I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams

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This trip changed how I see my future.

Student Participant

The Armstrong Leadership Program (ALP) hosted an incredible turnout on Tuesday, February 25, 2025, as we premiered a powerful short documentary at Richmond Hill, celebrating the transformative Cultural History Immersion Project (CHIP). This project led Armstrong High School students on a historic journey across four states. The 25-minute film highlighted the students’ reflections on their experiences as they explored key moments in African American history, from slavery to Reconstruction and the Civil Rights Movement.

The students traveled through Richmond, VA; Greensboro, NC; Atlanta, GA; and Tuskegee, Montgomery, and Selma, AL, visiting museums, historical sites, and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). Along the way, they engaged in cultural immersion, research, and interactive learning, gaining a deeper understanding of their heritage and personal leadership development.

The premiere attracted a passionate audience, including representatives from VCU Health Hub, the University of Richmond Bonner Center of Community Engagement, Richmond Public Schools, Child Savers, various churches, historians like Ben Campbell (co-founder), parents, and community members. After the documentary, the students who went on the trip participated in a thoughtful panel discussion, sharing their reflections and answering questions from the audience with impressive maturity.

Yvette Davis-Rajput, Executive Director of ALP, emphasized the program’s importance in shaping the community’s future leaders: “This journey was more than just a trip—it was an awakening. Our students are not only learning history but becoming the next generation of changemakers, carrying these lessons forward into their leadership.”

One student shared how the experience impacted them: “Walking across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, where so many fought for the right to vote, made me realize the responsibility I have to honor their sacrifices. This trip changed how I see my future.”

The event left the audience deeply inspired by the students’ remarkable journey and reinforced the power of history and education in shaping young minds. As ALP looks ahead, the program remains committed to providing transformative experiences that equip students with the knowledge and confidence to lead. This upcoming summer, the CHIP Initiative will continue exploring the history and culture of the Gullah culture in Beaufort and Charleston, SC. To support this project, please get in touch with Yvette Davis Rajput.

We are grateful to our many sponsors who made the CHIP Initiative of 2024 possible, including:

  • NextUP RVA
  • VCU Health Hub
  • St. Paul’s Episcopal Church
  • Cathedral of the Sacred Heart
  • Lydia Mercado
  • Chris & Denise Yates
  • Supporters of the Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser