Focus On… Andiamo
During my semester in Seoul, I received an email from Newhouse Syracuse listing an opportunity to work on a World War II documentary. Now, I didn’t believe I had the best knowledge on the subject matter but what I offered was a willingness to learn and contribute towards the production. I thought I’d throw my hat in the ring and see what happens. For me, my biggest drawing point for assisting with the documentary was understanding the complexities of war and conflict. As a storyteller, these are fundamental building blocks to understanding the people and ultimately worlds we create.My perception of what I thought I’d be doing versus the actual reality were starkly different.
I watched Disneys’ Luca on the way back from Seoul in preparation for the trip. Maybe I thought it was essential to see an animated form of Italy before arriving in the real Italia. As If the continuing to be reminded by the universe that I’m right where I’m supposed to be. The teen I sat next to on the plane from Miami to Rome had just graduated from highschool. When I asked him what college he was going to, he gleefully responded, “Syracuse”. Of course he was.
Our WWII documentaries focused on one with the Tuskegee Airmen and the other on a senator's experience with the war. We had a quick stay in Rome with probably some of the best pasta I’ve ever had . Pasta amatriciana is one the four traditional pastas in Rome.
Salerno to Naples to Anzio and back to Rome. I had some of the best pizza while moving from location to location. While my mind eagerly looked forward to filming, so did my tastebuds as we had such authentic Italian cuisine readily available to us.
Throughout our filming, we worked hard as production assistants even though we never felt limited to that role.
Our director and cinematographer made sure that we felt like valued team members assisting with the production of this treasured project .We captured footage atop Mt. Vesuvius. That’s the volcano that buried the city of Pompeii.
Location scouted.
Set up mics and cameras for interviews.I even got to be interviewed for the Tuskegee Airmen documentary. It’ll air on PBS next spring.
All in all, It never felt extremely draining to do the work I was doing. It was fulfilling because I got to help bring to life the stories of those who’ve fought and perished for our freedom. What really had a profound impact on me was learning more about the Tuskegee airmen and their legacy. These men played a huge role in shaping the Black experience in America and the world. They were first African American soldiers to successfully complete their training and enter the Army Air Corps. Even though they made it into the Army Air Corps, they had to be seperate from their white counterparts. Visiting the airfield they once inhabited was eerie. Some structures remained and I tried my best to imagine the feelings of the pilots in Italy.
They were around my age preparing and participating in War. What were their hopes and dreams? Were they nervous? Did they fear death, I sure as hell do. What really took my learning experience to the next level was meeting with the daughter of a Tuskegee airmen.
Hearing her story and understanding the weight of what this legacy means to her reminded me of my role in continuing to do the work. Now, that doesn’t mean I want to be a pilot but I’d like to do what they’ve done-shape culture.
Thanks to Newhouse and the World War II Foundation, I ventured to Europe for the first time and got an in-depth look into settings where tumultuous battles took place, air raids occurred and where sea landings happened. More importantly, I was heavily reminded that people who look like me have always shaped history, and it’s our job to ensure we always acknowledge that.
We rounded out our time in Italy decompressing in Rome as tourists. When in Rome,right. The Colosseum, Vatican, Trevi Fountain all proved to be just as gorgeous as you’d imagine. Somehow I found myself being the translator for my group in certain situations. Even though Italian and Spanish are two different languages, there were some similarities that allowed me to fínese my way around basic scenarios such as catching a taxi.
Saying bye to my crew was difficult, we’d been traveling together for the past 10 days.I know finding difficulty in leaving just means I really enjoyed it, but that doesn’t make it any easier.
I sat in the airport wondering, “what comes next”? I obviously had a flight booked but was in a daze as to how I should plan the next thing. Then I thought about Luca saying, “Andiamo”which means let's go. Sometimes things don’t need to be methodically planned out.I would go on to spend the weekend in Paris seeing sights I only dreamed of. Yes, I had a croissant and baguette.
As I neared the end of my Parisian weekend, the next part of my summer loomed- Study abroad part 2.That’s right, there is always room for more learning and exploration. With this being my final summer as a college student, I wanted to make the most of it. Filling it with as many cool and exciting opportunities as possible. That’s why I decided to head to Spain for a month and embark on an expedition to hone my spanish-speaking skills and also understand how this country influenced a part of my identity through its colonial past. How’s that sound? Valé? Bueno?Andiamo!