Natalie’s 9/11 Day of Service

Sixteen years ago on September 11th, the sky went dark and with it so did the many faces around me in class. 9/11 will be a day that went down in history, and many lives were changed that day. No matter how old you were or no matter where you were during that day, we all smelled that aroma of fear in the air that was left in the aftermath. This day marked a day where we all came together as one and fought against our fears. This past Monday at our Take Action Table we had students write thank you letters to veterans to show our appreciation and gratitude for all of their hard work and service. It is important to not forget a day like this because it came with many lessons.

As new faces show up to Pace it seems as if the memory of 9/11 has come and gone. Especially since for incoming first-year students the memory of 9/11 isn’t a vivid one. Many of them were infants during the time it occurred and for them, it is now a history textbook lesson. Yes, it is important to keep that memory alive; mainly since it is one that hits so close to home. To this day there are many families and friends whose lives changed that day forever.

Even though 9/11 happened quite a few years ago, it is for that specific reason that it’s important that people look toward the future, but it’s also important that we never forget. We must never forget those who lost their lives, we must never forget the bravery of those who rushed in to help, and we must never forget those who were and are still affected by that tragedy. What happened on September 11th of 2001 should never be and will never be forgotten.

Written by Natalie Holguin

Student Outreach and Social Media Coordinator in the Center for Community Action and Research