Furthermore: Where the Headlines Take You

The Democratic Republic of Congo

A picture is worth a thousand words, as the old saying goes, and yesterday I saw a picture that spoke volumes to me. I was perusing the Christian Science Monitor website, specifically their Photos of the Day section, and saw this heartbreaking image. I am a mother, and seeing this woman with her, what I can only imagine, much beloved child in what is an impossibly tragic situation overwhelmed me with emotion. Most of us can not fathom what life is like in the Democratic Republic of Congo - the heart of Africa - whose natural resources and people have been plundered and exploited since the first European landed on its shores back in the 15th Century. Today the country finds itself still recovering from being in the middle of "Africa’s first World War". And though it ended back in 2003, an an estimated 1,200 people continue to die every day from war-related causes, including disease, hunger and violence. And since August 2008, the fighting in eastern Congo has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians, leaving many without sufficient food, water, medical supplies or shelter.

This image made me sad, and angry, and defeated. What I do when that combination of things happen, is try and learn more about whatever it is that is causing me to feel that way. In this case, I needed to know more about the Congo and its history, from before the first European landed there in 1482 (Diogo Cao from Portugal) all the way up through the current President, Joseph Kabila. Robert B. Edgerton has written a thorough history of this beautiful and ravaged region in his book titled The Troubled Heart of Africa. One reviewer of the book described it as "an engrossing albeit tragic history". The author ends his work with the statement, "That a people should suffer so terribly for so long is truly tragic, and no end is in sight."

But do not despair, because the library has a DVD that shows how every single one of us can, in fact, make a difference. The title is The Chick Who Always Talks About Atrocities in the Congo at Parties and is a documentary by local Portland filmmaker and activist Lisa Shannon. In it she talks about the human rights violations that have taken place in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. And more than that, she talks about how one person can effect change. After learning about the atrocities herself, Shannon began a charity to help raise awareness and funds for women of the Congo.

And to inspire further, I always find music helps. The library has a wonderful CD titled In the 7th Moon, the Chief Turned Into a Swimming Fish and Ate the Head of His Enemy by Magic by the Kasai Allstars (now that's an album title!). The Kasai Allstars are made up of 25 musicians and dancers originating from five different ethnic groups within the Kasai region of the Congo. The music is fun and funky! And the Kasai Allstars’ model of cooperation amongst different ethnic groups is inspiring.

I wish the very best for that mother and child. I wish them a life of peace and plenty.

We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore!

The New York Times recently reported that kids who are serious about saving the environment are trying to make sure the adults in their lives are environmentaly responsible too. Not that this is any surprise, really! All throughout history kids have been ready to stand up and fight the power.

In the 19th and early 20th century, tens of thousands of children in the United States worked in factories, many of them under terrible conditions. Kids on Strike!, by Susan Campbell Bartoletti, shows how kids worked together to force industrial giants to treat them more fairly.

Want to read about modern-day kids who are ready to fight for what's right? Elizabeth Rusch's book Generation FIX: Young Ideas for a Better World profiles 15 young activists who took their own ideas about how to fight white supremacy, clean up the environment, and help people in need. These are stories about self-starters — kids who saw something they thought needed changing, and then jumped in with both feet to get it done.

It's Our World, Too: Young People Who are Making a Difference, by Phillip Hoose also shares stories of young people working for social change. The second half of the book provides guideance for budding rabble-rousers with D.I.Y. information on finding allies, strategizing and planning your activities, fundraising, and smart research. A chapter on how to make sure adults don't take over your struggle is especially worth reading.