Please tell us a little about  yourself.

I am a senior studying international relations at Texas State University. I’m the current State Advocacy Lead for Texas and have worked on multiple Action Committees. I hope to go to graduate school for global and national security. I enjoy writing on international issues and human rights abuses happening worldwide.

What have you learned from writing conflict updates, and why do you contribute to conflict updates?

I love staying up to date on important areas experiencing sensitive security, and I love the work STAND does in keeping youth informed on these issues. I choose to contribute each month because I believe in the mission of STAND and I think it is crucial for the public to be aware of abuses happening so that there can be real change. Many bettors enjoy the crash style of Aviator Game because quick decisions multiply stakes fast when timing works well. Cash out smartly before the plane vanishes and secure solid returns on every round. Master simple patterns and use low risk bets to build steady gains over time. Start small then increase amounts as confidence grows in this exciting betting format. Thousands try their luck daily and find success with careful approach. You can join the action and test strategies right now so click here to play aviator game and experience real multipliers in action today without delay. Practice makes results improve quickly in such dynamic gambling entertainment.

Based on the region(s) you’ve written on, what do you wish more people knew about the region(s) and its issues? 

I’ve written on several areas but I have the most experience in writing about the war in Yemen. I wish more people were aware of the fact that women and children are the ones experiencing the worst of the war. I wish people were aware that we are living through one of the worst humanitarian disasters in modern history.

Why do you work with STAND and what have you enjoyed about the work you’ve done?

I work with STAND because I believe in the importance of establishing youth involvement in the way our world is structured. I think that the youth of the world have a lot of power and they should be directly involved in the dialogue regarding several important global issues. Being an SAL, I have sharpened my analytical and communicative abilities. I enjoy the fact that I am responsible for how certain people in my local area will receive information about global issues. I’ve also enjoyed learning about activist techniques and the roots of social change.

Please tell us a little about  yourself.

My name is Mira Mehta, and I’m a senior at Westfield High School in New Jersey. I’m the co-lead of the Yemen Action Committee, and this is my fourth year being a part of STAND. Last year, I was the New Jersey State Advocacy Lead, and before that, I was part of the communications task force for two years. Outside of STAND, I am the captain of my school’s debate team and an Editor-in-Chief of my school’s magazine.

Please write briefly what you’ve learned from writing conflict updates and why you choose to contribute to conflict updates each month.
I love contributing to the conflict updates every month because international atrocities rarely get the media coverage they should, and the conflict updates provide a very clear and concise way for people to stay informed. Before I joined STAND, I knew very little about mass atrocities or how prevalent they were around the world. The conflict updates were a really helpful resource for me to become educated, so contributing to them feels like a way of paying that forward. Writing them has also helped me stay informed on areas that I don’t usually focus my advocacy on, like Cameroon.

Based on the region(s) you’ve written on, what do you wish more people knew about the region(s) and its issues? 

I wish that people knew there is a conflict between English-speaking and French-speaking people in Cameroon, which has been escalating for a long time and is likely to become an even larger atrocity. Cameroon is a country that most people never think about, but there are real people who are in danger. It’s also important to note that neither side has a strong moral high ground in this case because both the English-speaking separatists and the military have acted with blatant disregard to and sometimes malice towards the well-being of civilians. There has to be international attention to help reduce the tensions before they escalate even further, and more innocent people get killed.

Why do you work with STAND and what have you enjoyed about the work you’ve done?

I love working with STAND because I’ve gotten the chance to make an actual difference and take action against atrocities around the world. I’ve been able to work with such incredible people from around the country who are passionate about these issues, and it’s amazing to me to watch them work and learn from them. STAND makes advocacy work accessible and brings in young people, and I really appreciate the ability to pass that on and to continue learning.

Read Mira’s featured sections here:

• The DR Congo section of the July and August 2020 Conflict Updates
• The Sudan + South Sudan and DR Congo section of the September and November 2020 Conflict Updates
• The Refugees section of the October and December 2020 Conflict Updates
• The Cameroon and Refugees section of the January, February, and March 2021 Conflict Updates

Read more about STAND’s conflict updates and other published pieces on our blog. If you are interested in writing a conflict update or joining a STAND Action Committee, visit our interest form. Contribute to STAND to support youth activists like Mira! Donate any amount here. 

Please tell us a little about  yourself.

