Feeling Great in Duluth!

Feeling great in Duluth!

This is Shannon and Marcus posting on behalf of Leila. We are incredibly proud! Leila biked farther than she’s ever biked before with grace and poise, from Hugo to Duluth in two days. Jay Cooke State Park was beautiful to bike through — canyon walls, waterfalls, wildflowers and raspberries. Her grandpa even got stung by a bee biking with her into Moose Lake. Accomplishing this personal challenge has fired her up for the social justice work that lies ahead!

On Tuesday night, Leila will be speaking at the Forward Global Women’s 2nd Global Convening at William Mitchell College of Law. Women peace makers from MN and the MENA (Middle East/North Africa) region will be meeting all week to work on increasing the role of women in global peace efforts. They’ve asked Leila to talk at their World Cafe event about what she is doing for her Bat Mitzvah. 

Barnum, MN

Sadie, Papa and Uncle Steve in Ffinn — taking a break.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We couldn’t have done it without the love and support of Sadie, Papa, Grammie Moon, Uncle Steve, and Auntie, and the comforts of Ffinn.

First Day Down!

Ready to Ride

 

On the Road…

And……We’re off!!!

We are in Finlayson, MN outside of Hinkley. The ride went exceptionally well, with the wind at our backs and a really nice bike trail. There was a feeling that we were heading into Land of Oz — the poppy fields, the yellow sumac leaves lining the road, it was beautiful! Can’t wait for tomorrow!

We’re off!!!

The Support Crew!

Water break!

Biking To Duluth At Last!

Last night I received a blessing from Rabbi Latz at my synagogue, Shir Tikvah. My family was there, and Ellen Kennedy also came, which was so nice! Rabbi Latz said beautiful things and my parents and Sadie gave me my tallit (prayer shawl) so that I can wrap myself up in it before my bike ride each morning and feel surrounded by the support of community and the blessings in my life.

My bike trip is tomorrow!

Wearing my tallit.

Summer Institute on Genocide & Human Trafficking

This week, I attended the World Without Genocide Summer Institute for High School Students on Genocide and Human Trafficking: from the Holocaust to Minnesota. It was an amazing experience! I met wonderful people who are doing great work in high school and college. I learned so much more about the problems facing people around the world and here in Minnesota. We heard lectures, saw videos, did small and large group projects, sang, and performed a play about human trafficking. I learned about the role of slave labor during the Holocaust, the history of the trafficking of Native American women and girls early in US history until today (this is a huge problem in MN and in Duluth!), slave labor in Cambodia, the trafficking of women, girls and boys in the US, and more. There is a lot of great work being done, and a lot of work to do! I am so grateful to Ellen Kennedy for inviting me to attend. I can’t wait to go back next year!

These are the genocide tents — each tent represents a genocide that has happened in history. At the Institute there were tents for Cambodia, Bosnia, the Holocaust, Rwanda, Native American, Congo.

In front of the Rwanda tent with Christie and Avalon

This is me  in front of the Holocaust tent with Myra.

Dew Rag

The bandana is a gift from my Grandma and Grandpa’s friend Rick.

This bandana was sent to me by my Grandma and Grandpa’s friend Rick who lives in Georgia. Rick has been incredibly supportive of me and I’m really grateful to him! Below is the email he sent me with the bandana (he gave me permission to post it here).

Dear Leila,

I have mailed my dew rag to you.

This is a special dew rag, having been purchased in San Juan, Costa Rico in 1991 just before my 2 week hike across Corcovado National Park in the southern part of the country. By the time this trip was over, my dew rag had performed well a number of tasks: wrapped around my balding head, it kept me from getting too much sunburn; dipped in cold water and tied around my neck, it kept me cool when the temps went up; it received fresh water from 200 foot high waterfalls and delivered it to a willing face; it held snacks; and it was present as an emergency bandage or tourniquet if needed (glad that need didn’t happen). I look at it now and it brings back memories of fabulous adventure where the abundant diversity of life exists in a tropical rain forest- monkeys, crocodiles, tropical fish, jaguars, toucan, macaw, parrot, roseatte spoonbill, tapir, sloth, golden orb spiders, birds of paradise, resplendent quetzal, anthills 5 feet high, fer de lance snakes and much, much more.

In the fullness of time, this dew rag has traveled the world- Alaska, Central Europe, the deserts and mountains of the Western USA, Mt. Olympus in Washington, Glacier National Park in Montana, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Grand Canyon, Mount Mitchell in North Carolina, Mt. Katahdin in Maine, the Gaspe peninsula in Quebec, Mt. Albert and Mt. Jacques Cartier in Gaspe, Prince Edward Island, numerous rivers, Acadia National Park in Maine, the Bahama island chain, the Florida Keys, sailing the Atlantic off the Eastern USA from Florida to Massachusetts and seeing America from sea to sea at 10,000 feet.

This dew rag, therefore, was a companion to a great adventure and is offered to you in that same spirit. You, too, are an adventuress, a seeker, and coupled with your curiosity and creativity, wonderful discoveries lie before you.

May you take this dew rag with you along as your companion and may it inspire you to live a life full of exploration and adventure.

Your Friend,

Rick Katz

The Count Down!

This is me just back from the longest bike ride yet! I’ll be attending the Summer Institute at World Without Genocide in a week, and then I leave the following Sunday for Duluth on my bike! The count down has begun!