Crossing the Divide: Peacebuilding on the Railways of America

As levels of polarization, distrust, loneliness, and violence increase in the United States, Professor Sarah Federman and the Kroc School of Peace Studies are seeking ways to offer students and the wider community productive, peaceful ways forward. Her path-breaking new practicum course “Crossing the Divide” will take 10 students across the country via Amtrak train to model curiosity and exploration at a time when many people want to pull back from fear.

The itinerary of the course encompasses traversing various societal chasms, including those between red and blue states, urban and rural communities, advocates of eco-friendly practices and proponents of fossil fuels, indigenous peoples and industries, incarcerated individuals, and those enjoying freedom, as well as between black and white communities, immigrants and long-term residents, and the concept of self and otherness. By immersing themselves in the rich diversity of America, participants will gain invaluable insights and perspectives.

Professor Federman shared her hopes for the practicum, “The course is both for the students and also for the students to model for others that at a time when you want to pull back, that is the last thing you have to do. You have to actually lean in and engage with other people.”

“By chance, we have a very diverse group…We are not promoting an agenda. We are really saying ‘Who are you? What matters to you?’ and share a little bit about ourselves. But it is not confrontational, it is not about changing people’s ideas, it is really about modeling genuine curiosity,” Federman added. 

Stops on this journey will include:

• Los Angeles will be the group's first stop where they will take a tour and learn about Homeboy Industries, who provide formerly incarcerated individuals the resources and opportunities to reintegrate into society.
• Tucson and Patagonia, Arizona, where the group will meet with experts on conservation, ecosystems, and borderlands. 
• Houston to tour Exxon’s main campus and meet with executives, along with Congressman Al Green who works on national reconciliation. 
• New Orleans to visit the Louisiana State Penitentiary and the Whitney Plantation. 
• Alabama, to travel to the Equal Justice Initiative Memorial and Museum in Montgomery, along with a visit to a Baptist Church in Birmingham.
• And finally, Washington DC, to explore Congress and various monuments and museums in our nation’s capital.

Between cities, they will absorb the landscape, talk to strangers, and read local papers. Cultivating a spirit of curiosity and care, the group will model how to reach out instead of allowing various political, market and socioeconomic forces to pull them apart. Leading by example, the students will serve as ambassadors of peace.

A truly unique experience, we want to ensure every interested student can participate. You can alleviate some of the burden for students. Will you join us in making a scholarship donation for the May 2024 Train Practicum?

For example, a donation of:

• $50 can help pay for a train ride from Houston to New Orleans
• $150 can help pay for a one-night hotel stay
• $450 can help pay for an overnight train ride from Los Angeles to Tucson

Thank you for your consideration, all-sized gifts truly make a difference. We look forward to sharing updates with you from the railway and throughout the trip.