Listening and reading about Rose Jacobs Gibson was both interesting and inspiring. She served from 1999 to 2012 on the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors, representing the 4th district. She served as mayor twice and was apart of many nonprofit organizations. She was founder of Hagar Services Coalition, The Black Diamond Project, The Women's Center, Community Network, and was co-founder of Housing Endowment and Regional Trust of San Mateo and created a public/private partnership within the county. This is just a slim amount of great work she has done for the community. Her works continue to help impact others to this day.
I was interested to hear what Rose Jacobs Gibson was going to say when she came to visit NDNU and talk to all FYS classes. What impacted me most was when she talked about starting small. I have always been ambitious and thought the only way to succeed was to start big, but she showed me that getting involved and helping others begins with small actions in ones community. I loved when she kept saying democracy and politics matter. They matter because they effect us and our community. She encouraged me to look beyond myself and look at my community as a whole and what can and should be done. I was always interested in working for my community, but was never sure how. After hearing her speech I now see resources and ways I can help and I hope that begins with being a Bonner Leader next year and helping by doing with what may seem small jobs but are actually making a grand impact.
Sunday, November 20, 2016
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Voice of Witness
The Voice of Witness (VOW) is incredible nonprofit organization that speaks for those who are unable to. Many voices can be lost during times of terror, but the goal of VOW is to let these stories be heard. VOW offers programs and has a book series that captures many different stories. VOW wants to reach out to the community and let these stories be heard, and have so far reached over 10 million people.
I really enjoyed the mission statement VOW has, as it states, "Voice of Witness (VOW) is a non-profit that promotes human rights and dignity by amplifying the voices of people impacted by injustice." Through our oral history book series and education program, we foster a more nuanced, empathy-based understanding of human rights crises." I love that this is a place of support and the amplification of human rights. VOW strives for justice and dignity and I appreciate the work they put in to accomplish this. I am excited to read stories from the book and see this mission come to life.
I really enjoyed the mission statement VOW has, as it states, "Voice of Witness (VOW) is a non-profit that promotes human rights and dignity by amplifying the voices of people impacted by injustice." Through our oral history book series and education program, we foster a more nuanced, empathy-based understanding of human rights crises." I love that this is a place of support and the amplification of human rights. VOW strives for justice and dignity and I appreciate the work they put in to accomplish this. I am excited to read stories from the book and see this mission come to life.
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
Panel
*I could not go to the mandatory event (gallery or musical) as I was ill. This is my make up work. I will be on the panel and this is what I plan to discuss.
What I plan on discussing is different from a story from the book the Rescuers. Instead, I plan to discuss online sources 4 and 5 and altruistic views. I will first talk about what altruism is and how we have talked about in class. I will then talk specifically about the sources and what stood out to me. I will discuss the fact that less than 1% rescued and that these people do not consider themselves as heroes but as people doing what is right, even though the line of right and wrong was blurred at the time. I will also talk about Karski in depth about this quote, "Karski's intellect and humanitarian spirit taught him some other lessons. He believes that even though in wartime Europe the murderers of Jews by far outnumbered those who wanted to save them, it is counterproductive to concentrate only on the murderers of Jews and ignore the minority that was determined to save them. This assertion Karski explains is based on two reasons. First, because it is historically untrue. Thousands of Christians tried to save Jews and were ready to die for them. Some did. Second, because this kind of an emphasis perpetuates the idea that "everybody hates the Jews". Not everyone hates the Jews. Christian rescuers felt that the Jews were valuable enough to risk their lives for them. In short, it is both historically incorrect and psychologically unhealthy to concentrate on the idea that no-one wanted to save Jews. (Jan Karski, Personal communication, 1999)." It strikes me how he analyzes this. I will also discuss from the other source the different types of rescuing (i.e. Moral, Judeophiles,Network).
What I plan on discussing is different from a story from the book the Rescuers. Instead, I plan to discuss online sources 4 and 5 and altruistic views. I will first talk about what altruism is and how we have talked about in class. I will then talk specifically about the sources and what stood out to me. I will discuss the fact that less than 1% rescued and that these people do not consider themselves as heroes but as people doing what is right, even though the line of right and wrong was blurred at the time. I will also talk about Karski in depth about this quote, "Karski's intellect and humanitarian spirit taught him some other lessons. He believes that even though in wartime Europe the murderers of Jews by far outnumbered those who wanted to save them, it is counterproductive to concentrate only on the murderers of Jews and ignore the minority that was determined to save them. This assertion Karski explains is based on two reasons. First, because it is historically untrue. Thousands of Christians tried to save Jews and were ready to die for them. Some did. Second, because this kind of an emphasis perpetuates the idea that "everybody hates the Jews". Not everyone hates the Jews. Christian rescuers felt that the Jews were valuable enough to risk their lives for them. In short, it is both historically incorrect and psychologically unhealthy to concentrate on the idea that no-one wanted to save Jews. (Jan Karski, Personal communication, 1999)." It strikes me how he analyzes this. I will also discuss from the other source the different types of rescuing (i.e. Moral, Judeophiles,Network).
