The German Bundestag and U.S. Department of State are pleased to announce McKinleigh Lair as the June Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) U.S. Participant of the Month! McKinleigh, a CBYX Young Professionals program participant from Tulsa, Oklahoma and recruited by Cultural Vistas, is hosted by theHess family in Hanover, Germany.
One of McKinleigh’s favorite parts about CBYX is that it has given her the space to interact with Germans from a variety of ages, regions, and perspectives. She has relished the opportunities to better understand the complexities of Germany. After McKinleigh enthusiastically shared with local Germans about how her hometown has one of the largest Oktoberfest celebrations in the United States, one woman took the time to explain how Oktoberfest does not fully represent her culture. She felt that this Bavarian custom limits American perceptions of German culture. This type of insight into the differences between outward and inward views of a culture sparked in McKinleigh an idea for the internship phase of her CBYX program.
McKinleigh has been focusing her energies on strengthening the ties between the sister cities of Celle (close to her host city) and Tulsa, Oklahoma (her hometown). She is documenting life in Celle through photographs and videos, which will be exhibited in both cities.
With support from Celle’s mayor’s office, McKinleigh has been spending her time exploring the city, and interviewing and photographing local residents. Her photo series will focus on the ways American culture is echoed in Germany. She has photographed a variety of subjects, including a monster truck rally, target practice with the women’s shooting club, a group of recently settled Ukrainian migrants, and a house party thrown by young people studying oil and gas drilling. McKinleigh has been attending meetings at the local German-American Society, as well as interviewing Germans who have spent time in the United States and Americans who have immigrated to Germany. When she returns to the United States this summer, she plans to continue the project, investigating the ways that German culture materializes in the United States – such as Tulsa’s Oktoberfest. Ultimately, the images will be exhibited side-by-side in photo exhibitions in both Celle and Tulsa. She hopes someday to compile it into a book.
When she does not have a camera on hand, McKinleigh has been enjoying exploring Hannover’s green spaces by bike, connecting with her host father, knitting with her host mother, and eating far too much Brötchen (German bread rolls).
Congratulations, McKinleigh!
