Anselmian B.R.E.A.K embodies the five core qualities that the letters stand for – Benedictine, Reflection, Education, Advocacy, Kinship. Campus Ministry describes B.R.E.A.K as “a week-long educational service immersion experience where Saint Anselm students have the opportunity to engage in social justice education, relationship building, and advocacy through the lens of our Benedictine identity.” In March 2024 nine Saint Anselm students participated in a B.R.E.A.K trip to Re-Member, a nonprofit organization on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota.
Nursing major Mary Kocev ’24 participated in B.R.E.A.K.’s trip to Re-Member. Re-Member works alongside the Oglala Lakota Nation on the Pine Ridge Reservation. Re-Member’s mission, as stated on their website, is to “improve the quality of life for those who live here, and provide meaningful opportunities to serve and learn for those who volunteer and support our work.”
Kocev said, “While we were there, we had the opportunity to learn from tribal members about Lakota spirituality, the story of the Wounded Knee Massacre, and various other topics. We helped make bunk beds and outhouses in the wood shop. We also split and delivered firewood, as most of the homes on Pine Ridge are heated by wood stoves.”
When asked to share a favorite moment or experience, Kocev reflected: “I enjoyed every single moment of the experience, but one that comes to mind was getting to see the Badlands. A significant portion of Badlands National Park is located within the Pine Ridge Reservation. Staff members from Re-Member took us on a short hike there to a place they call “The Sanctuary”. It was a gorgeous sunny day, and they allowed us to sit in silence for a little while. I had never experienced such profound silence before. I couldn’t hear any cars or airplanes. It was so quiet that I could hear my own heart beating.”
Kocev reflected on the five pillars of B.R.E.A.K, saying “I think education is a vital stepping stone to achieving solidarity.” She said that the most personally meaningful part of the experience to her has shifted over two years of participation. She said, “After experiencing the beauty and culture of Pine Ridge, I think education has become the most meaningful part of the B.R.E.A.K. experience to me.
“This program used to be called “Service and Solidarity” and while I think solidarity is a beautiful and important thing to reach for, we can never reach solidarity with another in just one week.
“However, we can educate ourselves on the ways in which other people live, the ways they have been treated, the ways they struggle, and the strengths they have. Education is extremely important for this specific B.R.E.A.K. experience and to Re-Member. Unfortunately, the stories of native people are often not told, or told from a colonist perspective.”
She added that every night that B.R.E.A.K. students spent at Pine Ridge Reservation, guest speakers visited to talk with and educate the B.R.E.A.K. group from a Lakota perspective. In true Anselmian fashion, Kocev said, “while I brought back many beautiful crafts and pieces of jewelry, the knowledge I gained is the most priceless thing I took home with me from Pine Ridge.