Online Sources #4 and #5
Both of these sources talk about those who rescued in the time of the Holocaust. They both highlight that hardly anyone rescued, less than 1%, and talked about how they did this even though these rescuers risked their lives. In source 4, it focuses on Karski and his ideals. He explains his two ideals of how he knew people rescued, stating, "This assertion Karski explains is based on two
reasons. First, because it is historically untrue. Thousands of Christians tried
to save Jews and were ready to die for them. Some did. Second, because
this kind of an emphasis perpetuates the idea that "everybody hates the
Jews". Not everyone hates the Jews. Christian rescuers felt that the Jews
were valuable enough to risk their lives for them. In short, it is both historically
incorrect and psychologically unhealthy to concentrate on the idea that no-one
wanted to save Jews" (Jan Karski, Personal communication, 1999, Source 4, Page 2). In source 5, it discusses the 'why' of rescuing, stating, "The very question "Why did you do it?" evokes discomfort and even annoyance in
rescuers. The question challenges an instinctive response that stemmed from personal integrity,
from their humanity. Rescuers are often embarrassed with their answers because they are not
eloquent or philosophical and because the interviewer may be disappointed at the simple, "It was
the right thing to do." "I couldn't live with myself if I let this person die." Psychologically, the
very word "why" often seems accusatory and puts the rescuer on the defensive" (Source 5, pg 5).
Both of these articles struck me as they both tied together what we have been discussing and class and altruism. I enjoyed source 4 as it spoke well of altruism and how we often see it in disguise, stating, "If we were a part of a group of people that included altruistic rescuers, we could not distinguish these rescuers from the rest of the group. Traditional ways for placing people into certain categories are of no help" (Source 4, pg 3). This struck me as I have always seen altruism this way, noting the low profile those who are true altruists hold. When put in a line up, one could not point an rescuer out. "These people were altruists just doing what they saw as right. Coming from source 5, it states, Rescuers became outlaws in a Nazi no-man's-land. Their ideas of right and wrong were not widely held. Being isolated was new for them, since before the war, they had been very much part of their communities. Prior to the rescue they tended not to be loners or people who felt alienated from society.viii But the secret of rescue effectively isolated them from everyone else. Neighbors who suspected people of harboring Jews viewed them as selfish and dangerous because they risked the lives of those around them" (Source 5, pg 3). The idea of these rescuers holding low profile is brought up again here. Reading the line of right and wrong stands out as the 'right' thing at the time was to not take part and be antisemitic, but these people went against these forceful ideas and rescued because they saw that as right.
Both of these articles struck me as they both tied together what we have been discussing and class and altruism. I enjoyed source 4 as it spoke well of altruism and how we often see it in disguise, stating, "If we were a part of a group of people that included altruistic rescuers, we could not distinguish these rescuers from the rest of the group. Traditional ways for placing people into certain categories are of no help" (Source 4, pg 3). This struck me as I have always seen altruism this way, noting the low profile those who are true altruists hold. When put in a line up, one could not point an rescuer out. "These people were altruists just doing what they saw as right. Coming from source 5, it states, Rescuers became outlaws in a Nazi no-man's-land. Their ideas of right and wrong were not widely held. Being isolated was new for them, since before the war, they had been very much part of their communities. Prior to the rescue they tended not to be loners or people who felt alienated from society.viii But the secret of rescue effectively isolated them from everyone else. Neighbors who suspected people of harboring Jews viewed them as selfish and dangerous because they risked the lives of those around them" (Source 5, pg 3). The idea of these rescuers holding low profile is brought up again here. Reading the line of right and wrong stands out as the 'right' thing at the time was to not take part and be antisemitic, but these people went against these forceful ideas and rescued because they saw that as right.
Monday, October 17, 2016
Call to Action Day
Call to Action Day is an event where many students at NDNU and benefit the community. One can go off campus and help the community and earth, or you can stay on campus and play with children. The activity I took apart in was talking to a survivor. Our FYS class was able to talk to a survivor. from genocides. There stories were able to be heard by different students, following a panel afterword.
