National Cathedral stonemasons work to tell a more inclusive and honest history

The Washington National Cathedral hired its first female stonemason this year. She joins a team overseeing the installation of stone tablets that symbolize the cathedral’s mission to be a sacred gathering place where all Americans see themselves reflected. Bella Major has the story from the PBS News Student Reporting Labs.

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Geoff Bennett: Now to another story from the “News Hour”‘s Student Reporting Labs’ Summer Academy, where teens from around the country come together to hone their journalism and storytelling skills.

The Washington National Cathedral hired its first female stonemason this year. And she joins a team overseeing the installation of stone tablets that symbolize the cathedral’s mission to be a sacred gathering place where all Americans see themselves reflected.

Bella Major has the story.

Brianna Castelli, Stonemason, Washington National Cathedral: They are all my boys, Sean, and Andy, and Joe. I would not be here without them. And they all teach me something different. And I appreciate them so much.

Bella Major: Brianna Castelli is the newest addition to the crew of stonemasons at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. At 24 years old, she is the same age as the head stonemason Joe Alonso when he began working at the cathedral in 1985.

The team is repairing damage from the 2011 earthquake.

Brianna Castelli: So you basically cut out the damaged stone and then you find a new piece of stone to box the end.

Joe Alonso, Head Stonemason, Washington National Cathedral: I’m very glad she will be a part of that. Once we’re gone, here you go. And then here you go. And now here you go. And that’s how it works, passing on your trade, your knowledge to someone else, to the next generation.

Man: To make yourself obsolete as a teacher, that’s the goal.

Bella Major: Castelli discovered stonemasonry while working in a coffee shop.

Brianna Castelli: There was a guy that came in, and he was all covered in dust, and I was so taken by him. I don’t know why. Something clicked in my brain. And I was like, I got to do this.

Bella Major: She inscribes stones she carves with her mason’s mark, which stonemasons use to identify their work.

Brianna Castelli: So I love the physicality of that, and it’s just kind of like me putting my small slice in of their masterpiece, you know?

Bella Major: New generations also leave an impact on the cathedral by how they change the story it tells its almost half-a-million annual visitors and worshipers.

Joe Alonso: Cathedrals are so perManent. It reflects the different eras and different styles and history. It’s a Gothic, ancient-looking cathedral, but it is also, in my opinion, distinctly American.

Bella Major: Last year, the National Cathedral installed new stained glass windows, representing the ongoing struggle for racial justice. These Now and Forever Windows replaced stained glass windows commemorating the Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson.

Joe Alonso: Taking down some of these monuments is important because you’re really trying to tell the truth, because a lot of these monuments glossed over the history. You saw what happened in Charlottesville. And right after that happened is when the cathedral made the decision that that needed to change.

Poet Elizabeth Alexander wrote the poem “American Song” to accompany the Now and Forever Windows.

Elizabeth Alexander, Poet: How did we get here and where do we go?

Bella Major: Stone carvers at The John Stevens Shop in Rhode Island inscribed stone tablets with the poem. The stonemason team at the National Cathedral will be perManently installing those tablets below the windows.

The cathedral calls itself a house of prayer for all people, and they hope this installation tells a more inclusive and honest history of America.

Brianna Castelli: It is a beautiful limestone building, but it’s not necessarily avoiding the past, but, like, just getting better from it, which is — it’s really neat to be a part of.

Bella Major: The cathedral still has room for future installations for the generations to come.

Joe Alonso: I don’t know what the big thing is going to be 100 years from now, but there is space in this cathedral to reflect whatever is going on at that time. And that’s what cathedrals are supposed to do, right? They tell stories in stone and glass and metal and all of that.

Bella Major: For “PBS News Hour”‘s Student Reporting Labs, I’m Bella Major in Washington, D.C.

Geoff Bennett: And you can watch more stories from our Summer Academy online at StudentReportingLabs.org.