Gandhi Brigade: Terp Service Weekend

By:         Domonique Reed

  Junior Community Health Major

  SPH Student Ambassador

Each spring semester, the University of Maryland holds a Terp Service Weekend where hundreds of University of Maryland students have the opportunity to do service in the local community. One of the local programs that students from the University of Maryland had the opportunity to serve was a non-profit organization called the Gandhi Brigade.

Mahatama Gandhi is a renowned leader who devoted his life to fighting for the justice and equality of mankind, with the results of peace of mind. The Gandhi Brigade organization has taken Gandhi's philosophy to heart and is dedicated to helping young people “realize their inner and collective power to become the champions of the common good.”

The Gandhi Brigade allows young people to use media arts as a medium to express important messages on social justice. Youth members of the Gandhi Brigade created and produced a public service announcement on the cost of college tuition.

The Gandhi Brigade is located on the fourth floor of City Place Mall, in downtown Silver Spring, Maryland. On Saturday, April 20^th, six other Terps and I visited the Gandhi Brigade with our artistic caps on. We were given the task of designing and painting a mural that would be on the front entrance of the organization. 

Our goal was to create a mural that would attract new youth and reflect the work of its current members. Although our mural was not completed during our time there, we gave the youth a good foundation on which they can build.