Saturday, September 01, 2007

The Promise: Mobilizing Teens and Technology Around Darfur

Neela Ghoshal

Guest Blog By Tim Salem *

In early 2004 I was teaching a course at Danbury High School entitled “Multi-Cultural Issues”.  I designed the curriculum to allow students ample opportunity for introspection, leading to a deeper understanding of individual prejudices.  Our last unit was devoted to studying “Hate.” In utilizing the Anti-Defamation League’s Pyramid of Hate, the term “Genocide” appears at the apex of the pyramid.  While preparing for this unit I came across information on Darfur and was both shocked and horrified.  When I presented information to students the immediate response was, “What can we do?” So we began where most groups do… writing letters.  And we wrote a host of letters!  Unfortunately our letter-writing campaign yielded little result (we received one return letter from Senator Christopher Dodd), and students felt helpless. 

As the year came to a close my wife gave birth to our first child, Alexandra. For those who are not yet parents I cannot describe the love and joy a child brings to the world.  All at once my world became completely devoted to this new, beautiful, little life.  One night shortly after she was born, my wife brought Alex into our bed where everyone seemed to get a better night’s sleep.  However, on this particular night I could not fall asleep, so I went into the small study just off the bedroom and began to do some more on Darfur. 

Suddenly the pictures and stories became more personal. I distinctly recall reading the words on the screen with tears running down my cheeks as I looked over at my daughter, safely secured next to my wife Sasha.  I thought about the parents in Darfur.  I thought about apathy.  I thought about inaction. I thought about my very first college paper on my hero, Martin Luther King JR.  I thought about Gandhi’s quote that I left students to ponder on the very last day of my course: “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” All of these thoughts streamed through my brain and at 1:30 am I began to write.  When I got into bed later that morning I promised my daughter I would do whatever I could to help the people in Darfur.  Funny, since I became involved in Darfur I have done too many presentations to count but I have only told one audience what I have just written here.  It was a deeply personal, emotional moment that is difficult to retell. 

The new school year came and I was promoted from classroom teacher to assistant principal.  Fortunately, my colleagues in the social studies department invited me to speak on Darfur to various classes.  As I went from class to class, I would challenge students to make a difference, referencing the Gandhi quote.  Shortly after one talk, a group of students appeared in my office and wanted to “do something.” I shared a two-page letter that I sent the United Nations, with no response.  A student asked me, “Mr. Salem how many letters have you written and what type of response have you received?” Good point.  I had begun writing the night I made the promise to my daughter...and received nothing in return.  As we shared ideas one thing became apparent.  The sheer numbers (in terms of death/destruction) were difficult to convey without visuals to personalize the cause.

So we decided to make a video.  Not one of us had any real experience in filmmaking but our collective goal was to convert apathy into empathy and hopefully, action.  I was able to work with a truly gifted group of humanitarians that happened to also be students at the school.  These six individuals gave up time and an abundance of energy to move this issue forward without expectation of community service credit, a grade, or even so much as a handshake.  None of us were sure how this would even be received.  But we spent the next four months piecing together our project. And when we finally finished we had an eight minute product we hoped would help fulfill our goal.  We titled the documentary “The Promise.” An allusion to the promise made to the world in December of 1948 to hold people and nations accountable for crimes against humanity.

Our video has been credited with swaying the State of Connecticut to divest, garnered a host of film and service awards, and provided us a platform to give presentations all over the United States (including to Congressional leaders on Capitol Hill in April) and raise money for the cause.  We have had the honor of presenting alongside Actress/UNICEF rep. Mia Farrow as well as Rwandan genocide hero/activist Paul Rusesabagina.  We have fulfilled over 500 requests for copies of the documentary from groups around the world.  However, as I sit here now and think of what we have accomplished in two years, I can’t help but feel both proud of the students who whole-heartedly committed to such a cause and dismayed that humanity still turns a blind eye to injustice.  It is difficult to be so passionate about saving human lives and see no tangible results.

But I have a promise to keep.  Currently, we are fielding requests for copies of the documentary as well as presentations. We will do our best fulfill each one.  Additionally, I just completed the script for a second documentary focusing primarily on the hope and despair of children in the Darfur region. Brian Simalchik, a former student who worked on the first project and is now at Williams College, wrote the musical score.  It is amazing work.  Mia Farrow has promised to narrate it and as soon as we can find some time in her hectic schedule we will get it finished.  Thank you for this opportunity.  I have never actually written a blog so I hope this suffices!  All the best.  Tim

*Tim Salem is Assistant Principal at Danbury High School in Danbury, CT. He was the 2006 recipient of the Mahatma Gandhi-Martin Luther King Jr. Peace Award presented by the Connecticut Education Association/ Human and Civil Rights Commission.