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Organizations advocate Africa awareness
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by Jena Davison
Wednesday, September 21, 2005
Dozens of student and multicultural organizations dedicated to spreading African awareness gathered at Library Mall to rally for more involvement in minority issues Tuesday afternoon.
In coordination with various other participating groups, The National African Resource Center and Towards an Africa Without Borders (TAWB) organized the rally to raise awareness, dispel stereotypes about Africa and present the continent as a place with a thriving culture.
A series of speakers took stage to address issues plaguing the continent, including Sudan's civil war and relations with the West, in a goal to garner student and community attention.
NBC-15 reporter Christine Belport — who recently returned from an assignment in Kenya — spoke to attendees about her experiences there.
"I might have left Africa, but Africa never left me," Belport said. "Kenya has stayed with me in my blood and soul."
Belport described the unwavering strength and work ethic of Kenyan women, and said they are "holding up the country" through family ties and dedication to children in times of hardship.
Following her story, Belport told the crowd they too now know the story; and that people may die and governments may change but "stories never die."
Nafeesa Nichols, a student interested in African culture, read excerpts of African poetry with ethnic music to emphasize the culture of the various peoples on the continent.
She closed her speech reflecting on the tradition of the Zulu culture with the Zulu proverb "a person is a person because of people."
While the culture has attracted a number of students to study abroad and become active in international efforts, UW student Emily Fischer spoke on behalf of the turmoil plaguing Sudan.
After reading about the civil wars in Sudan, Fischer said she started the Action in Sudan Student Organization to aid those affected by the unrest.
Fischer told the audience 10,000 people a month die in Sudan's civil war, which was declared genocide by former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in 2004.
In continuing the discussion of student involvement, UW student Kim Isley highlighted her time spent studying abroad in Uganda last spring semester.
Isley, a Village Health Project member who is studying health and nutrition in developing countries, said she saw the poverty present there.
"They have so much less than us," Isley said. "But they have more joy than anyone I have ever met before."
Isley is currently fundraising to build water tanks in Uganda in order to provide clean drinking water for the Ugandan inhabitants.
UW Freshman Jill Speer said she gained insightful knowledge about African culture during the rally, adding she found a new appreciation for Africa's struggles.
"We can help them by teaching them rather than sending them secondhand items," she said. "To help Africa, [the effort] needs to start in Africa."
In an effort to gain worldwide attention to Africa, Dennis Glover, a 21st Century African Youth Movement representative, spoke of a two-phase art project the organization is involved with called "Imagining Africa."
The project involves 25 artists from around the world who will portray Africa without having been there. The artists will then travel to Africa and converse with native artists about their art, Glover said.
Following their trip the artists will return to their home-countries and produce three new pieces of art in response to the trip.
