“We are people from across the world standing up for humanity and human rights. Our purpose is to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied. We investigate and expose abuses, educate and mobilize the public, and help transform societies to create a safer, more just world. We received the Nobel Peace Prize for our life-saving work.
With more than 2.2 million supporters, activists and volunteers in over 150 countries, and complete independence from government, corporate or national interests, we work to protect human rights worldwide. Our vision is of a world in which every person - regardless of race, religion, gender, or ethnicity - enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards.”
I have been involved with Amnesty International since even before starting my time at USF. The human rights organization was once merely a name mentioned in passing to me. But then I attended the Florida State Conference in January of 2009 and saw how crucial a piece I could be to the human puzzle. I joined up with the USF chapter of AI soon after my arrival here and I have become increasingly more fully integrated into the organization, which is still getting under way. I helped to coordinate Colour Your Sole, a collaborative relief effort in March 2010, and was named Public Relations Chair. I was also involved in the renewing-rewriting of the constitution last summer. For the new year, I have the great honor to serve as acting President of the USF student chapter. Presently I am planning to run a book drive with Better World Books and their partners at Invisible Children.
"Better to light a candle than curse the darkness"
--Old Chinese proverb
March 2010
Color Your Sole with TOMs shoes for Haiti relief and global awareness. The driving force behind the idea of TOMs is the phrase:
"One for One". For every pair of shoes bought, a pair of shoes is given to an impoverished child somewhere in the world. TOMs arranges shoe drops overseas, during which myriads of shoes are personally handed out and placed upon the feet of children of third-world countries by employees and volunteers. Since its founding in 2006, TOMs has given over 400,000 pairs of shoes to the feet most in need. USF has the incredible opportunity to host an event centered around these thoughts, hopes, and dreams.We bought a set number of white canvas shoes, which will be matched by TOMs. There were one hundred to one hundred and fifty shoes
given away to USF students. A PayPal account was put into place on the Cuban American Student Association's (CASA) website. This account was connected to their bank account and, through this, USF students could request the free pair of shoes and, if they so chose, make a donation to go directly to the Haiti relief fund. These shoes were delivered and handed out to the students on the day of the event. From here, students were given several possibilities: they could take their pair of shoes just as they were, they may decorate them in any which way with the art supplies provided, or they could ask volunteering artists at the event to paint the shoes for them. They may have also chosen to donate this pair that was initially designated theirs.The entire evening, however, was not just about the shoes. It was that idea of bridging humanities, culture, arts, and community--gathering many small organizations and individuals--to create one big voice. The event radiated the notion that all mankind is connected, through featuring every form of artist, person, and place. There was free food galore, performances, dance lessons, music, and an abundant amount of culture.
pictures: left, A student decorates her pair of TOMs; right, CASA members and other event volunteers hold up a hand-painted TOMs sign
Attached: press release for Color Your Sole 2010; event details powerpoint