AmercAshis 3: Temple Israel, West Bloomfield

AmericAshis 3: Temple Israel, West Bloomfield

Birmingham, Michigan

October 5th, 2009

Yesterday I met 20 students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Before and after I was looking for squirrels and I am happy to report that Ann Arbor has red, black and grey squirrels plus chip monks. The city itself has a liberal university and a long history of demonstration. As we rode into the city there were about 200 protestors with sign boards against abortion. It is what it is.

My hosts were great young student of STAND that keep the fire burning. It is my second visit to Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan. Twenty people showed up to listen and without a projector I told the story of my Zaghawa friends in Oure Cassoni. We discussed how Darfur seems to have left the fore front of attention in activism land and how to make plans to reignite the attention for the region. It is a bit how I have felt since I started touring in 2006. The first year it was in the middle of media land, star child of attention of activist groups, with famous actors speaking out, George Clooney, Angelina Jolie, Don Cheadle, STAND booming actions all over.

Slowly groups have become less active, as the conflict has become more protracted, less intense; other conflicts have taken over the focus of media and activists. Yet new groups are still formed today (I shall be going to a new group formed in San Antonio this year) and those involved are still as passionate about Darfur as the people of 2006.
Today I ended up having three talks at RT @ PJCHERRIN @ashisbrahma briefs 200 Jewish Detroit teens at ATID @atidhs about #Darfur.http://yfrog.com/1n7bjbj (see twitter) And PJCHERRIN @ashisbrahma briefs youth group at Temple Israel in West Bloomf., MI, about refugee camps in #Darfur.http://yfrog.com/0onrrj
It is always special and powerful to speak in religious places churches, synagogues, mosques or mandirs. For the kids who started school at 8 in the morning it cannot have been easy to listen to a talk at 19.30 in the evening. Yet all 70 and 30 in the two talks (grade 7-8-9 and 10) asked great questions and were pretty well informed about the conflict. One question was about what I think about Omar El Bashir being summoned by the International Criminal Court. Well I think he will have his day in court.

At the end of the day some students were so moved that they contacted the Michigan Darfur Coalition to see how they could cooperate.

Tomorrow I am leaving Birmingham. This is the third time I am staying at the Page’s home. This time I met all grandparents, Jill’s brother, Tim’s sister and nephews and nieces. Birmingham is one of those places in the world I can truly call home. All talks organized were run smoothly and I loved the down time. Guys see you in 7 months and hope to greet you in my home in Uganda.

Namaskar,

Ashis