Feeling this Cam'ron today,
check it.
So this weekend was a blast. My lack of pics is killlllin this blog but whatevs I'll obtain some sort of cam soon. I do have some videos for yall though. I decided to start SMC Cribz and the first house I chose was my friend's apartment located on North Campus. It wasa struggle to edit but the final masterpiece was a success in terms of generating laughter. I love them and they were so fun to film.
Check it out here. Enjoi.
I have been working a lot with a campaign I've been involved with since the beginning of this school year, the Dear Hillary Campaign. It is a campaign to demanding Hillary Clinton to use her political power as one of the most powerful women in the world to help enforce the law made in 2006,(Public Law 109-456 Democratic Republic of the Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act),that was sponsored by Senator (at the time) Barack Obama and co-sponsored by Senator (at the time) Hillary Clinton. It was signed into law by President Bush Last semester, we sent about 17,000 postcards to the State Department from the different chapters we formed not just in the U.S. but around the world. The public outcry we created granted us a meeting with the Ambassador-at-Large to Global Women's Issues, Melanne Verveer, one of Hillary Clinton's closest associates. Did you know that Melannes husband, Philip Verver, the United States Coordinator for International Communications & Information Policy, was Bill Clinton's roommate at Georgetown? Interesting. Anywho, the meeting went well but we knew we needed to do more to create an even more of a public outcry. We started phase II this semester and decided to return to D.C. to form a rally. The campaign committee joined by members of the Congolese community boarded a coach bus and took the 11 hour ride to D.C. Members of the Student Global AIDS Campaign joined as well because they were planning on lobbying and set up meetings in the offices of a few Sentors.
The rally went well outside of the State Department we got the attention of people inside. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Donald Yamamoto and Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, Susan Page met with the group to discuss the Congo and the issues that we stood for. I was able to videotape some of the discussion until I was told by police not to. It was an invigorating experience, especially from behind the camera. Lisa Jackson, a strong advocate for the women of the Congo and the filmmaker of
The Greatest Silence, a documentary about rape in the Congo. The film was one of the winners at the Sundance Film Festival in 2008. I was able to interview Lisa and was extremely nervous in the process. She was one of the speakers at the event and really got the crowd riled up as they chanted "Peace in the Congo!" over and over again. Ritha Baraka was one of the other speakers at the event. She is a human rights activist and a social worker who worked at Panzi Hospital in Bukavu, Congo. Panzi Hospital has been a safe haven for many rape victams in the Congo. There, they are able to have surgery to fix the mutilations that were caused by the rapists who attacked them. It is heartbreaking to hear the stories of the women who have had to be treated. Kambale Musavuli is a Congolese activist, student coordinator, and spokesperson for the non-profit organization, Friends of the Congo. His speech stressed how our generation is the one who can make the difference. He said it is up the youth to get the word out there and create change. I met Kambale last year and we have become good friends working together to help stop violence in the Congo. I am very thankful to know someone so dedicated to stoping this tragedy.
I was able to interview Cleophace Mukeba, a Congolese member of the Dear Hillary Campaign since the beginning. He was one the people who was able to talk to the State Department staff and told me it went well and both sides were able to share their thoughts. Cleophace became an American citizen in December of 2010, right before the campaign traveled to D.C. to meet with Ambassador Verveer. Last semester, I did a a photo journalism project on him because he interests me so much. He lived in the Congo until the war started in 1996. He fled and ended up being seperated from his wife for seven years because of the violence and little communication available to reach one another. Through a church organization, Cleophace wrote letters to his wife, hoping that one day he would find her and he finally did. They reunited after seven full years. This story really touched me and made me think differently about a lot of things. He made me realize that anything is possible. I used to complain about being away from a boyfriend for a week or so and after his story, my whole mindset changed. Cleophace now lives in Burlington with his wife and three young children, who I had the wonderful opportunity to meet. He even sent me a video of his daughter, Bernadette, singing at a concert at her elementary school. Adorable.
Overall, the rally was successful and we will continue thinking of new ideas and ways to get the attention of political figures who can make a difference with their power.
Busy, busy, busy.
My teacher and friend, Trish Siplon was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to teach in Jordan for a full year. She is one of the most facinating and deciated people I have ever met. I have worked closely with her through the Student Global AIDS Campaign and the Dear Hillary Campaign. I am going to miss that woman. My friends Alexsis and Kate will be graduating soon and have the opportunity to travel to Jordan with Trish from mid-May unil June. So exciting.
Tyler Machado, a former St. Mikes journalism major and WWPV radio staffer, now works at Seven Days, Burlington's alternative weekly and recently asked me if I wanted to be part of the advisory board for their publication of What's Good
This is last years publication. I went to meet with Tyler and other Seven Days staffers along with students from UVM and Champlain. I bourght my friend, Hannah with me. We were asked about our favorite places to eat, drink, shop, chill, etc. in Btown. The group that was chosen was very outgoing and humorous. I am so happy that I was chosen to be in the magazine/college guide. My headshot will be in it so make sure to look out for What's Good in August!
Spring fest was this past weekend and man, it was a hell of a time. Despite the fact that the there was a power outage that pushed the show back a few hours, I still had a grand time. My friends, Alexsis and Colleen and I made our way downtown and hung out at my friend, Mike's apartment before the show started. Mike is one of my good friends from my hometown so it was nice to catch up with him. I also got to see my friend, Sarah, who is also from my hometown. Her boyfriend, Chad, is a great DJ who's music is going viral. Chad and his friend started a group called Lazerdisk Party Sex and I can't get enough of them! I got to see some of their set after the power came back on and it was sick. Some kids started a huge dance circle and of course I had to jump in. Check out this banger,
Lemonade Is Still Popular and dance your pants off.
Thievery Corporation did a DJ set and the Roots were on soon after. Both were awesome and I didn't stop dancing the whole time.... until.... I was captured by my guy friends and tossed in the air. I proceeded to crowd surf to the stage, going up and down through sets of people with my hands covering my eyes. I finally made it to the stage where security helped me down and gave me a slash followed by "three slashes and you're out". At first, I thought I was getting kicked out but thankfully that wasn't the case. I ran back to my group of friends to attacked them jokingly. It was one of the best shows I've been to in a while. Best $10 I've spent in a long time.
As PDay approaches, I could not be any happier. Hopefully, the weather will be as great as the past two years.
Be sure to check out the
Defender this Wednesday. It is our sex issue! I will be making a video that will feature interviews with different students about all things.. sex. Well not all things, but all things camera appropriate. Haha be sure to check the site.
Bye ladies and gents.