I was able to interview Bihama, a man who was a young child during the Rwanda genocide. The way he presented him self and talked of this genocide showed me that these events still impact him to this day. He talked lovingly about hi parents and the risks he took for his sisters. It still hurts him to talk about the last time seeing his mother or not being to see his sister because she is unable to get to the U.S. What impacted me the most though was him talking about the risks he took for his sisters. He was only a young boy, 13 at the time, when he and his sisters were sent with money to be refugees and flee from Rwanda. He did what he could to keep himself and his sisters alive which was an incredible sacrifice. They experienced a lot of terror and hardship. They were often out of money and unsure where they were headed, but Bihama knew he needed to protect his sisters and gave him motive to push on, no matter what it took.
I was able to interview Bihama, a man who was a young child during the Rwanda genocide. The way he presented him self and talked of this genocide showed me that these events still impact him to this day. He talked lovingly about hi parents and the risks he took for his sisters. It still hurts him to talk about the last time seeing his mother or not being to see his sister because she is unable to get to the U.S. What impacted me the most though was him talking about the risks he took for his sisters. He was only a young boy, 13 at the time, when he and his sisters were sent with money to be refugees and flee from Rwanda. He did what he could to keep himself and his sisters alive which was an incredible sacrifice. They experienced a lot of terror and hardship. They were often out of money and unsure where they were headed, but Bihama knew he needed to protect his sisters and gave him motive to push on, no matter what it took.
Thursday, October 6, 2016
Interveiw Questions
I am interviewing Bihama Vedaste, a Rwanda Genocide survivor.
1. Where were you born? Whom were you born to?
2. Tell me about your family, both siblings and parents, before the war.
3. How old were you when the events began in April of 1994?
4. How did the propaganda affect you?
5. What did it mean to be from a mixed family (being a mix of Hutu and Tutsi)? How did this affect you before and during the events took place?
6. What was going to school like before, during and after these events?
7. What impacted you the most during this time? How did these events impact you?
8. How do these events still impact you today?
9. How did you end up in the U.S.? How did you end up at NDNU?
Notes for myself:
- Go deeper with Bihama, do not keep it surface, "tell me more about that" to get more from the story.
- Slow down and allow him to speak and do not interrupt, come back to topics if you need to.
- If something is unclear ask to go deeper/further explain.
- Remember to thank him after interview.
1. Where were you born? Whom were you born to?
2. Tell me about your family, both siblings and parents, before the war.
3. How old were you when the events began in April of 1994?
4. How did the propaganda affect you?
5. What did it mean to be from a mixed family (being a mix of Hutu and Tutsi)? How did this affect you before and during the events took place?
6. What was going to school like before, during and after these events?
7. What impacted you the most during this time? How did these events impact you?
8. How do these events still impact you today?
9. How did you end up in the U.S.? How did you end up at NDNU?
Notes for myself:
- Go deeper with Bihama, do not keep it surface, "tell me more about that" to get more from the story.
- Slow down and allow him to speak and do not interrupt, come back to topics if you need to.
- If something is unclear ask to go deeper/further explain.
- Remember to thank him after interview.
Tuesday, October 4, 2016
Part 2, Rescuers
There are many stories and photographs in the book Rescuers, by Gay Block and Malka Drucker. The stories are centered around those who helped rescue people in the Holocaust. There are many different stories as each person has their own perspective. These stories tell of troubled times and victories for those they were protecting. The lives of these rescuers are fascinating, many saying they would do it all over again even with such sever risk.
A story that stuck out to me in this section was the story of Marie. She not only took in many children but cared and nurtured them. She deeply cared for them so much the children did not realize there were other Jewish children with them. She would always kiss them goodnight and cared for them. She saved many children, around seventy, and was strong through the hard times for the children. Her sneakiness and willingness to help the children was an extreme act of goodness I take to heart. Her compassion shown towards the children really touches me as those children were in desperate need of her attention.
A story that stuck out to me in this section was the story of Marie. She not only took in many children but cared and nurtured them. She deeply cared for them so much the children did not realize there were other Jewish children with them. She would always kiss them goodnight and cared for them. She saved many children, around seventy, and was strong through the hard times for the children. Her sneakiness and willingness to help the children was an extreme act of goodness I take to heart. Her compassion shown towards the children really touches me as those children were in desperate need of her attention.
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