Invisible Children, Advocacy, and President Obama's Action Against the LRA

The year 2005 was an incredibly significant year for me. In 2005, I resigned as a chief of my tribe, I had my eyes opened in a life and career altering way to the issue of extreme poverty, and I was first exposed to an organization called Invisible Children.

My friend Dave Williams, who at the time was working with me as a leader in a summer-long character based leadership development program in Orlando Florida, shared a website with me. On the site, I was exposed to the brutality of child-soldiers in northern Uganda, and I saw the beginnings of one of the most impressive grassroots advocacy movements of young people I have ever witnessed, and I was thoroughly inspired. Less than a year later, representatives of Invisible Children visited the campus of WVU, and dozens in Morgantown and thousands around the country participated in a global night commute in solidarity with children in northern Uganda.

This organization, has catalyzed thousands of young people to take action against global atrocities like the work of Joseph Kony and the LRA in Uganda. I have met many people who trace back their beginnings of advocacy, justice, and community service work to their exposure to Invisible Children. Some of my closest friends have participated multiple times in some of this organization's awareness campaigns. These campaigns were designed to bring more than awareness. They awoke a desire in many for a different kind of world. 

Invisible Children, through one of their campaigns, came on Oprah Winfrey's radar, and because of that, came on the radar of millions. They have partnered with many other organizations and agencies, and have encouraged people to write their congressional representatives to take action to end the reign of terror caused by the LRA in Africa. It was because of Invisible Children that I wrote my first letter as a concerned citizen to Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, my state's Senators at the time. They encouraged a lobby day in DC that saw over 1000 grassroots lobbyists travel to our nation's capital to advocate for a bill of which Invisible Children played a strong role in its initiation.

And now, President Obama has authorized 100 military advisors to travel to Africa to help local militaries bring an end to 26 years of terror, atrocities, and the abduction of 1000s of children who have been forced to become soldiers. I believe that Invisible Children has played a huge role in encouraging young people to participate in our government's processes, and I believe that for many, it has restored a belief that they can make a difference in this world, they have a voice that can be heard, and they have a role to play as citizen participants in our government as well as in bettering this world.

Who is the LRA from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Today, remember that you have a voice, and you have an incredible opportunity to good in this world, and to help make the world a better place--don't take it for granted!

Advocacy

Recently, I had the privilege of visiting the Capitol building in Washington DC. I literally stood in the center of DC as my friend JR gave me a tour of the place where the legislative branch of our government does it's work.

It's pretty wild when you think about it. I was walking around this building at the same time that elected representatives from all 50 states were making decisions based on what they believed YOU as their constituents wanted. Of course sometimes, it's easy to get jaded and feel like folks don't really have a voice, but our government was founded on the principle that the people have a voice.

We vote for representatives, but then we also have an opportunity to be advocates for legislation we believe in. Over the last few years, I've been provoked to take a more active role in participating in this kind of advocacy. My involvement within my tribe along with many non-profits including International Justice Mission, Invisible Children, and Nuru International have led me to not just talk about change but literally do my part as an instrument of change.

There are so many great needs in our world, and so much hurt. Every day I hear about yet another form of injustice, and I'm stirred once again to enter the fight. Earlier this year, I posted a video that told a horrible story of human trafficking and child prostitution. If you click that link and watch the video please take a minute to read the blog entry associated with it before watching the video. The sad part is that it doesn't have to be this way. We can step up and make a move toward positive change.

Change doesn't happen with passivity. Change happens with pro-active steps. One pro-active step is to write your congressional representative. There is a piece of legislation seeking support right now that would make a major stride in reducing this injustice. Want to join me and write? Here's a a template IJM offers for anyone interested in writing for congressional support.

If you are feeling apathetic, maybe writing a similar letter could be your first action step. The problems of this world are HUGE, and maybe the Creator of the universe placed YOU in this world for such a time as this.

Water For the World

BH2O+ Day of Recap Video from Nuru International on Vimeo.


This video highlights Nuru's first nationwide awareness event; it was called bh2o+ or Be Hope To Her. It was pretty amazing to see students on eleven college campuses take steps to increase awareness, and also experience directly what it is like DAILY for women and girls in the developing world to get water for themselves and their families.

This event did a lot to raise awareness and to inspire folks to confront not only the water crisis, but the crisis of extreme poverty. There is more work to be done though, and there's always opportunities to take new steps to join in this endeavor to end extreme poverty. The task of ending extreme poverty is enormous, but the steps to get there can be small and simple if many join in making them. I just found out about one of those small tasks recently. It involves writing your congressional representatives and signing a petition. Like I said, the steps toward ending extreme poverty can be small and simple.

So here, give this a read, and decide whether you will take a small step. There are over a billion people who hope that you will. I stand with them in their hope.

So here's the action step.

Sign this petition this petition for support of the "Senator Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2009."

This act has a goal of helping to provide 100 million people with sustainable access to safe, clean drinking water by 2015.

This petition is something that everyone can sign, but it would be phenomenal if folks took an additional step. Write your congressional representative a letter. Let them know about the great need for work to be done in the area of clean drinking water. Tell them about the work Nuru is doing, and about the opportunity they have to join in Nuru's efforts for holistic sustainable development, by supporting the "Water for the World" bill.

Want to read more about the act itself? Follow this link.

This is a great opportunity to take action and encourage our elected representatives to do the same. Who knows, maybe your letter will be what inspires them to confront the crisis, not only of clean drinking water, but of extreme poverty!

Takin it to the Streets

I just read this article in the New York Times about demonstrations taking place all over the country with regard to the Immigration policy being discussed in Congress.

As I personally reflect on the issue, I find it a bit ironic that there is an immigration policy. When my ancestors were in charge of the immigration policy, everyone was welcomed. People came from all over to enjoy the New World of America. Maybe we should have set more strict parameters back then, who knows?

Regardless of perspective, it is truly a wonderful gift that people are able to peacably demonstrate for their respective causes. If you were able to speak out about one issue in our world, what would it be?