that I’ve spent so much time with Bridge Builders, I know what people are going through, and I understand how certain changes affect them and their families. I see how we are all connected.
What have you learned about your fellow Bridge Builders that surprised you?
It surprised me how alike we all are. We come from different backgrounds, but we’re all teenagers. We worry about relationships, clothes, movies and music—things that won’t really be that important later but mean the world now. Bridge Builders stresses how dif- ferent we all are, but when you take away the fact that we go to different schools and live in different parts of town, we’re all high school students. We’re all the same.
What did you learn about yourself that most surprised you?
It surprised me how comfortable I felt in a group of people I’ve never met before. We all worked so well together, and everyone had a special place in my group. The fact that I played an important part in that group, and when it was necessary I could take the lead on any given challenge, was a wonderful surprise to me.
If you had the opportunity to address any Memphis leader, who would it be and what would you say to them?
I would tell all of our public officials and leaders in our city, “Thank you. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to trying to make our city the best it can be.”
How are you using the beliefs and values you’ve learned at Bridge Builders in your daily life?
I’m more open to change in my community. I’ve become a better problem solver as well.
How can you and other Bridge Builders change the city of Memphis today?
I think we can change how people view our city. There’s more to Memphis than what most people see in the news. I think that Bridge Builders see that, and we have the drive to make people outside of Memphis see the city as we do.