Written by: Kevin Perez, Caminos al Futuro 2024
I woke up to the soothing sound of rain. In a rush, my roommate Alejandro and I had only 30 minutes to get ready. Sharing a one bathroom with three people didn’t make it easy! We caught Vex shuttle to the Cisneros Institute and grabbed a quick breakfast on the way. Once at Foggy Bottom, we walked to the White House for a self-guided tour of the East Wing. We explored its historic halls, including the State Dining Room and the Red, Blue and Green rooms.
After the tour, we went next door to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where we learned about the different experiences of Latine White House staffers and their career paths. They gave us some Hershey Kisses and a signed Declaration of National Hispanic Heritage Month. On our way back to the Institute, we were greeted by a light drizzle.
We had one-on-one check-ins to discuss our Community Action Project (CAP) and share our experiences in the city. After the check-ins, we took the Metro to the Library of Congress. We got a tour of the library and saw many historical pieces, such as the Gettysburg Address Exhibition. There were a variety of paintings in the building with a renaissance style architecture. After the tour, we had some free time to explore the library on our own and take some aesthetic pictures.
Later, my classmates and I worked on our CAPs for a while, and then it was dinner time. At Shenkman Hall, I got tilapia, roasted chicken, potato wedges and Cajun rice. Despite it being a tiring day, it was also a productive day!
Kevin Perez is a 2024 Caminos al Future Scholar. Kevin’s views are his own and not necessarily reflective of the Cisneros Institute.