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.

On June 8th, 2013, thousands of participants dressed in white will lay down one million bones on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. These bones, handcrafted by thousands in all 50 states and 30 countries, will serve as a visible petition and symbolic mass grave to shed light on continuing genocide and mass atrocities in Sudan, South Sudan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burma and Somalia. The project, called One Million Bones, uses hands-on art making, education, and public installations to approach these conflicts in classrooms, congregations, art studios and community centers. Dozens of STAND chapters across the country have participated in this project over the past three years, using the power of art as a way to profoundly connect to these issues, raise awareness on campus and provide a space for discussion.

One Million Bones began as a vision: artist Naomi Natale imagined a way to bring an issue that often feels so far away close to home. To place one million bones in the most public and sacred space in our nation would force the public, and our government, to face reality and to see the bones for what they represent. The bones made honor those who’ve been killed and affected by ongoing conflict, represent an individual voice in a larger movement and most importantly, symbolize our common humanity and responsibility to protect one another. In this spirit, the Students Rebuild challenge has generated $1 per bone towards CARE‘s community development and relief work on the ground in Somalia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The three-day event, June 8-10th,  will include international speakers and performers: Neema Namadamu, John Dau, Carl Wilkens, John Prendergast, Elikeh and more to be announced soon! The program will also offer educational workshops and an interfaith candlelight vigil on Sunday, June 9th, as well as the opportunity to Act Against Atrocities during an advocacy day on Capitol Hill led by the Enough Project on Monday, June 10th.

Take a moment to watch a short video of the 50,000 bones preview installation organized in Albuquerque, NM that produces a good visual description of the experience.

One Million Bones is still seeking volunteers for the National Mall installation. Click here for more information and to register!

You may think that a bone is just a part of the human anatomy, but for students at American University last week, it became so much more. On November 28th, the American University chapter of STAND held an all day One Million Bones Marathon. Through this event we are changing the way students learn about genocide.

What is One Million Bones? OMB is a practice that combines education and art to not only raise awareness of genocides today, but help in the prevention as well. Founder Naomi Natale believes that the symbol of the bone represents our common humanity and offers a reminder that we belong to each other. Also, each bone registered with Students Rebuild will generate a $1 donation, up to $500,000 from the Bezos Family Foundation to CARE, who works with communities in Somalia and the DRC.

With the STAND community at AU working on education and activism in the same areas as OMB, it was an obvious match! Through the integration of STAND knowledge during events, such as the viewing of documentaries pertaining to the situation in Burma, along with hands-on bone-making, we hope to reach out to a broader base of students. These students are those who may not want to sit through panel discussions or seminars on the subject, but who do have time to make a bone.

These bones represent every single one of us; inside we really aren’t so different after all. So though it may be just one, your voice DOES count. 112 bones were made at American University, and so 112 voices spoke- so far. Will you make your voice heard? All it takes is one bone- one in a million.