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I'm Major Jackson and this is the slowdown. In seventh grade, my teacher, Mrs. Neismith instituted Current Affairs Friday. The Philadelphia Inquirer printed an abridged

version of its newspaper for classroom use which we read every week. Sometimes Mrs. Neismiff projected slides that came with the paper.

I can still hear the clicking sound of the carousel. She quizzed us in the dark as the faces of

world leaders, celebrities, and sports figures filled the room. Usually, we read articles out loud,

then split off into opposing groups to argue a position.

Depending on the topic, some students were deeply impassioned, others were age appropriately

ambivalent.

I remember James Tyler's voice rising as he spoke about the death penalty and

Janet Mayer making an argument for saving American hostages in Iran.

Christian Heather gave an enthusiastic presentation on leg warmers as a fashion trend.

I mostly stared out a window, marveling at my friends deeply held beliefs, their acute observations.

I hadn't known that they were politically roused by issues or thought intently about culture.

It was one of the distinct moments where I felt myself leaving our childhood of Naria Care in the World.

We were becoming concerned citizens, members of our community.

Some of us, you could argue, were becoming,

dare I say it, woke.

We were moving into that language of burgeoning awareness.

Some people shrug at today's headlines, as others have shrugged at past political struggles.

We are asked to educate ourselves to address so much.

...