THROUGH THE SIMPLE ACT OF TRAVEL
A student-led organization whose mission is to build familiarity of foreign cultures and break down stereotypes in order to create compassion and understanding around the globe. Our belief is that no other act can so powerfully promote this worthwhile cause than the simple act of travel.
We establish virtual connections among high school students in Birmingham, Alabama, with students in other parts of the world to learn about and share cultural differences. Our ultimate goal is to raise enough funds annually that allows a team to travel abroad to partner schools and experience their lives first-hand.
By breaking out of our comfort zones, we are overcoming prejudices about other people, cultures and religions. And when we walk a mile in someone else's shoes we see them differently, we respect them more and realize that we all have a role to play in making the world a more tolerant, compassionate place.
The idea for Beyond Birmingham as an organization came out of a passion I discovered while working on a TedExYouth Talk in 2016. After the presentation was over, I didn't want the concept to stall...And voila! - BeyondBirmingham.org was born!
Last year I was able to test the concept of Beyond Birmingham on a trip to Tver, Russia, where I connected with and spoke to students at two high schools to gain their insights on the initiative. Their acceptance further validated the concept and re-energized my passion to move forward with creating the program this year.
Currently, we are building our team and developing a comprehensive marketing and business plan that will serve as a guide as we legitimize our cause both in our community as well as abroad. We are also seeking out sister schools across the globe to begin correspondence and engagement.
View the TedEx Youth Talk that started it all! Or read the full-length script on the "In My Own Words" page of this site.
3632 Westbury Rd, Mountain Brook, AL 35223, USA
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