My name is Audrey Firrone, I am a third-year  student at the University of Memphis studying Creative Mass Media, French and Political Science. I joined STAND in July as an Action Committee member on the East Turkistan Action Committee. In addition to writing conflict updates about East Turkistan and the Uyghurs, I have helped research for the Committee for information that can be presented to STAND chapters. Outside of STAND, I have worked with the Free Uyghur Now student coalition advocating for Uyghur rights. Between November and the beginning of March, I was the communications director for the coalition and I have been one of the content creators for infographics and social media posts since September. 

What have you learned from writing conflict updates and why do you choose to contribute to conflict updates each month?

Since I started writing conflict updates, I have learned that it is important to be unbiased in not only writing, but in research. Human rights is something that should not be a partisan issue, and when researching what is happening the research shouldn’t stop when something comes from a “side” that differs on other issues. I choose to contribute to the conflict updates each month because it allows me to not only stay up-to-date on what is going on in East Turkistan, but also helps with the work I do for Free Uyghur Now.

Based on the region you’ve written on, what do you wish more people knew about the region and its issues?

The thing I wish more people knew about the current atrocities happening in East Turkistan is that things are worse than many people realize. This is an emerging issue and as each month goes by new information is coming to light that is more atrocious than the last. Although this is a hard truth to understand, as more light is being shed on the issue the more things come to light. Since I started writing the conflict updates in August, several big and atrocious stories have come out and it is something that is going to keep happening as the world begins to put more focus on the crimes against humanity happening in East Turkistan. 

Why do you work with STAND and what have you enjoyed about the work you’ve done?

I work with STAND because it gives me inspiration that my peers care about making the world a better place. It is cliché to say, but it is true. Working as an Action Committee member has allowed me to meet so many people that are working to make the world a better place at so many different levels. Genocide  and mass atrocities are occurring and for many people my age that is something that they don’t know or acknowledge, and to work with so many youth that are trying to bring these issues to light is inspiring. 

Read Audrey’s featured sections here:

• The East Turkistan section of the August 2020 Conflict Update
• The East Turkistan section of the October 2020 Conflict Update 
• The East Turkistan section of the November 2020 Conflict Update 
• The East Turkistan section of the January 2021 Conflict Update 
• The East Turkistan section of the February 2021 Conflict Update 

Read more about STAND’s Conflict Updates and other published pieces on our blog. If you are interested in writing a Conflict Update or joining a STAND Action Committee, visit our interest form. STAND Managing Committee positions are now open- check out the application! 

Please tell us a little about  yourself.
My name is Saw Tar Thar Chit Ba. I was born and raised in Yangon, Myanmar, and I moved to the United States a little over three years ago. I am a freshman studying business administration at Cheyney University. I was invited to the STAND Burma Action Committee by Jan Jan in the summer of 2020. Since then, I have had the privilege to meet with a lot of lovely people who are enthusiastic and passionate about preventing and ending genocides and mass atrocities in the world. I am also a volunteer at Voice Of Youth Myanmar and Global Movement for Myanmar Democracy.

What have you learned from writing conflict updates and why do you choose to contribute to conflict updates each month?
Writing conflict updates taught me that narration is very important. One verb or adjective can change the tone and the message of the entire writing. I also learned how to properly fact-check and be unbiased about the conflict I am updating on. The reason I choose to contribute to conflict updates is that I want to learn more about all the things happening in Burma and spread awareness to everyone. 

Based on the region you’ve written on, what do you wish more people knew about the region and its issues?
I wish people around the world realize that people in Burma are far from experiencing democracy. Rather, they are under an authoritarian regime all this time which is confirmed by the recent seizing of power by the military. The world’s longest civil war is still going on and a lot of people are suffering from it. Ethnic minorities are being oppressed and citizens are propagandized with the altered history taught in the schools.

Why do you work with STAND and what have you enjoyed about the work you’ve done?
I love being in STAND because honestly, it is nice to see people around my age, working hard to not only educate people about the genocides and mass atrocities but also take actions to end these atrocities. It is very inspiring and encouraging. I also learned many things about advocacy and how we as a collective, in solidarity, can achieve our goals. 

Read Tar Thar’s featured sections here:

• The Burma section of the November 2020 Conflict Update
• The Burma section of the December 2020 Conflict Update 

Read more about STAND’s conflict updates and other published pieces on our blog. If you are interested in writing a conflict update or joining a STAND Action Committee, visit our interest form. STAND Managing Committee positions and Student Director positions are now open- check out the application!