This past weekend, many fellow STAND students and activists came together for the national Women and Genocide Symposium co-sponsored by STAND and the Darfur Women Action Group. Though the conference was all the way in Washington DC, there were no limits to the distance the attendees traveled to get there – from New York to Colorado, there was a very diverse group of students present for the weekend. In addition, there were a broad range of interests and opinions that made the conference fun and engaging for everyone.

To begin the conference, a panel of scholars and officials spoke broadly on the topic of genocide, each with a different and informative perspective. Representing Sudan, Syria, the Congo, and the United Nations, the panelists spoke about why students and adults alike should care about care about these conflicts while also proposing viable, strategic plans of action. This was followed by several other informative speakers and powerful movie clips that clearly evoked empathy from the audience.

By the end of day one, everyone was exhausted yet invigorated. Debriefing discussions ensued once the day had come to a close and everyone seemed more knowledgeable about the situation in Sudan and the concept of genocide as a whole.

Day two opened with a panel of some of the most amazing and dedicated activists – students. Representing STAND was Mac Hamilton (former Education Coordinator) and Nate Wright (one of the founders of STAND at Georgetown University). Not only was their panel extremely engaging, it also showcased the value of student activism and the importance of the student voice within the anti-genocide movement. It showed students that their voice truly does matter and make a difference. Nate even emphasized the importance of “edgy” and unique campaigns in order to make the cause visible. This panel definitely left every student in the room feeling refreshed and excited to continue their work as part of the anti-genocide constituency.

As people said goodbye, it was evident that friendships had been established and important connections were made. The conference as a whole served as a great way to bring together people from all different communities to engage in one common goal – learning about and fighting against genocide.

After the conference, there was an optional lobby day on Monday. A few of us lobbied at the State Department, speaking with the Special Envoy to Sudan (well, his representative), and also Representatives of various states on Capitol Hill, hoping to obtain signatures on the Sudan Peace, Security, and Accountability Act – an act that would increase humanitarian aid to Sudan and put more international pressure on a comprehensive peace process. One of the Represenatives who was met with that day has already agreed to co-sponsor the bill!

Overall, the lobby day went very well, and even if the bill is not successfully passed, the STAND constituency, and anti-genocide constituency as a whole, will keep moving forward and pushing for a resolution to the conflicts in Sudan and everywhere that genocide exists.

If there was one thing students took away from this conference it was that every little action counts toward making a difference. My friend Shannon, a junior at the University of Colorado Boulder, was astounded at the knowledge she gained throughout the weekend. “I didn’t realize that the effects of sexual violence on a woman in Sudan are so detrimental – it’s shocking to think that one act of violence could destroy an entire culture,” she said.

Overall, this weekend served as a valuable resource for all involved, and was truly taken to heart by the participants. STAND students continue to show their commitment and dedication to the anti-genocide movement by attending events like this one- which is why, in time, perhaps a world without genocide will become a reality.

I never thought I would have a connection to the genocide prevention movement. I grew up in North Carolina, in a town of mostly white southerners with little international experience or knowledge. My time in high school, however, got me interested in international affairs and so I went off to N.C. State – a 15-minute drive from the house I grew up in – to pursue degrees in international relations and criminology.

While at State, I took many classes that dealt with conflicts around the world and I eventually became editor-in-chief of the university’s newspaper, which meant most of my day was spent glued to news sites, news on Twitter, and TV news channels. My relatively narrow worldview began expanding at a rapid rate, and to be honest it was a little overwhelming. There was so much going on in the world that I couldn’t come close to understanding!

Then I met Jon* through a mutual friend one night. He was very tall, very dark, and very quiet. But when he spoke, you listened. His words were always soft, but you could tell he said everything with purpose. During the traditional “tell me about yourself” line of conversation, I found out Jon was originally from Liberia and was in the U.S. to attend seminary. Then our mutual friend encouraged Jon to talk to us more about his past, and that’s when I became personally connected to the issues of war crimes, mass atrocities, and ethnic violence.

Jon was forced into becoming a child soldier in Liberia when he was a teenager, along with some of his brothers. He spent more than an hour detailing how soldiers raided his home, threatened his family with death, and swept him into a world of violence. He constantly feared for his life and followed orders to survive, but always thought about making it back home. Eventually he gained the trust of his commander, who left him alone to keep watch one night. After some deliberation, Jon decided to take his chances and escape. Although worried he would be hunted down and killed for fleeing, he made it home safely and never heard from his former commander again.

He was not comfortable talking about many of the specific horrors he faced, and I’m not sure if he will ever be comfortable talking about it – and that’s OK. While recounting his experiences, his mind seemed to wander away from the present and it felt like he was reliving that part of his life somewhere in his mind, not paying attention to the present company.

Meeting Jon and hearing about his life as a child soldier during Liberia’s civil war was life-changing for both myself and others in the room. So after moving to Washington, DC for graduate school I jumped at the opportunity to get involved with STAND. I want to be a part of the genocide prevention movement so I can stand up for people like Jon, whose story may never be heard elsewhere.

*Name has been changed.

One Million Bones had to be the most inspirational, motivating, humbling experience we’ve ever had. It not only opened our eyes to the power we have as people, but also allowed us to see the amount of deaths that have accumulated because of such atrocities.

Atrocities that we promised would never happen again.

The exhibition itself was chilling. The day started gloomy with overcast skies and a blanket of clouds. From afar, the thousands of bones in front of the capital gave the most intense picturesque scene.

As the day passed on and we attended numerous educational events, we were able to gain an extensive amount of knowledge on the different conflict areas we are battling today and the different projects implemented to aid these problems. Those from the Enough Project, and CARE were friendly and willing to answer any questions we had.

Later that night, we attended numerous talks given by various speakers such as Eva Kor, a Holocaust survivor, and Carl Wilkens, who gave us eye opening and inspiring stories.

Following the speakers, we each were given a candle to light and walk in pairs down the national mall on a walkway designated amongst the bones.

It was quiet. Just our bodies, the bones and the light from the candle.

It was humbling. Peaceful almost.

The next day was advocacy day. Volunteers from the Enough Project had set up an informative session to teach us about lobbying. We met at the Washington Court Hotel, where we got to meet numerous people interested and passionate about the same thing we were.

We heard Rachel Finn and JD Stier speak, and received tips and ideas on what to say to the representatives that we talk to. After hearing their personal stories, we got to organize our talking points with our fellow Texan volunteers, Nancy and Susan.

A couple of hours later, we attended our first lobby meeting. Although we had never lobbied before, the volunteers from the Enough Project and our Texan volunteers were incredibly supportive of us in the whole process. We sat down and got to talk to representatives from both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Everybody that we talked to was incredibly open and interested in what we had to say.

To say that we lobbied is already an astonishing feat, but thanks to the volunteers from the Enough Project and to everyone that supported us, we were able to lobby in Washington DC; an experience that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.