A Global Voice To Be Heard By Students This Fall

By Larissa Lytwyn

Newtown High School social justice and service organization A Global Voice, founded by students last spring, is looking forward to its first full academic calendar year with a number of fundraisers, concerts and other awareness-raising events this fall.

Co-Presidents Emily Oliver and Annie Schneider, both sophomores, began A Global Voice after being deeply moved by a Latin American studies course taught by Jan Brooks last fall.

Emily and Annie did a research project for the class on child labor, a social practice the young women found so gut-wrenching they decided that the issue must be brought to light beyond the classroom.

A Global Voice strives to educate classmates on issues including child labor and ethnic genocide. It also holds fundraisers for children and families in need at home and abroad.

Last spring, A Global Voice sponsored a concert at the Newtown Teen Center. Concertgoers paid a $3 entrance fee and were also encouraged to bring canned goods.

 “We had eight or nine [local] bands come and play,” said Annie. “It was a great turnout. We raised $800. We put half the money in our treasury to create a base through which we could fund advertising for our events and sponsor trips.”

The remaining $400, as well as the nonperishable food items collected, was donated to a food shelter in Danbury.

While Ms Brooks’ class provided a catalyst to form A Global Voice, the girls’ activism was born long before.

Annie and Emily are both members of the Connecticut chapter of the Junior State of America [formerly Junior Statesmen of America], a nonpartisan organization designed to increase students’ political knowledge and awareness. Students have the opportunity to attend conventions, campaign for representatives and senators, and speak with peers on issues relating to the political process.

Annie also worked with foster children in her native city of Atlanta, Ga.

Last spring Emily took part in a prestigious young leaders conference in Italy. Emily also took the opportunity, through the Junior State of America, to travel to Boston recently for the Democratic National Convention.

“It was an awesome experience,” said Emily. “I met so many amazing people!”

At the Women’s Caucus, she heard speeches from luminaries including New York senator Hillary Clinton and former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.  Afterwards, she was able to interact with them.

 “I shook hands with Sen Clinton,” said Emily. “She was moving quickly through the crowd so I didn’t really get a chance to talk with her, but it was just amazing to see her.

“I told Madeleine Albright how much of an inspiration she was to me,” she added. “She was really nice. It was incredible!”

Emily and Annie agreed that it was crucial to emphasize the value and importance of the voting process, particularly in the upcoming presidential election.

“It’s so crucial to be aware of what’s going on and to be informed,” said Emily.

An issue that has received consistent coverage in The New York Times this summer, said Emily, has been the crisis in Darfur, western Sudan. The girls have been reading about “Janjaweed” Arab militias, who have been engaging in an aggressive campaign to dispel black Sudanese villagers from the area. Villages have been torched. Women have been raped. The displaced villagers have become homeless, penniless and starving, according to what they have been reading.

Though the United Nations condemned the campaign as “ethnic cleansing” in a 77-page report released this past May, according to the girls, there has been limited action by the Sudanese government to defy the Arab militia groups.

  “We’ve been emailing congress through organizations such as Amnesty International to try to encourage America to send relief there,” said Emily, who added she believes the United States had “moral capital” invested in Africa.

   This fall, A Global Voice is planning to hold fundraisers to aid the Sudanese villagers.

   “These fundraisers would include a car wash, which our members have been very enthusiastic about, as well as more concerts like the one we had at the teen center this past spring,” said Annie.

  Emily said she is interested in planning trips for A Global Voice members to network with human rights organizations.

  “I would love to become affiliated with Amnesty International, CARE or Human Rights Watch,” she said.

She encourages younger students to visit the website of an international newspaper, Youth Network for Children’s Rights, accessible at www.iccle.org/NewsletterChildren.

Meetings for A Global Voice will be held Mondays from 2 to 3 pm at Newtown High School beginning in September. The exact location will be announced. For more information on joining A Global Voice, email Emily at EmilyOliver@iccle.org or Annie at Amsofct@aol.com.