STAND - Conscience Rally in D.C.

 Are you interested in learning about genocide in Africa? Would you be dedicated to aid the victims of this crime? If so, STAND is definitely your kind of club. STAND is sponsored by AHS teachers Jen Ferrara and Lilia Jimenez-Herrera, where a combination of Annandale students from all grades come together at least twice a month to state their views on ways to prevent genocide in Africa, primarily in Darfur, rally, and participate in different activities and meetings to let their voice be heard and valued. Just recently, members participated in a STAND conscience rally in Washington D.C. regarding their views on the issue.

Genocide was introduced to Sudan in February of 2003, by a mostly Arab militia group called Janjaweed along with the Sudanese army. These militias began to terrorize the Fur, Massalit, and Zaghawd tribes of Sudan due to their black-African ethnicity, killing at least 300,000 people. Rebels from these groups are targeted by the militias and primarily take refuge in Chad.
  
STAND was created for students attending AHS who very strongly believe in improving the condition in Darfur. “We sent postcards to President Obama to make him aware of how strongly we believe genocide should be stopped,” said President of STAND, senior Jennifer Ibarra.
   
“We basically spread awareness of genocide [mainly in Darfur] by volunteering in events on a community level to do our part in spreading the word.” Today, STAND is a nation-wide school organization. According to Ibarra, “it was constructed in AHS by a few senior interns from the Holocaust Museum who dedicated themselves to a program called “Bringing the Lessons Home”, which educated the community about genocide.
  
The STAND conscience rally, overall, was a great experience for those who attended. Senior Samantha Romano said, “I am in stand because I have realized how the world has evolved since Hitler’s time, yet genocide still continues to occur and instead of ignoring it, we need to face it. We went to D.C. with other coalitions of groups in Virginia to put pressure on Obama to help stop genocide. It is not a pleasant topic, but I still definitely enjoy being a part of this.”
  
Regarding the rally, sophomore Darlene Reyes said, “The rally on Friday was to influence the government to help end genocide in Darfur. The rally really helped us make a difference and all of the STAND groups from different schools went to it.”
  
“A lot of people stared at us but they actually listened to what we were saying so that was good,” said Reyes.
   
Another upcoming AHS event is a benefit concert on December 10 at 7:00 p.m. in the school auditorium with poets, dancers, and musicians.
  
 If you want to know even more about up-coming STAND events in your community, you can log on to www.standnow.org to receive updates and learn more.