We meet thousands of students every year at universities and high schools around the country! Many are affected by the faces and stories of the Darfur refugees that we have met. Our hope with Camp Darfur and our presentations is that the students involved will be moved and empowered to take action. Here are a few examples.
Adam Sensenbrenner, a student from Appalachian State Univeristy in North Carolina, wrote in his Holocaust Seminar Dollar Paper:
“In a time of political and economic change it is important to remember our duty as American citizens. As young people we can make a lasting impact on the persecuted cultures of the world. We are the advocates for those less fortunate. We must be the voice of concern for those forced to be silent. The world may turn a blind eye to the citizens of Darfur, but with the combined efforts of the American citizens and our leaders we can end the genocide of Darfur.”
Adam understands not only the urgency, but also the power that we hold. We can make change.
Last Friday, Gabriel and I spoke to a collection of Journalism students from four South Bay High Schools here in California. Journalists competing in the News, Opinion, and Editorial Cartoons listened and asked questions for up to an hour. In 30 minutes they produced well thought out articles and sketches. You can view and read the results of the 2009 Write Off! There is even one about our old friend Ahmet.
We will soon post the final, edited versions!
2 replies on “Students Write for Darfur – Citizen Journalism”
I love your documentaries and am proud to see Americans doing such commendable work in Darfur. I really like this piece on citizen journalism, because it is important to make people aware of its powerful abilities. I am a journalism student AND a citizen journalist. I know that, as is, international journalism is inadequate. Certain topics make the news because they parallel the interests of investors in and owners of major media outlets. Therefore, the only way to get the word out is by taking it into our own hands to report on such underrepresented topics. This is, sadly, the case for many humanitarian issues, and it is about time peoples’ eyes are open to alternative options, like citizen journalism!
This will not only leave the population more informed. It will also compel media companies to get their butts in gear and give their audience some credit. We do not all need to know every time a celebrity dies if it is going to take the place of a much more pressing issue. We need to make the media see that we want to be informed about these issues so we can start to make a difference.
All in all, thanks for the citizen journalism advocacy and for everything you are doing in Darfur!
Dear Jessie,
Whatever you do in life, hold the passion for citizen journalism and advocacy at your core! This will help you bring forth the voices of those who need your dedication! We do you post your journalism? I would love to follow and support it. Please feel free to use anything from our website for your journalism. It is all under Creative Commons. Please keep us updated on work you are doing too!
ktj