I sat down on one of the couches in Ebrik Coffee Room and started my day. I am currently a college student, so my daily check list usually involves finishing homework and studying for various tests. I chose Ebrik as it is a short walk from my dorm, has great coffee, and is large with many open spaces to sit.

            The room had a very urban tone to it, as the tables and chairs seemed metallic, aside from the couches in the back. The environment felt raw, as there were no ceiling tiles, and just the metallic scaffolding above. The lights were small and bright, with an incandescent glow. The lack of fluorescent lighting made the space feel more homely, contrasting with the furnishing choices. It worked somehow. All the patrons were minding their own business, and there was an unstated agreement not to bother one another. Everyone was so immersed in their own work that the sounds of the coffee shop muffled together to almost create a quasi-white noise that helped me concentrate on my work. There were students, businessmen, tourists, and coffee enthusiasts all in one place. Yet still not one person was concerned with anyone else but themselves and their friends. There was nothing separating anyone via race, social status, wealth, etc. Ebrik felt completely and utterly unique in the moment, like there was no coffee shop in the world like it. I feel drawn to coffee shops constantly because every single local shop has its own completely unique vibe and feel, no matter where it is. (With the exception of corporations like Starbucks, Dunking Donuts, etc.) The only similarity is that they usually serve great coffee and, again, there is nothing separating the people there.

            Coffee shops are significant to me as they let me feel completely independent. No one is concerned with my actions, as I am not concerned with anyone else. Coffee shops, especially Ebrik, offer a neutral environment to bask in, whether it be simply to grab a cup of coffee, study for an exam, or talk with friends. This contrasts with the GSU library as it is meant for reading and academic studies mainly.

            This coffee shop connects to my societal issue of global warming as there are constant reminders of how green the shop is. For example, I am currently sipping through a paper straw, sitting next to a couch made of 100% recycled material. To my left are many bags of organically produced coffee beans, and a large electric grinder to grind the beans. The cup that I am drinking out of is completely recyclable as well. There are so many examples of small actions being taken by a local shop to ensure that they can leave as little a carbon footprint as possible so that people do not have to relocate from areas affected by global warming in the future. This should be taken as an example for bigger corporations to abide by in order to make a larger scale effort to reduce our carbon footprint. In a more social context, Ebrik serves as a place where everybody is considered equal. The one thing separating people at Ebrik is what type of beverage they order, otherwise everyone is known as a patron of the shop. It simply does not matter what you look like, where you are from, and even what your political beliefs are. There is no time or place for that here. Everyone has something that they need to get done, and this is the place to do that without intervention from other people. Everything about Ebrik is balanced and neutral, as nothing is being forced. There is no place for Judgement, nor is it accepted. Privacy is a priority, and it flourishes in coffee shops.

Dear Representative John Lewis,

     This section of March: Book Three detailed the horrific acts of the government, police, and citizens in the fight for equal voting rights. We first see the difference in voting procedures between a white male and black female. We see the white male being treated like a human being, able to cast his vote with much ease, with voluntary help from the employees. Immediately we see the stark difference when the Black women was forced to take a literacy narrative, and the overall illustration became more corrupt and wild as the employees were yelling slurs and cheering her on to leave. It felt almost impossible to vote in that moment. We then see the actions taken by SNCC and other civil rights organizations to combat this, through protests, Freedom Day, the Dallas City Courthouse Demonstration, Freedom Votes, SNCC meetings, etc, detailed vividly in the text.

    These actions helped me understand the full extent of the prevalence of inequality in the 1960s. The smaller details that were shown in the illustrations were very impactful. These included black voters having to count the number of jellybeans in a jar, not being able to serve in a restaurant you own stock in due to skin color, and the anger of a police officer as a black man used a public restroom that was not segregated. All of these details were mentioned casually, catching me off guard. I wonder why none of the SNCC volunteers questioned what they would have to go through. 

    In order to stop actions like this in the future, we need to continue doing what was done in the book, and speak out. By speaking out intently, we can make a statement to those who still value inequality.

#Protest #JohnLewis #March #Equalityforall

Thank You,

Naveen Thourani