Name: Luca Chou

Social Justice Group: 2023-2024, Gun Violence Epidemic: NYC and USA

Date of Fieldwork: January 12, 2024

Name of Organization and person (people) with whom you met and their title(s):United Nations

Type of Fieldwork: [69]

What I did and what I learned about my topic, activism, social justice work or civil and human rights work from this fieldwork?:

On January 12th, 2024, the 8th grade at LREI went to the United Nations office in NYC to learn more about their Social Justice Project. While at the UN we were given a tour by one of their tour guides and were able to see plenty of informational pieces of art and special rooms. On the trip we saw many different artifacts, for example, one that came from the Hiroshima bomb site. The coolest thing for me was getting to see the three government rooms that UN leaders meet in and discuss important topics. This was very interesting for me because I got to be in the same room as very powerful people and it was very special to learn about its history.

Something that I saw at the UN that related to my SJ topic was the Non-Violence statue that lived outside the main entrance. This piece of art was given to the United Nations HQ by Carl Fredrik Reutersward a Swedish artist. This sculpture depicts a 45 caliber-revolver with it’s barrel tied in a knot. The main message it’s trying to give is the vision of a peaceful world and having it placed at the UN where they decide human rights is very impactful. Although the statue is also a memorial to John Lennon, one of Carl’s friends who tragically died. This statue relates to our SJ topic because it shows how tragic gun violence is and how many people want peace in the world.