There is no instinct like that of the heart.

Child Soldiers

One of my favorite professors has invited me to do a presentation on Child Soldiers for his Psych/Social Aspects of the Holocaust class today and tomorrow.

I took that very same class of his 2 years ago, my first semester of college, and it forever changed me as a person. 

The images, the testimonies..everything I saw and heard, became permanently embedded in my conscience.

At the same time I was in that class, I discovered another genocide that has been occurring in Africa for many years.

I was inspired to write a report about it for my English class.

I can recall being up late into the night, researching and writing about genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan.

I quickly became determined to educate myself about everything that was going on in Darfur.

In that same instance, I can recall breaking down and crying numerous times while learning about innocent woman, men, and children being tortured, raped and systematically murdered in their own villages.

Perhaps what shook me up the greatest of all, was the fact that a modern day genocide was happening at the same time I was taking a class teaching me about such unfortunate atrocities that happened 66 years ago. It made me extremely angry and upset.

In that moment, I made a vow to myself that I would not let such inhumane conflicts go unnoticed, that I would do the best I could to inform  people about them and spread a conscious message.

I’ve done numerous presentations and speeches highlighting significant conflicts, always in the hope that I can awaken an individuals perception of the world around them, to influence that one must never give up on using the power of their voice to make a difference.

It takes a lot more courage to stand for (or against something) than to remain ignorant. Change starts when we, the people, unite together.