And the last shall be first.
The Brown-II cohort—the last ILC cohort to depart this year—gathered at El Cerrito HS at 3:50 AM this morning. Most arrived early, a few were late but all were there and ready to strut their stuff in Providence.
By now they had all heard and knew what to expect when they arrived: show their ID’s and med cards, weigh their luggage, put on their new luggage tags, receive their itineraries and listen to the last minute instructions about room descriptions and blogging.
What they really wanted to know, though, was why they had to stand in the cold when by rights they should still be snuggled in the warmth of their beds. And, as I felt the wind cut through my own body, I was asking the same question. This was one of those questions we ask knowing we’d get no answer.
Before positioning themselves for the obligatory photos, I offered to fill their goodie bags with red and grape vines to hold them over on their lengthy trip east. Their chaperone, Tiffani Neal, had put together her own care packages of healthy foods—fruit and energy bars—so there were few takers for the unhealthy snacks I offered.
The Brown-II cohort is comprised only of ladies and they’re all enrolled in the Women & Leadership class at Brown. While there they will be educated about their true value in society and will learn that the only thing keeping them back is their own unwillingness to step forward and lead from the front.
When they arrive late on this Saturday they’ll meet up with Komal Kumar—the Brown-I cohort—who arrived one week earlier to take a DNA Based Biotechnology course. They’ll also meet up with Komal’s chaperone Margaret Maher before she heads home on Sunday.
As always, we look forward to reading the blogs of these ladies as they become a part of a world they’ve only read about.
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