Shortly after that interaction with Mayor Pete, I finally met up with Christin.

When I arrived on Western Avenue, I was immediately swept up by the excitement of it all.

I wasn’t sure what kind of welcome I would receive upon returning to South Bend for Best. Wednesday. Ever.

It’s a 10 hour straight-shot from my great aunt & uncle’s homestead in rural Arkansas to South Bend, Indiana, but my travels have taught me that the best route between two points is rarely the most direct one.

White American men were thrust into the spotlight and put under widespread scrutiny following the election of President Trump in 2016.

Somewhere along the way, the experience of exploring these communities and hearing the stories of the people from them, shifted my gaze inwards and led me to embrace a certain, contemplative solitude in Northwest Arkansas.

I was staying in the annex of my Great Aunt Sue and Great Uncle Steve’s historic hitching post-turned-family home and nursery in Garfield, Arkansas, when I made the promise to Christin.