This post is a joint contribution by students Megan Griffin and Lilly West
At 3:30 a.m. on January 2nd, we hit the ground running as we boarded the shuttles to head to Bradley International Airport for our 6 a.m. flight to Atlanta, GA. After a 2 ½ hour flight with periods of turbulence, we landed in Atlanta on time around 9 a.m. We claimed our bags and boarded our fully equipped bus with longtime One America driver James to head to Spelman College. After arriving at the historical black all-female
college, the sister school to Morehouse College which is the alma mater of Civil Rights activist Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we took the opportunity to tour their campus. While speaking with Officer Johnson, a Spelman employee for nearly 30 years, and senior psychology student Precious, we gained perspective into life at an all-female college in the South.
After lunch, we made our way to the World of Coca-Cola where we were faced with their polar bear mascot towering over us and over 100 flavors of cola from around the world. Many students took on the challenge to taste them all, but few succeeded. Enamored by the antique bottles and advertisements showcased, we were able to connect the progress of the Coca-Cola Company to our knowledge regarding reconstruction and industrialization in the South following the Civil War.
Upon completing our tour and taste testing of vibrant sodas, we headed to Sweet Georgia’s Juke Joint for some signature southern dishes accompanied by live entertainment, courtesy of the Brittany Bloom Band. Whether the students opted for fried chicken and grits or grilled trout and green beans, the atmosphere of this iconic restaurant successfully ended our immersion into the south on our first day in Atlanta.
